Columbia River Basin Biodiversity Atlas
The Columbia River Basin is the fourth largest watershed in North America. The Columbia River drains a 67 million hectare (ha) basin that includes territory in seven states (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, and Utah) and British Columbia.
Although humans have lived along the Columbia River for more than 10,000 years, modern engineering in the 19th and 20th centuries has dramatically altered the Columbia River.
Mapping the biodiversity of that enormous area has been a project a decade in the making. As of February 2011 the Columbia River Basin Biodiversity Atlas is pleased to announce that, after much hard work and collaboration, a new version of the Atlas is now available for everyone to experience at: www.biodiversityatlas.org .
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is defined in the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy as: “…the variety of species and ecosystems on Earth and the ecological processes of which they are a part." Many
people use the term interchangeably with “nature”—something which thrives in the Columbia River Basin.
Globally we are seeing a growing understanding of the importance of biodiversity for sustaining human societies through the provision of food, medicines, fuel, clean air and water, and other vital services. There is also a realization that all around the world biodiversity is currently being lost at an accelerated rate. The hope is that the more we know about the diversity of life and the way human activities can impact biodiversity, the better we will be able to protect and nurture the incredible diversity of life on our planet.
The Columbia River Basin Biodiversity Atlas will now provide decision makers over land use science-based information in an easy-to-understand format. Through text-based profiles and the latest in Geographical Information System (GIS) technology, the Atlas links biodiversity information to specific locations within the Basin.
The information available in the Biodiversity Atlas, through its dynamic maps and data, will help protect British Columbia's biodiversity by providing important information to resource managers, groups and individuals pursuing conservation efforts in the Columbia Basin.
For example, acquiring land for conservation purposes is a primary tool to offset accelerating loss of habitat. Groups acquiring land for conservation purposes can now make decisions about what additional lands should be conserved and how best to manage land already acquired for conservation, based on the data now available through this project.
Private landowners will be better able to gauge the impact of their land management by considering their decisions in a broader context. Local governments will now be able to consider this information in their water and land-use planning decisions.
Any individual, group or agency concerned about biodiversity – and protecting the rich and diverse species and habitats found in the Columbia Basin – can now access a range of data in one, on-line location as well.
Depending on a user’s interest, various “layers” (as they are called) of information can be observed overlapping on a specific location—all as determined by the user. If you are new to this technology, take can look at the maps section and see all you can do with a click or two of your mouse. If you want a little help before digging in, take a look at our tutorial.
Resource managers in Canada and the United States recognize that open, honest communication and effective information sharing are important foundations for resolving land and water use conflicts, and are essential to economic and environmental sustainability in the Columbia Basin.
The clear layout and language of the Atlas makes it accessible to a wide audience, including school children and college students. Raising the general public awareness and knowledge about the native species and ecosystems in this region will increase the profile of biodiversity in all public planning processes.
Ian Parfitt, project coordinator, sees the Atlas’ value as such: “The diversity of nature in the Basin is amazing. It’s important that people have an understanding of the abundance & distribution of native species in our region, and that these species are carefully considered in planning processes. The Atlas helps people appreciate our region’s rich biodiversity, and helps plan for its ongoing health and survival.”
John Krebs, Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program crew lead, adds: “The Atlas is an excellent resource for the region. It will really help improve access to data, not just for decision makers but for anyone who has an interest in the environment. It is a great, dynamic tool that paints a rich picture illustrating local species and habitat values."
The Atlas has been a collaborative initiative since its beginning a decade ago. Always evolving, the Atlas team continues to seek out additional partners for general help and/or data sharing. This approach is essential to delivering high-quality information on biodiversity in the Basin, which will help both casual and scientific users and, ultimately, the fish, animals and plant life calling the area home.