|
description:
|
Hubs are areas that have a high natural resource value such as large intact forests or abundant wildlife. They have little fragmentation and include unfragemented forests and farmland. Hubs are both undisturbed natural lands and adjacent protected lands such as state parks, forests or state game lands. The hubs and corridors are the major concentration of the map and serve as the core conservation areas in the PA Highlands Greenway. The hub and spoke system was created by AMC by combining the results of two analysis techniques, stronghold analysis and the Natural Lands Trust’s Smart ConservationTM.. Stronghold analysis identifies areas that are least affected by man-made disturbances such as roads and fragmentation of the natural landscape while Smart Conservation determines the ecological health of an area. The combination of these two analyses in conjunction with the knowledge of local stakeholders was used to prioritize core conservation areas. |