Threat-based ecostate mapping: Big data to guide sagebrush management

View guide.

This publication seeks to ground our readers in the foundations and applications of threat-based ecostate maps. We start with background on the conceptual approach and how ecostate maps were made, and then present best practices and key limitations to note when using ecostate maps. We then provide examples of applying ecostate maps effectively across scales for different management applications.
Ultimately, this publication seeks to:
• Raise awareness among land managers and practitioners in the sagebrush biome about how ecostate maps can help them understand and map ecosystem threats.
• Provide a peer-reviewed resource that can guide the use of ecostate maps in making land-management decisions.
• Foster big-picture thinking and wider adoption of landscape-scale maps, leading to increased confidence in using satellite data.
• Highlight the efficiencies of using ecostate maps, such as streamlining landscape assessment to maximize limited field time.