This data set includes Biodiversity 3 Potential Conservation Areas (PCAs) within the study region. Potential Conservation Areas (PCAs) are âland areas that can provide the habitat and ecological processes upon which a particular element (i.e. rare plant and animal species and significant plant communities) occurrence, or suite of element occurrences, depends for its continued existenceâ. PCA boundaries are determined by county-wide biological assessments conducted by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. PCAs are ranked according to their biodiversity significance, ranging from 1 (greatest) to 5 (least). This study only analyzed categories 1 to 3.
PCAs are categorized in this data set based on the extent conservation easements (CEs) provide a one-mile buffer for them. CEs from six land trusts in Boulder, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties were analyzed.  The buffer percentage for a PCA is based on the following criteria: very high (>80%), high (60-80%), medium (40-60%), low (20-40%), and very low (< 20%).
