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A well-managed and operational Conservation Gateway is in our future! Marketing, Conservation, and Science have partnered on a plan to rebuild the Gateway into the organization’s enterprise content management system (AEM), with a planned launch of a minimal viable product in early FY26. If you’re interested in learning more about the project, reach out to megan.sheehan@tnc.org for more info!



​            DOWNLOAD USA DATASETS
​DOWNLOAD BY STATE
​DOWNLOAD BY REGION


Datasets for the Conterminous U.S.


The Resilient and Connected Network analysis was done in pieces for 12 regional geographies to capture local ecological functions important to each region. These regional analysis products were integrated into one product for the Conterminous U.S. A committee of TNC scientists, who worked on the regional projects, coordinated the input of each of the regional products into this rollup. We suggest that you start with the main products: Resilient and Connected Network and Resilient Sites. If you wish to dive in deeper, download the component datasets. These datasets are large so please allow time to download.



​Resilient and Connected Network
- TNC Customized -
A connected network of resilient sites which maximized site resilience, recognized biodiversity, and connectivity and climate flow. The TNC Customized Resilient and Connected Network (RCN) represents a version of the national dataset that has been reviewed and augmented by science and conservation staff in each of The Nature Conservancy’s seven North America Divisions. The augmentations reflect local site knowledge, field checking of connectivity linkages, and restoration work to restore resilience

​Resilience Site



A site’s Resilience Score estimates its capacity to maintain species diversity and ecological function as the climate changes. It was determined by evaluating and quantifying physical characteristics that foster resilience. This dataset includes both terrestrial and coastal areas.





Component Datasets

Resilient and Connected Network Nationally Consistent
The National version of the RCN follows consistent methods across the United States as described in Anderson et al. 2023 A Resilient and Connected Network of Sites to Sustain Biodiversity under a Changing Climate published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
GeoDB
Recognized Biodiversity Value
The Conserving Nature’s Stage focus on abiotic drivers of biodiversity is meant to complement, not replace, biodiversity-based conservation priorities. In this map, we assembled information on places recognized for their biodiversity value (rare species, intact habitat, or exemplary natural communities) from other separate studies (i.e. ecoregional plans, state wildlife action plans).
GeoDB
​Tiff
Connectivity and Climate Flow (wall to wall)
​Climate flow refers to the gradual movement of populations in response to changes in the climate. Over time, climate flow results in range shifts and the formation of novel communities. We measured climate flow using a continuous wall-to-wall model of landscape permeability based on anthropogenic resistance (resistance to movement caused by human modification) and climatic gradients (upslope, northward and riparian). On the maps, brown indicates areas with low permeability where movement is blocked. Medium blue indicates areas of high permeability and moderate flow; often highly natural settings were species movements are diffuse. Dark blue indicates areas of highly concentrated flow where movements will accumulate or be channeled. These scores are the continuous scores from circuitscape.
GeoDB
​Tiff
Connectivity and Climate Flow (Categorical)
Climate flow refers to the gradual movement of populations in response to changes in the climate. Over time, climate flow results in range shifts and the formation of novel communities. We measured climate flow using a continuous wall-to-wall model of landscape permeability based on anthropogenic resistance (resistance to movement caused by human modification) and climatic gradients (upslope, northward and riparian). These scores are categorized to allow for easier user interpretation.
​GeoDB
​Tiff
Geophysical Setting
Geophysical settings are broad areas defined by their similar physical properties –geology, soil and elevation zones-that correspond to differences in the flora and fauna they support. Typically, the settings differ in both ecological character and in how they have been used by people. We used the geophysical settings as a stratification to ensure representation of all biological habitats. By only comparing resilience characteristics among sites of the same geophysical setting, we could identify the most resilient examples of each setting and ensure representations of all types of biodiversity.
​GeoDB
​Tiff
​Landforms
Landforms are used in this analysis as the base for estimating microclimate diversity (a.k.a. topoclimate diversity) because they subdivide landscapes into local topographic units with unique moisture and temperature profiles. The landform units reflect local variation in land position, slope, solar radiation, moisture availability, and susceptibility to wind and other disturbances. Landform-based climatic variation can be on par with, or greater than the climatic variation expected over the next century, and because species experience climate at a very local scale (inches to yards), high microclimate variation allows species to persist at sites even when the regional climate appears unsuitable.
GeoDB
​Tiff
​Landscape Diversity
​The landscape diversity metric, estimates the number and variety of micro-climates in a circular area around each point of land. We use this as a measure of local climate variation because it quantifies the number of distinct temperature-moisture combinations available to the resident species. Sites with many climate options are expected to maintain diversity and ecological functions longer than sites with few options, because the local microclimates buffer the site from changes in the regional climate. The resilience score is calculated from landscape diversity combined with local connectedness.
​GeoDB
​Tiff
Local Connectedness
​The local connectedness metric estimates how easily species can access their local neighborhoods based on the arrangement of roads, industrial agriculture, development, and other. human structures. The principle underlying this metric is that most anthropogenic structures (roads, buildings, etc) create resistance to movement and can make it difficult for populations to access microclimates and adjust to change. The resilience score is calculated from local connectedness combined with landscape diversity
GeoDB
​Tiff
Terrestrial Resilience Score Only

A site’s Resilience Score estimates its capacity to maintain species diversity and ecological function as the climate changes. It was determined by evaluating and quantifying physical characteristics that foster resilience, particularly the site’s landscape diversity and local connectedness. The score is calculated within ecoregions based on all cells of the same geophysical setting and is described on a relative basis as above or below the average. 

GeoDB
​Tiff

Datasets for Clipped U.S. States

These are the national datasets as described above clipped for each individual state. This download includes the Resilient and Connected Network, Resilient Sites and Component data for each state.


​Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
​Arkansas
California
​Colorado
​Connecticut
Delaware
​Florida
Georgia
​Hawaii
​Idaho
​Illinois
​Indiana
​Iowa
​Kansas
Kentucky
​Louisiana
Maine
​Maryland/D.C.
Massachusetts
​Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
​New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
​Oregon
​Pennsylvania
​Rhode Island
​South Carolina
​South Dakota
​Tennessee
​Texas
Utah
​Vermont
​Virginia
Washington
​West Virginia
​Wisconsin
Wyoming
​Can. Provinces:
Alberta
Manitoba
New Brunswick
​Nova Scotia
Ontario

Prince Edward Island
Quebec
​Saskatchewan

Datasets for Regional Analysis Projects


The Resilient and Connected Network analysis was done in pieces for 16 regional geographies to capture local ecological functions important to each region. Each region follows the same core conceptual framework but includes region specific analysis. These serve as standalone projects and are components of the Conterminous U.S. product described above. For detailed methods please see the regional reports. Individual project pages are linked in the map and table below.

Resilient and Connected Landscapes of Alaska Resilient Coastal Sites for Alaska Resilient and Connected Landscapes of Hawaii Resilient and Connected Landscapes of Hawaii Resilient and Connected Landscapes of Hawaii Resilient Coastal Sites for Hawaii Resilient Coastal Sites in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Resilient Coastal Sites for Conservation in the South Atlantic Resilient Coastal Sites for Conservation in the Gulf of Mexico Conserving California's Coastal Habitats Climate Change Resilience in the Pacific Northwest California Resilience Resilient & Connected Landscapes: Rocky Mountains-Southwest Deserts Resilient & Connected Landscapes: Great Plains Resilient & Connected Landscapes: Great Lakes & Tallgrass Prairie Resilient & Connected Landscapes: Lower Mississippi and Ozarks Resilient & Connected Landscapes: Eastern NA

​For additional information contact us here. ​