Idaho Wetland Conservation Prioritization Plan - 2012

Idaho Department of Fish and Game used GIS to prioritize wetlands for acquisition, long-term conservation, and restoration. Three broad criteria were considered: 1) wetland types; 2) wetland functions and values; and 3) wetland threats and impairments. Ecological systems known to be rare, reduced in extent, sensitive to disturbance, difficult to restore, and/or declining in Idaho were included in the wetland type criteria. The extent of these ecological systems (mapped in a 30 m2 pixel raster layer) was estimated using existing maps and vegetation plot data. Habitat function was assessed by analyzing the capacity of wetlands to support wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need and special status plants. Recreational values of wetlands were estimated by creating a statewide GIS model of recreational opportunity. Spatial layers mapping the extent of recreation sites were used. Idaho’s landscape-scale wetland assessment tool was used to estimate the relative condition of wetland habitats. A series of filters were used to identify wetlands of high conservation priority. The resulting layer was then reduced to clusters of pixels that were > 80 ac. This threshold was used to target larger wetland blocks whose conservation or restoration would have the largest positive impact on the health of a watershed, ecological connectivity, and local communities. Sixty large wetland complexes meeting the prioritization criteria and passing all filters were identified and included in this dataset.