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The 2025 Connecticut State Wildlife Action Plan conservation opportunity areas (COAs) represent locations partners can conduct actions to benefit wildlife populations and habitats and achieve State Wildlife Action Plan Goals. There are 7 total COAs that represent broad actions: protect, connect, restore, manage, partner, inform, and research and monitor. This effort combined ecological and social data in a spatial prioritization software called Zonation to identify priority areas that reflect the 7 actions. Each COA has different ecological and/or social data included to reflect its unique goal. |
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The 2025 Connecticut State Wildlife Action Plan conservation opportunity areas (COAs) represent locations partners can conduct actions to benefit wildlife populations and habitats and achieve State Wildlife Action Plan Goals. There are 7 total COAs that represent broad actions: protect, connect, restore, manage, partner, inform, and research and monitor. This effort combined ecological and social data in a spatial prioritization software called Zonation to identify priority areas that reflect the 7 actions. Each COA has different ecological and/or social data included to reflect its unique goal. |
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<DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;"><P STYLE="font-weight:bold;font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Restore COA</SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Data included:</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> The goal of the Restore COA is to restore desired conditions, communities or populations, including restoration of structure, function, and processes. The ecological data used habitat suitability maps based on the best available data for 14 species of greatest conservation need (SGCN). The 14 species modeled were American oystercatcher (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Haematopus palliatus</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), eastern whip-poor-will (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Antrostomus vociferus</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), bridle shiner (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Notropis bifrenatus</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), brook trout (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Salvelinus fontinalis</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), eastern hog-nosed snake (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Heterodon platirhinos</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), ribbonsnake (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Thamnophis saurita saurita</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), spotted turtle (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Clemmys guttata</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), wood turtle (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Glyptemys insculpta</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), eastern pondmussel (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Ligumia nasuta</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), frosted elfin (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Callophrys irus</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), tiger spiketail (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Cordulegaster erronea</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), yellow-banded bumble bee (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Bombus terricola</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), New England cottontail (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Sylvilagus transitionalis</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>), and tricolored bat (</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"><SPAN>Perimyotis subflavus</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>). These 14 species represent one or more key habitats and/or a taxonomic group. For the Restore COA, the top 50-75% of habitat suitability values were extracted from each of the 14 SGCN maps. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>View the full methods for all COAs in Appendix 4.6 in the </SPAN></SPAN><A href="https://portal.ct.gov/deep/wildlife/connecticut-wildlife-action-plan" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>2025 CT State Wildlife Action Plan</SPAN></SPAN></A><SPAN><SPAN>. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Spatial Prioritization:</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> Zonation software iteratively ranks each pixel in a 10.0 m resolution grid of Connecticut for its conservation value and gives each cell a score based on that ranking, prioritizing areas with a high density of layers, balance between layers, and minimizing conservation loss. Rank values range from 0-1, with 1 having the highest conservation value and 0 having the lowest. Each layer is given a relative weight based on its importance compared to the other layers used, where a positive higher weight makes that layer a higher conservation priority compared to the other layers. Each of the 14 SGCN maps were given an equal positive weight of 1.0 in Zonation. The values above 0.80 or top 20% of values were extracted to generate the Restore COA. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Potential uses:</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> Partners interested in habitat restoration for SGCN may use this COA. </SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>Recommended actions (example actions):</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Stewarding wild individuals</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Use exclusion devices to protect turtle nests</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Manage roost sites for bat populations affected by disease </SPAN></SPAN></P></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Maintain instream habitat features for cold-water fish</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI></UL></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Conservation planning</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Create updated and spatially explicit conservation plans for diadromous fish, vernal pool-dependent amphibians, and freshwater mussels</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI></UL></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Mitigate human environmental impact</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Reduce stormwater inputs and stabilize streambanks and shoreline vegetation in urbanized watersheds</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Reduce recreational erosion, urban runoff, light and noise pollution, and physical disturbance of sensitive sites</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Remove dams and barriers to fish passage where appropriate</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Minimize disturbance of spawning habitats for key SGCN fish species</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI></UL></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Reintroduce or relocate individuals</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Conduct species introduction/reintroduction</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI></UL></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Manage plants, animals, fungi, or bacteria</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Use brush-cutting and mowing that maintain early successional structure</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Use deer exclusion fencing to improve recruitment of rare forbs in heavily browsed habitats</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI></UL></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Manage non-living habitat components</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Use in-stream enhancement techniques, such as adding woody debris and stabilizing banks (critical for species like brook trout and slimy sculpin)</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI></UL></LI><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Stewardship of captive individuals</SPAN></SPAN></P><UL STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;padding:0 0 0 0;"><LI STYLE="margin:0 0 0 48;"><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>Maintain individuals in captivity for future recovery efforts</SPAN></SPAN></P></LI></UL></LI></UL><P STYLE="font-size:16ptmargin:0 0 11 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>For questions about the layer, contact Katy Bischoff: kathryn.bischoff@uconn.edu</SPAN></SPAN></P><DIV><P><SPAN /></P></DIV></DIV> |