Thrive Regional Partnership inspires responsible growth through conversation, connection, and collaboration in the tri-state greater Chattanooga region. Thrive has formed the Natural Treasures Alliance, a collective of land trusts, watershed conservancies, outdoor recreation groups, and other organizations dedicated to long-term conservation goals. Thrive uses geodesign methods to plan a sustainable future given population growth and conservation priorities with the goal to protect 50% of the region’s remaining habitat cores.
This group did a recent analysis using PAD-US and Esri’s Green Infrastructure Habitat Core Database and identified only 12% of the regions forest cores as protected (graph image below). “This information is extremely valuable to the foundations and funders in the region as work continues to map and identify priority areas for data-driven conservation efforts” according to Charlie Mix, the GIS Director supporting the Thrive Nature Treasures Alliance.
A similar model was developed for Mainspring Conservation Trust based in Frankin, NC to determine Trust conservation priorities (second image below). “These data are used daily to make conservation happen throughout Western, NC” says Charlie Mix, the GIS Director who supporting mapping efforts.
