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Nature’s Benefit Mapping User Guide
Citation:
Myer, M. Nature’s Benefit Mapping User Guide. U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC, EPA/600/B-17/468, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
This guide provides step-by-step instructions that show how two of the nature’s benefit maps were created (hard clam collecting and shore based fishing), and instructions for editing the parameters of an existing map (yellowcrowned night heron habitat). For more background on nature’s benefits, benefit mapping, and potential uses for benefit maps, please read the Nature’s Benefit Mapping Information Sheet that is included in the Nature’s Benefits Package. Also included are the eight example map files, the original shapefiles that were used to make them, and an Arc Toolbox containing the models that generated the maps. You will need Esri’s ArcGIS software, the original shapefiles, and the Arc Toolbox to use this guide.
Description:
Nature’s benefit mapping provides a way to quickly get an idea of where the beneficial aspects of ecosystems can be found. When trying to communicate the value of natural areas to policy makers, members of a community, or another group, it can help to provide an intuitive visual. Beyond just creating an attractive picture, though, nature’s benefit mapping also encourages thinking about how nature provides many of the things people need to thrive, and about ways that smart development can bolster the important benefits that nature provides. The value of natural areas can sometimes be pushed to the wayside in discussions about urban or suburban planning, and nature’s benefit mapping is a way of taking nature back into consideration. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate a fast method of mapping nature’s benefits for use in communication and stakeholder engagement materials