The Alaska Center for Conservation Science (ACCS) in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), and the Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning (SNAP) has completed two and is finalizing one Rapid Ecoregional Assessments (REAs). REAs are intended to target and answer important management questions identified by land managers, collect and in some cases develop new distribution maps for key resource values, document potential impact from environmental change agents, identify science gaps, and provide baseline data for future management decisions. REAs for the Yukon River Lowlands – Kuskokwim Mountains – Lime Hills (YKL) and the North Slope are complete. An REA for the Central Yukon region is currently under review by BLM.
What is an REA?
In 2010, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) initiated seven Rapid Ecoregional Assessments (REAs) to help understand the condition of western landscapes. These assessments help evaluate current conditions and predict future conditions of the landscape and the effects of environmental influences on the region, including wildfire, invasive species, development, and climate change. REAs begin with developing management questions that evaluate landscape conditions and trends throughout the region. REAs are rapid in nature, using existing data synthesized over an 18 month period. They also encompass broad geographic regions, crossing several different administrative boundaries. Visit the BLM REA Website for more information on the REA process.
