Threat-based ecostate mapping: Using big data to guide management across sagebrush landscapes
Ecostate maps use satellite data to assess vegetation condition and trends across sagebrush landscapes. This publication explains how the maps were developed and how land managers can use them to identify ecosystem threats, evaluate rangeland health, prioritize conservation actions, and monitor landscape change over time.
Subject Tags
- Land management
Overview
Ecostate maps use satellite data to show the broad condition and trend of vegetation in sagebrush country: where it’s healthy, where it’s declining and what ecosystem threats may be driving change. Ecosystem threats range from invasive annual grasses to fire and conifer encroachment. In this publication, land managers can learn how ecostate maps were built and how to use them. Examples show how to assess rangeland condition, how to plan and prioritize landscapes and how to monitor change over time.
TNC Authors
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Megan Creutzburg
Upland Restoration Program Manager. Nevada
The Nature Conservancy
Email: megan.creutzburg@tnc.org -
Anya Tyson
Oregon Sagebrush Sea Program Director. Oregon
The Nature Conservancy
Email: anya.tyson@tnc.org -
Lee Davis
Western Rangelands Public Lands Policy Specialist. Nevada
The Nature Conservancy
Email: lee.davis@tnc.org