GAP Status Code Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Answers to commonly asked questions about GAP Status Codes.
Q: What is the definition of GAP Status Code 1?
A: An area having permanent protection from conversion of natural land cover and a mandated management plan in operation to maintain a natural state within which disturbance events (of natural type, frequency, intensity, and legacy) are allowed to proceed without interference or are mimicked through management.
Q: What is the definition of GAP Status Code 2?
A: An area having permanent protection from conversion of natural land cover and a mandated management plan in operation to maintain a primarily natural state, but which may receive uses or management practices that degrade the quality of existing natural communities, including suppression of natural disturbance.
Q: What is the definition of GAP Status Code 3?
A: An area having permanent protection from conversion of natural land cover for the majority of the area, but subject to extractive uses of either a broad, low intensity type (for example, logging, Off-Highway Vehicle recreation) or localized intense type (for example, mining). It also confers protection to federally listed endangered and threatened species throughout the area.
Q: What is the definition of GAP Status Code 4?
A: There are no known public or private institutional mandates, or legally recognized easements or deed restrictions held by the managing entity to prevent conversion of natural habitat types to anthropogenic habitat types. The area generally allows conversion to unnatural land cover throughout or management intent is unknown.
Q: What is the definition of “natural land cover” use for GAP Code determination?
A: The assumption is that retention of natural land cover is of prime importance to maintaining biodiversity. We define "natural land cover" simplistically as areas not maintained in an unnatural state by human activities, as visible from remote sensing or revealed through management documents, land manager or local conservation practitioner interview. That is, past alterations may be evident, but ongoing alteration is not evident or intended. Restored natural areas may also be included. Management to support biodiversity is permitted and expected.
Q: Must an entire area be maintained in a natural state for GAP Status Code assignment?
A: The assumption is that the majority of a land unit must be maintained in a natural state. We arbitrarily set 5 percent as the maximum amount of a land unit that can be managed in an unnatural state for it to be considered "natural" for a GAP Status Code 1 assignment. All other status ranks allow human disturbance to varying degrees. We do not currently attempt to measure actual conversion of land cover in a land unit and rely instead on the management documents. Anthropogenic land cover less than 5 percent within a land unit otherwise managed for biodiversity can be considered an "inclusion" that has an effect but does not dictate the management status.
Q: How does the inclusiveness of the management (single feature or species versus all biota) impact GAP Status Codes?
A: The assumption is that a land unit managed to retain all of its elements will maintain biodiversity better than a land unit managed only for a single species. If management is for a "keystone species" for which the majority of the land unit must be maintained in a natural state, we consider that to be inclusive of all elements.
Q: If a nonprofit organization owns a land in fee title, must it also have a conservation easement?
A: No. NGOs that own/manage areas for conservation do not need a conservation easement to be considered protected for purposes of biodiversity conservation if there is a conservation management plan.
Q: Is an organizational mandate enough to assign GAP Status Codes?
A: Yes, with a documented management plan for the specific area and/or designation type with intent of permanent protection.
Q: Does a “Notice of Unrecorded Deed Agreement” impact a property’s protection or score?
A: Yes, in so far as the issues with the unrecorded deed impact the long term or permanent preservation of the area. A management plan and intent to carry out the plan for permanent protection must be current and active to be considered a protected area.
Q: Does a mitigation LTMP and/or MCA influence a properties protection?
A: Yes. Long-Term Management Plans and Mitigation Credit Agreements ensuring the permanent protection of land can influence a properties protection status.
Q: How/when does the protection of special species come into effect?
A: If this is an area specifically managed for a species and permanently protected, it would depend on the management plan for the area. We suggest referring to the dichotomous key or use the GAP Status Assignment Tool.
Q: How does the type of management (for example, suppresses or allows natural disturbance) and degree that it is mandated through legal and institutional arrangements impact GAP Status Codes?
A: The assumptions are that management that allows or mimics natural disturbance regimes, such as fire, will maintain biodiversity better than land units that suppress disturbance.
