Southern Blue Ridge: An Analysis of Matrix Forests - Conservation ...

EVALUATING AND PRIORITIZING A NETWORK OF MATRIX FOREST BLOCKSThe final step of this process was to evaluate the matrix forest blocks and prioritize a subset forconservation focus. Following internal TNC ecoregion-wide staff meetings to delineate potential matrixforest blocks, expert meetings were set up in each of the five SBR states between October 2010 andFebruary 2011, to which a wide range of forest experts and partners were invited to attend and evaluatedraft matrix forest block results (Appendix A). State expert review meetings followed a process thatcompared and contrasted attributes of potential matrix forest blocks in each ELU group, first orientingexperts to block locations and basic properties, then examining compiled data and documentingcomments on the appropriateness of block boundaries, natural heritage and forest condition qualities,and land ownership patterns. Copious notes were taken during the expert meetings and can be found athttp://www.conservationgateway.org/Files/Pages/SouthernBlueRidgeAnAnalysisofMatrixForests.aspx.State expert teams evaluated detailed block information compiled for the process, as well as discussingpersonal knowledge of the areas. Additional information provided and/or discussed by participantsincluded:- The amount and type of conservation land within each block- The density of internal roads- The number and types of rare species and natural communities found within each block- The number and types of unique natural communities found in each block- The degree of development or agriculture within the block- Known old-growth sites (from Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition)- The type and number of unique ELUs within each block- Satellite or Air photo imagery from Google Earth- The degree of invasive species within each block- The condition of the forest within each block- Rare species and natural community information was provided by the Natural Heritageprograms from the five states and used with their permission. A summarized table of thisinformation can be found within Appendix E.Following expert meetings, TNC staff reviewed all compiled feedback and attributes and determinedconsensus around final block boundaries for each of the 107 potential matrix forest blocks. This reviewwas conducted systematically, by ELU-based groupings, with the goal of identifying at least one priorityblock within each of the 25 unique ELU groups in the SBR. This ensured that our final network ofprioritized matrix forest blocks would be not only be those relatively intact blocks of sufficient size, butalso representative of all geophysical variation in the region (Figure 7, Appendix D). Information aboutdecisions made at this meeting concerning final block boundaries and priorities can also be found athttp://www.conservationgateway.org/Files/Pages/SouthernBlueRidgeAnAnalysisofMatrixForests.aspx.22