Gap Analysis

Vermont and
New Hampshire
The Process

 Land cover mapping

 Predicted vertebrate distribution

 Stewardship lands

 Analysis of gaps
VT-NH GAP has predictive habitat models and maps
for 306 terrestrial vertebrates
Species Richness

202 birds 59 mammals 23 amphibians 22 reptiles

 Land cover mapping

TM Imagery, 1992-93;
Summer and fall scenes;
Supervised classification;
Details www.snr.uvm/sal
 Land cover mapping

Aerial videography used to collect

training and validation data
 Land cover mapping
 Land cover mapping
 Land cover mapping
 Predicted vertebrate distribution
 Predicted vertebrate distribution

1. Delineate range of each

species by biophysical regions
 Predicted vertebrate distribution

2. Intersect with suitable

habitat types from land-
cover map
 Predicted vertebrate distribution

Example for blackpoll

warbler: forested land cover
within selected regions
 Predicted vertebrate distribution

4. Modify with elevational

data to produce map of
predicted distribution
 Two-lined
Gray Jay S. Flying Squirrel Salamander

 Predicted vertebrate distribution

 Predicted vertebrate richness
 Stewardship lands
 Stewardship lands
VT-NH Gap Analysis for
Northern Harrier

Green = predicted habitat

Salmon = protected lands
Red = overlap

Result: only 6.7% of habitat

in NH is on protected land;
11% in VT.
 Analysis of gaps

Tabular data for each vertebrate showing acres of habitat by ownership

and protection category
Human settlement Vertebrate richness
 Analysis of gaps

23 Threatened
and Endangered
species
 VT-NH Gap Analysis: The Bottom Line

Vertebrate Richness Protected Lands

 Vermont
Vermont Biodiversity
Biodiversity Project
Project

Objective: To design and map a

system of conservation areas
that protects the full diversity of
landscapes, natural
communities, and species.
 Richness
Atlas data and Gap Analysis
predictions
Landscape
Diversity Units
(LDU)

•Bedrock
•Surficial
•Elevation
•Landform

Landform: Lower slideslope

Surficial material: Till
Bedrock: Granite
Elevation zone: 1700-2500
Representativeness
Objective analysis of
landscape features
Representative
Landscapes of
Vermont

• 21 % of area of state

• 89 % of landscape
richness

• 95 % landscape
similarity
 VT-NH Gap Analysis

Vertebrate Richness Landscape Diversity

LDUs = 1408 Vertebrates = 292

494 265
 7 5 20% of state:
8 2 6
•88% of LDUs
•97% of vertebrates

1 4

10
Heritage Program
Elements of Occurrence
“EORs”

•6349 EORs
•16% on status 1 & 2
stewardship lands
 EORs = 4958 Vertebrates = 292

325 243
 10% of state:
7 6
2 3 •19% of EORs
•97% of vertebrates
8

20% of state:
1
9
•24% of EORs
10 •97% of vertebrates
5 4