OutdoorNebraska

5 C o n s e r v a t i o n r e q u i r e s k n o w l e d g e and hard work. Ne b r a s k a i s fortunate to have people devoted to conservation and improving habitat for our native plants and animals. We are also lucky to have researchers adding to the body of knowledge about what species are rare or declining and where they are found. Getting this biological information into the hands of those who need it to do their work effectively has gotten easier with new technology. In the past, habitat managers and conservation planners had to make requests to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) staff or use complicated desktop mapping software to retrieve the information they were looking for. But now there is an online system which delivers basic information, such as maps and tables, quickly and painlessly. The system, called the Nebraska Conservation and Environmental Review Tool (CERT), includes information on where at-risk species may occur (range maps) and records showing where species have been documented to occur. Species records available to the public are geographically 'fuzzed' to a township in order to protect sensitive species and landowner privacy. The CERT also includes related information, such as known high-quality plant communities, protected areas, and Nebraska's 'Biologically Unique Landscapes.' Eleven different background maps are available, including topographic maps and aerial imagery. In addition to providing information to conservation practitioners, the CERT also expedites environmental review. Under Nebraska law, any project that is conducted, funded, or authorized by a state agency must be reviewed by NGPC to determine if it will adversely impact threatened or endangered species. Prior to the release of the new system, this review process typically took up to a month. Now the process for less complex projects can be completed in as little as a few minutes. The CERT was developed by NGPC in partnership with NatureServe, a non-profit that coordinates efforts of state natural heritage programs. Financial suppo rt came from the U.S. Forest Service, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and from NGPC, including the Wildlife Conservation Fund. Since going online in 2017, the use of CERT has increased each year. Use has remained high despite the COVID- 19 pandemic. From March through November 2020, 991 new projects were submitted to the system, compared to 935 during the same months of 2019. Many were habitat conservation projects. For conservation, the math adds up to success: Less time gathering information = more time outside saving wildlife and wild places. Anyone can try out the CERT and explore the information and maps at CERT.OutdoorNebraska.gov. The Nebraska Conservation and Environmental Review Tool (CERT) Maps and Information at Your Fingertips By Rachel Simpson, Natural Heritage Program Data Manager, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Anyone can register to use CERT, then draw or upload a boundary for an area of interest and – within minutes – receive a custom report with maps and tables detailing important features in the area. Map layers include ranges of species most at risk of extinction, Biologically Unique Landscapes (right), and large intact blocks of habitat (above).

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