Focal Species Habitat Mapping - Part 2

The objective of this project is to create a transparent, and replicable framework to identify, describe, rank and map important wildlife habitats and movement corridors. This framework will inform Teton County Commissioners and planners as they amend and apply land development regulations. The approach will reflect the relative values of important habitat types for focal species using objectively collected observational data, and the best available science. 

The methodology will be able to incorporate new data that meets established standards as it is developed, to refine the species maps. The analytical, decision-informing system and maps will allow Teton County to fulfill its stewardship obligation to best protect important wildlife habitat and movement corridors as set forth in the Teton County Comprehensive Plan.

Updates

The Focal Species Habitat Study (PDF) has been completed.

Meetings & Public Workshops

  • March 21, 2017 Timeline Extension Request
  • August 23, 2016 Awarding of Contract
  • June 21, 2016 Approval of Request for Proposals

County Meeting Minutes

Reports & Documents

  1. Alder Environmental July 2016 Proposal to Conduct Focal Species Habitat Mapping Project (PDF)
  2. August 2016 Staff Report - Notice of Award - Focal Species Habitat Mapping Study MSC2016-0045 (PDF)
  3. June 2016 Request for Proposals - Focal Species Habitat Mapping Project for Teton County (PDF)
  4. June 2016 Staff Report - Request for Proposals Permit Number MSC2016-0033 (PDF)

Background

On August 29, 2017, the Board of County Commissioners approved a contract with Alder Environmental, LLC (Alder) to conduct a Focal Species Habitat Map Project. Alder proposed a collaborative work process with a team of biological and ecological researchers and professionals providing the comprehensive expertise to develop a geographic assessment indicating relative importance of habitats throughout Teton County. 

This species based research will assist Teton County in updating land development regulations based on current natural resource information. Furthermore, the project is based on methods that allow for adaptation of future research findings to refine the final product.

Scope of Work

The scope of work was broken out into three integral components:

  • Task A: Identify Important Habitat Characteristics of Focal Species
  • Task B: Map Important Habitat for Each Focal Species
  • Task C: Assessment of Relative Value of Important Habitat Species

Deliverables

The important deliverables from this project include: A final map illustrating the relative importance of habitats throughout Teton County and a Final Report (draft for peer-review and final). This map developed in a Geographic Information System (GIS) will be attributed with relative importance values and the metadata will include methodology, input layers and assigned weights.

The Final Report will be a consolidation of all products from Tasks A, B and C, including, at a minimum:

  • Species habitat assessments
  • Focal species important habitat layers, metadata, methodologies and citations
  • Important intermediary questions, resulting interpretations and influence on relative weighting system framework
  • A logical and defensible justification for the weighted system developed
  • A detailed methodology and metadata for the final relative importance map
  • The final, relative importance habitat map