The most efficient method
for conserving large amounts of native biodiversity, including many
poorly known species, is to conserve relatively large and/or connected
samples of the full range of natural and seminatural ecosystems that
provide habitats for species. This "coarse-filter" approach
requires knowledge of the distribution, characteristics, diversity,
productivity and classification of ecosystems.
Ecoregional planning for
biodiversity conservation requires the use of biodiversity and socioeconomic
databases that are incorporated into GIS. This GIs approach uses fundamental
cartographic principles to analyze information involving the relationship
between the physical and human systems of the Denver Metro Area.
This project has proven effective
in Denver, which is one of the most biologically diverse metropolitan
areas in the USA, and also is sprawling at the 6th fastest rate. However,
the project could be used in other urban areas across the country.
The objectives of the project
were to:
1. Raise student achievement
in geography.
2. Prepare teachers and
develop lessons that incorporate geography via biodiversity.
3. Produce maps and digital
data that benefit planners and others outside this specific project.
4. Foster networking among
teachers of geography and natural (biological, earth, and environmental)
sciences.
5. After learning how different
viewpoints produce conflict over territory and resources, students
see how community-based conservation can influence the size, arrangement,
and structure of urban areas.
6. Students learn how to
evaluate policies for resource use and management, and how to apply
the regional concept to study a geographic issue involving multiple
criteria.
The topics covered in these
lessons include:
(1) Global species and
ecosystem diversity - value - status - threats with local emphasis.
(2) The Front Range conservation
area system --its effectiveness in maintaining biodiversity, methods
for strengthening it, and its relationship to regional human population
growth patterns.
(3) Socioeconomic, political,
and cultural aspects of biodiversity conservation.
(4) Student field projects,
improved design of the conservation area system, and participation
in community-based conservation efforts.
Sample questions in the lessons
include:
