M6 - Least Cost

 

Habitat Suitability and Corridor Analysis

Introduction

In this post, I’ll share the process and results of a habitat suitability and corridor analysis aimed at identifying the most suitable areas for conservation and the optimal paths between protected regions. This analysis involved creating a habitat suitability model based on key environmental factors, followed by a corridor analysis to determine the best routes for wildlife movement between two National Forests.

Analysis Steps

The first step in the analysis was to create a habitat suitability model using three criteria: land cover, elevation, and proximity to roads. Each criterion was reclassified on a scale of 1 to 10 to reflect its relative suitability for wildlife habitat. I combined these reclassified layers using the Weighted Overlay tool, with land cover given a weight of 60%, elevation 20%, and distance to roads 20%. This produced a suitability raster highlighting the most appropriate areas for conservation.

Next, I inverted the suitability model to generate a cost surface, where higher suitability areas correspond to lower travel costs, facilitating easier movement for wildlife. Using this cost surface, I performed a corridor analysis between two National Forest polygons to identify potential pathways that wildlife might use to travel between these areas. The corridor analysis considered not just the optimal path but also a range of suboptimal routes, providing a broader understanding of movement possibilities across the landscape.

Results

The final map layout, displayed below, presents the results of the corridor analysis. Darker areas on the map indicate lower-cost corridors, representing the most efficient routes for wildlife movement between the two National Forests. These corridors take into account the combined influence of land cover, elevation, and road proximity, offering valuable insights for conservation planning.



In conclusion, this analysis provides a clear visualization of suitable habitats and potential wildlife corridors, supporting efforts to maintain connectivity between protected areas and ensure the survival of species that rely on these environments.

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