CONSERVATION
Cape Lookout Lighthouse sits on the southern Outer Banks of South Carolina.
Parks and Recreation and the South Atlantic Conservation Blueprint By Alex Lamle
O
ur lands and waters are changing rapidly. Climate change, urban growth and increasing human demands on resources are reshaping the landscape. As we grapple with understanding these rapid changes and the negative impacts they have on our most vulnerable neighbors, it’s easy for any one person or organization to feel helpless to do anything about it. That’s why the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) is working to harness the collective resources and brainpower of the broader conservation community to develop and implement a cross-boundary plan that matches the scope and scale of the challenges we face. SECAS is a regional conservation initiative spanning 15 states and two territories across the southeast United States and the Caribbean. One of the major products of SECAS is the South Atlantic Conservation Blueprint. This blueprint is a living spatial plan to sustain natural and cultural resources for current and fu-
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ture generations in the face of future change. It spans parts of six states, from Virginia to Florida, including U.S. waters extending 200 miles offshore. The blueprint prioritizes the lands and waters of the South Atlantic based on the current condition of terrestrial, freshwater and marine indicators. Through a connectivity
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analysis, it also identifies corridors that link coastal and inland areas and span climate gradients. The blueprint reflects extensive feedback from the conservation community, with more than 700 people from more than 200 different organizations actively participating in its development so far. The South Atlantic Conservation Blueprint integrates with neighboring priorities as part of a larger, regionwide plan called the Southeast Conservation Blueprint.
Changes to the Blueprint Unlike many spatial planning efforts, the blueprint is regularly updated and revised to incorporate the best available science and in-
