Keeping “the audience” in mind while designing products for distribution is extremely important. These products greatly contribute to how planning can turn into action. The three core products of any assessment should be:
- The database which includes all spatial data and information that can be shared
- Specific information describing decision support, including the tools and input files necessary to examine alternative options
- The final assessment report with a complete description of the effort including priorities and priority sites that were identified
Regional Assessments Yield Multiple Products
Regional assessments represent a complete decision support system containing spatial data, site priorities that achieve stated objectives and goals, additional site selection options, and a comprehensive final report.
These three products can be widely used by partners.
Case Study: Carolinian Ecoregion
In the Carolinian Ecoregion, all three products were made readily and widely available. The assessment was made available in hard copy and all the data were burned and distributed on CDs. The CD includes all of the parameters used in Marxan runs and their results as well as scenarios where these parameters were altered to examine sensitivities in the results. The effort has been used by many partners in the region and beyond. The Conservancy has been engaged at a dozen of these sites in on-the-ground actions.
Click on the thumbnail image to download Conservation in the Carolinian Ecoregion.