Q: What criteria needs to be met for it to be considered a qualifying management plan?
A: PAD-US uses GAP Status Codes as one of the classification systems for protected areas. Gap Status Codes require long-term management intent but has not established requirements to evaluate management effectiveness of individual areas.
Q: Must a qualifying management plan be institutionally binding?
A: Yes, institutionally binding requirements reflects and provides support to management intent, if there is a management plan.
Q: Must a qualifying management plan be legally enforceable?
A: Yes, this is preferred because it is typically stronger in having established requirements for permanent protection.
Q: Can an agency have a larger scale agreement that applies to all properties? Or does the plan need to be property specific?
A: Yes, a management plan could apply to a single property, or it could apply to all properties that are similarly managed by the same organization, but there must be a documented management plan by land management description if not for the specific area.
Q: How much record keeping is required, both initially and ongoing?
A: A documented, current management plan should be available upon request to the managing agency/organization and is expected to be used for initial classification and re-evaluation when the management plan changes. Currently, PAD-US does not store or link to management plans as evidence supporting the classification.
Q: Is baseline reporting of monitoring required/necessary?
A: PAD-US reports the current classification status (ground condition at time of data), it currently does not include evaluation of effectiveness or monitoring of activities or resources. Between version comparison of classification status is generally not recommended because changes can be due to both better data actual changes on the ground.
Q: Are there requirements for frequency or types of monitoring?
A: No, classification systems (i.e., GAP Status Code and IUCN Protected Areas) used in PAD-US do not require reporting from monitoring activities. Monitoring might be a required component specified within management plans for programs and easement holders.
Q: What if there is a formal management plan but a group is unsure if the full formal management plan will be “forever funded”.
A: PAD-US classification reflects current status and management intent. Nothing is truly permanent or "forever funded". If the long-term management intent is focused on conservation the area may be included in the PAD-US.
Q: Do agriculture, grazing, and forestry qualify as “low intensity” land uses?
A: Yes, all three could qualify, following the GAP Status Guidance Document. The assumption is that the majority of a land unit must be maintained in a natural state. We arbitrarily set 5 percent as the maximum amount of a land unit that can be managed in an unnatural state for it to be considered "natural" for a GAP code 1. All other status codes allow human disturbance to varying degrees. We do not measure actual conversion of land cover in a land unit and rely instead on legislation or management documents. Anthropogenic land cover <5 percent within a land unit otherwise managed for biodiversity can be considered an "inclusion" that has an effect but does not dictate the management status. Further, management practices that mimic natural disturbance (e.g., grazing) are appropriate for GAP 1 & GAP 2 status lands if they are documented in a management plan and intended to mimic natural disturbance for improving health of the ecosystem.
Q: If the land use is also required to be “sustainable” does that impact its score?
A: Yes. The long-term management practices should support sustainable conservation of the area in a natural state.
Q: Can a property that is predominantly managed for biodiversity, and uses grazing as a part of its management, qualify for GAP code 1 status?
A: Grazing can be an appropriate management technique to mimic natural disturbance on an entire protected area. The management plan and intent must align to benefits of that disturbance for improving ecosystem health. Similar management efforts that mimic natural disturbance are permitted on GAP 1 and GAP 2 lands.
Q: How is “property” best defined? Parcel/lot? Park/Preserve? Because of the requirement that it must be ~95%+ natural land cover, one could just continue to divide down the unit of measure to meet 95%.
A: PAD-US boundaries are typically defined by legal mechanisms such as the full boundary of a simple fee title area, easement area or legal boundary of ownership containing the easement, a congressionally defined designation, or area defined by a management plan.
Q: Is it problematic to allow for mixed GAP codes within one “property”?
A: Yes, this is problematic. GAP Status Codes are normally applied to the full area that is defined by legal mechanism or management plan. Moving forward PAD-US would like to include areas with different levels of conservation as separate polygons that are defined by legal or other effective means.
Please see the GAP Status Assignment Tool or contact the PAD-US Team with any additional questions.