Saguaro National Park Connectivity Threats Assessment
Perkl R and Kline N. 2015. Saguaro National Park Connectivity Threats Assessment
The primary goal of this study was to assess existing and projected threats to landscape connectivity to the TMD and RMD districts of Saguaro National Park, the larger complex of protected lands surrounding the Tucson metro region, and portions of the landscape located to the east of the Park such as the San Pedro River Valley. In so doing, structural landscape corridors were modeled to reflect both current and projected future landscape conditions throughout the region. The process involved the following workflow: 1) Development of a baseline connectivity scenario using existing landscape integrity characteristics. The result of this process yielded present-day landscape corridors. 2) Development of a projected connectivity scenario using an urban growth simulation model to estimate future landscape integrity characteristics. The results of this process yielded forecasted landscape corridors. 3) Change detection amongst the baseline and projected landscape corridor networks. The results of this process illuminated spatially explicit reaches of the existing connectivity network that may be threatened or eliminated due to future development.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Perkl, Ryan; Kline, Natasha
- Date of Issue
- 2015-07-01
- Units
- SAGU
- Keywords
- Connectivity, corridor networks, development, landscape, planning