GIS/Conservation Mapping

• Critical biological habitats include grizzly bear ranges.Grizzly Bear image by Ryan LeBaron from Fotolia.com
  
  The Center for Native Ecosystems designs geographic information systems and provides conservation mapping for environmental groups to assist in land use planning. They help identify and defend critical biological habitat areas as well as identify and map animal migration corridors.
  
  

Habitat Connectivity

• Elk herds migrate between winter and summer feeding grounds.Elk image by bas from Fotolia.com
  
  Conservation of native habitat requires saving tracts of land large enough to sustain a reproducing and genetically viable population. This requires safe corridors between conserved areas. Migratory animals need to travel between winter and summer grazing areas. Carnivores require their own territory adjacent to mates. The Center for Native Ecosystems helps identify corridors.
  
  

Climate Change

• The Center for Native Ecosystems identifies climate-threatened habitat regions in the Southern Rockies. Mountains have distinct climatic elevation zones based on temperature. As the climate grows warmer the zones will shift upwards, eventually eliminating the higher zones and the animals that live in them. One area of concern is the alpine meadows and their resident marmots.