The purpose of this project is to develop a spatially explicit conservation prioritization tool for use by state (Arizona Game and Fish Department), local (e.g. counties, conservation groups), Federal (US FWS Refuges and Ecological Services, National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management), and non-profit land managers in southeastern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico. The “Sky Islands” of this region support exceptional biodiversity, including numerous trust species, which also rely on maintaining corridors between ranges. Specific deliverables for this project are: landscape-scale indicators that will allow partners to assess current conditions and monitor progress toward shared objectives; development of an online “adaptation toolbox” where managers can share best practices from their work and connect with other practitioners; and publication of a Conservation Blueprint to help partners prioritize where to prioritize limited resources. This project has been underway since September 2017. This amendment is required complete deliverables, specificially the adaptation toolbox and conservation blueprint. The funding need was identified in the original agreement, but not appropriated in FY 2017.
