Conservation Targets

Comprehensive protection of all species and the lands and waters that sustain them can only be approached using a “coarse-filter / fine-filter” strategy. “Coarse-filter” conservation targets implicitly protect species through the conservation of ecosystems and landscapes, a strategy that accounts for the vast majority of the species present in the ecoregion. “Fine-filter” targets are those species that we believe cannot be adequately conserved by the protection of ecosystems alone but require explicit and direct conservation attention. The links below lead to summary pages on NAP conservation target classes. For more, see the Report .

Ecosystems (Coarse-filter targets)

See the Ecosystems Introduction Chapter (pdf) for an overview.

Forest Ecosystems

• Matrix-forming Forests

Terrestrial Non-forested Ecosystems

• Summits
• Cliffs and Steep Slopes
• Bowls, Hollows and Ravines

Wetland Ecosystems

• Freshwater Basin Wetlands
• Riparian and Floodplain Network
• Coastal Shores and Marshes

Aquatic Systems

• Freshwater Streams and Lakes (U.S. only)

Species (Fine-filter targets)

• Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish
• Birds
• Terrestrial Invertebrates
• Plants