Land Trust of Santa Cruz County (Santa Cruz County).
As Science Team Lead, Dr. Jodi McGraw prepared the biodiversity component of the plan, and led the planning process to prioritize land within Santa Cruz County based on its biodiversity conservation value, as well identify areas that can achieve multiple conservation benefits. In collaboration with members of the team, Dr. McGraw was responsible for:
- Synthesizing and critically reviewing available biological information about the region, including documents as well as the project GIS;
- Identifying and prioritizing conservation targets and setting goals for their protection, which are the basis of the MARXAN-based analyses;
- Evaluating habitat connectivity within the planning area, and identifying landscape linkages critical to the maintenance of biodiversity in the region;
- Evaluating areas of climate resilience within the county;
- Coordinating with representatives of various agencies and organizations directly and through a series of workshops, to ensure the best available information and approaches were used in the plan;
- Integrating feedback on draft analyses from project partners, including the Nature Conservancy, Save the Redwoods League, Sempervirens Fund, and POST; and
- Preparing the Biodiversity component of the Conservation Blueprint.
Since the plan was completed in 2011, JMc has supported efforts of the Land Trust to implement the plan, by advising on more than 20 land protection and stewardship proejcts to protect biodiversity and enhance landscape connectivity.