SEF_Geobook

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Southeastern Ecological Framework
Planning for the Future
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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is involved?

Habitat Fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation is a serious threat to
biological diversity and disrupts functioning
ecosystems that support cleaner air, purer water
and better protected land.
Endangered Ecosystems
Next slide
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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is involved?

Watershed Protection
Our watersheds not only provide us with quality
drinking water, but also provide flood
protection, healthy habitat and streams for
fishing and swimming.
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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is involved?

Air Quality Protection
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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is involved?

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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is involved?

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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is involved?

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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is involved?

Robbin B. Sotir
Robbin B. Sotir
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Introduction of SEF

• Why are we doing this?

• How it is important to you?

• Who is Involved?

Federal Partnership
Southeast Natural Resource Leaders Group
(SENRLG)
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Development Process

• Important Concepts

• Key Analysis Steps

Use a regional landscape approach to design a
functional Ecological Framework that

• Putting the Pieces Together

(1) Identifies critical elements of native
ecosystems and landscapes
(2) Maintains connectivity among ecological
systems processes
(3) Facilitates the ability of these ecosystems
landscapes to function as dynamic systems
(4) Maintains the ability of the ecosystems to
adapt to future environmental changes.
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Development Process

• Important concepts

• Key Analysis Steps

• Putting the Pieces Together

Model Ecological Network
Core Reserve
Core Reserve
Corridor
Inner Buffer
Outer Buffer
Inter-Regional Corridor
Source from Noss, 1992
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Development Process

• Important Concepts

• Key Analysis Steps

• Putting the Pieces Together

Key Analysis Steps
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Development Process

• Important Concepts

• Key Analysis Steps

• Putting the Pieces Together

Data Layers for Identifying Priority Ecological
Areas
Land Cover Landscape Characteristics of
Watersheds Natural Heritage Program Data
Species Analyses Existing Proposed
Conservation Lands Roadless Areas (5,000 acres
or larger) Priority Water Bodies
Wetlands Potentially Significant Black Bear
Habitat Coastal Barrier Resource Act Land
National Estuarine Research Reserves
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Development Process

• Important Concepts

• Key Analysis Steps

• Putting the Pieces Together

Ecological Cost Surface Analysis Find a path
between ecological hubs representing the best
ecological pathway between the hubs. Cost is
not monetary, but is ecological.
Avoid urban areas intensive agriculture
Eco-Hub
Eco-Hub
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Development Process

• Important Concepts

• Key Analysis Steps

• Putting the Pieces Together

Southeastern Ecological Framework
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Benefits

• Protect Natural Resources

• Support Local Decision Making

? It is a decision making tool used to identify
and protect key lands and natural resources along
with the ecological services these areas provide.
? Shows the big picture and lets users view local
decisions from a larger regional context.
? Saves time and money by already integrating
dozens of complex environmental parameters into
one useful tool.
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Benefits

• Protect Natural Resources

• Support Local Decision Making

? Provides the user with a science-based method
to evaluate alternative land use management
decisions and their impacts on natural resources.
? Allows decision makers to prioritize and
protect ecologically significant resources that
provide low-cost, hard-to-replace services.
? Putting environmental factors into the
beginning steps of a planned project helps the
development process go smoother so unexpected
mitigation activities can be avoided.
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

The hardest part is asking the right questions
1. How can our greenspace protection efforts
support clean drinking water for our community?
2. What funding sources are available to support
water quality protection in our community?
3. Which land is at most risk to developmental
pressures?
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Easy access to natural resource data and
information
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Identifying issues that are important to the
community
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Prioritizing locations that support your goals
objectives
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Overlaying the pieces to highlight potential
actions
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

You can now focus on agricultural land with
little riparian buffer
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Identify potential funding for protecting water
quality from agricultural run off
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Protect drinking water sources for your community
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Identify funding to protect drinking water
sources for your community
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Develop a funding strategy by leveraging the
power of the internet
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Identify opportunities that may not have been
visible in the past
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Identify potential threats to the critical
ecosystem services in your community
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

See what is really on the ground in your
neighborhood

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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Direct access to topological maps showing land
form features
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Support the development of a protected lands
database
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Using the SEF GeoBook

• Asking Questions

• Supporting Decisions

• Additional Features

Link to additional GIS based mapping sites with
additional information
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Conclusion
Current trends
in population growth and development are having a
profound impact on environmental and economic
resources.
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Conclusion
The SEF
Identifies and prioritizes key resource areas
that significantly contribute to
- cleaner air,
- purer water,
- better protected land,
- habitat stabilization,
- open space,
- agricultural production.
- biodiversity, and
- recreational activities
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Conclusion
The SEF
protects ecologically important hub and corridor
networks,
provides quality environmental information,
and is a new and innovative approach to address
environmental problems.
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For more information
For more information
Contact
The Planning Analysis Branch U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 61
Forsyth Street, S.W. Atlanta, GA
30303 Durbrow.rick_at_epa.gov 404-562-8286 Richards
on.john_at_epa.gov 404-562-8290