Data and Documentation

Follow the links below to download spatial data for GIS software as well as the detailed documentation of each dataset.

Index of Ecological Integrity Overview

This is an overview of the Index of Ecological Integrity (IEI), from the Conservation Assessment and Prioritization (CAPS) model. If you’re new to IEI, read this first.

Ecological Integrity Metrics

These are outputs from the Conservation Assessment and Prioritization (CAPS) model. They include the Index of Ecological Integrity (IEI), an overall integrity score; and the component metrics that are generated to calculate that score, for example, habitat loss or connectedness. This page includes links to both documentation and data for each metric.

Regional Ecosystem-based Connectivity

New! These models of regional connectivity for ecosystems inform conservationists reconnecting the landscape in the Northeast.

Urban Growth Impact Metrics

These metrics reflect the impact we expect due to future development as projected by the SPRAWL urban growth model. They are based on running the CAPS model on landscapes with projected future development layered on top of the current mapped development and assessing the loss in integrity that results.

Focal Species Models

The species products include Landscape Capability (LC), an index of the ability of the landscape to support the species and related products that reflect the climate niche of the species or how LC might change in response to urban growth and climate change for 32 focal species.

Landscape Conservation Design

These products are the result of a stakeholder driven conservation planning effort, Natures Network, that identified areas of high ecological value that are well distributed and representative of the full range of ecosystems and focal species LC. One key product is a map of conservation cores (areas targeted for conservation) and connectors among the cores.

Ecological Settings

A broad suite of static and dynamic abiotic and biotic variables representing the natural and anthropogenic environment at each location (cell). These are inputs to our models which describe the state of the world. Examples include soils, climate variables, and imperviousness.

Ancillary Data

The ancillary products include a variety of data layers used in model components, or for depicting the geographic extents for which products were scaled, or for general purposes such as visual display of the model. Some examples are our Landcover map (DSLLand), road alignments, and HUC6 watershed boundaries.

By State

The “by state” packages are clipped to buffered state boundaries for the convenience of users working at the state scale and smaller. They duplicate data posted in other sections.

Version Numbers

3.x is our first regional dataset as used in Natures Network.
5.x is tied to a major landcover update released in 2020, which then affected most other products.