This study focuses on Endangered Forests and the biological
components of the High Conservation Value Forest concept. High
Conservation Value and Endangered Forests are identified and mapped
based on several ecological components that are globally, regionally,
or locally important. These ecological components can be landscape
level features or biodiversity related. These components sometimes
overlap and at other times are mutually exclusive. Any one component
can be enough to identify a specific forest area as a High
Conservation Value or Endangered Forest depending on the circumstance,
but a full assessment using readily available spatial data of all of
the ecological components is warranted before a forest is identified
for this purpose.
This study attempts to develop a scientifically defensible
analytical approach to mapping High Conservation Value and Endangered
Forests using the Alberta Foothills of Canada as a case study. The
goal of this project is to help develop solutions for this particular
region, but also to develop a decision support approach that can be
applied elsewhere advancing the identification and mapping of High
Conservation Value and Endangered Forests throughout the world. This
report emphasizes the analytical approach as much as the final results
specific to the Alberta Foothills ecoregion.