Significant Habitats, New York State

This layer was created from the Ecological Systems Map (ESM+, also called DSL Land) to highlight a number of habitat types specifically. We used the Summarize Zones function in ArcMap along with the Protected Areas Dataset and the ESM+ layer to identify the extent and protection status of all ecological systems (macrogroup level) across the 4 northeast states of NY, VT, NH, and ME. We also used information on potential habitats for Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (RSGCN) for these 4 states from a prior crosswalk of ESM+ macrogroups with Natureserve habitat types completed by Glennon and Curran (2013).

The following habitat types were identified as (1) making up less than 10% of NYS (most are < 1%), (2) less than 1/3 permanently protected from development (in many cases far less), and all of potential importance to1/3 or more of RSGCN for the Northeast states: Northeastern Floodplain Forest, Central Hardwood Swamp, Wet Meadow/Shrub Marsh, Ruderal Shrub and Grassland, Northern Swamp, and Central Oak Pine. We therefore created a raster from the ESM+ dataset that includes these habitats specifically, as those which are underrepresented and underprotected in New York, but of high importance to RSGCN.