Protected Areas
Most biodiversity questions start with where? Protected areas data are necessary to understand the existing U.S. network and plan for the future. Mapped protected areas inform SAS biodiversity science activities that focus on a landscape-level understanding of ecosystems.
The Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is a core geospatial database used by SAS in biodiversity assessments. PAD-US data are also used in planning response to wildfires, identifying effective policies for energy and habitat conservation, guiding people to recreational opportunities, and informing public health research. These protected areas data also provide foundational information in the USGS National Biogeographic Map developed by SAS.
Related Content
Gap Analysis Project (GAP)
PAD-US Data Explorer
Administered by the U.S. Geological Survey Gap Analysis Project, the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the nation’s official inventory of public open space and private protected areas. The lands included in PAD-US are assigned conservation status codes that both denote the level of biodiversity preservation and indicate other natural, recreational and cultural uses.
PAD-US Statistics Dashboard
Administered by the U.S. Geological Survey Gap Analysis Project, the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the nation’s official inventory of public open space and private protected areas. The lands included in PAD-US are assigned conservation status codes that both denote the level of biodiversity preservation and indicate other natural, recreational and cultural uses.
National Biogeographic Map
The National Biogeographic Map (NBM) is a project of the Core Science Systems Mission Area. The project’s goal is to provide a platform for analysis of questions about what species are where, how well protected they are, how vulnerable they are to stressors, and what management options will have the greatest benefit for conservation of biodiversity.
Related Content
Gap Analysis Project (GAP)
PAD-US Data Explorer
Administered by the U.S. Geological Survey Gap Analysis Project, the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the nation’s official inventory of public open space and private protected areas. The lands included in PAD-US are assigned conservation status codes that both denote the level of biodiversity preservation and indicate other natural, recreational and cultural uses.
PAD-US Statistics Dashboard
Administered by the U.S. Geological Survey Gap Analysis Project, the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the nation’s official inventory of public open space and private protected areas. The lands included in PAD-US are assigned conservation status codes that both denote the level of biodiversity preservation and indicate other natural, recreational and cultural uses.
National Biogeographic Map
The National Biogeographic Map (NBM) is a project of the Core Science Systems Mission Area. The project’s goal is to provide a platform for analysis of questions about what species are where, how well protected they are, how vulnerable they are to stressors, and what management options will have the greatest benefit for conservation of biodiversity.