This GitHub organization hosts the code and documentation used in a Capstone Project for the Master of Environmental Data Science for the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara
In 2020, California implemented an executive order to advance biodiversity conservation as an administration priority, committing to the goal of conserving 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030 (30x30), fitting into a larger framework that outlines that effective area-based conservation measures are a proven method for safeguarding habitats while preserving ecosystem services.
A major challenge in approaching this goal is the lack of high resolution biodiversity data able to track responses to conservation approaches at large scales. Traditional conservation efforts have typically focused on establishing protected areas that are actively managed with conservation as a primary objective. While California could meet its 30 x 30 goal by acquiring new land for the existing protected area network, it might be more cost effective to use state resources for conservation stewardship in extant protected areas that are not currently managed for conservation (GAP status 3 & 4, USGS 2024), or by investing in ecosystem stewardship outside of protected areas. Understanding how biodiversity has performed historically across these three conservation approaches will provide much needed guidance to the 30 x 30 partnership for how to prioritize investment in resources to achieve its goals.
This project uses avian observations from within areas defined by the United States Geological Service GAP project to inform resource investment decisions within the state. Point Blue Conservation Science hosts millions of avian observations on their platform Avian Knowledge Network (AKN) which can be used to fill the gap in high quality data, enabling analysis of where biodiversity and conservation efforts intersect. We will integrate AKN data with USGS GAP status designations to quantify the relationship between conservation status and biodiversity. This analysis will be synthesized into a technical memo detailing the results. This memo, along with a github repository and possible story map, will aid Point Blue in achieving their 5 year plan, as well as influence their recommendations to the state in regards to the implementation of the 30 x 30 goals.