The Northwest Basin and Range Synthesis is a landscape conservation science, communication, and planning project established in October 2015. Our vision is a sustainable landscape for people and wildlife through shared goals, science, and action.

Overview

The Northwestern Great Basin ecoregion is one of the most intact ecosystems in the west. It is also a biological hotspot for migratory birds, greater sage-grouse and a stronghold for pronghorn antelope. However, altered fire regimes, invasive species, water scarcity, development, and climate change threaten the integrity of this landscape. Several efforts are ongoing for individual species, specific threats or sub-geographies, and over 60 existing plans and assessments have been identified for the region. The Northwest Basin and Range Synthesis will pull the pieces together to create a holistic view of shared priorities on the landscape. Read more about the Northwest Basin and Range Synthesis in a NW Climate Science Center article! 

Learn more about the project:

• The Northwest Basin and Range Synthesis finished a Ecosystem Symposium in February of 2017
• Read the final Ecosystem Symposium summary report
• Read the summary report from the conservation targets work session
• September 28, 2016: Steering Committee Meeting Outcomes
• July 27, 2016: Steering Committee Meeting Outcomes
• May 27, 2016: Steering Committee Meeting Outcomes
• January 18, 2017: Steering Committee Meeting Outcomes
• Watch the informational webinar 
• Read the project overview 

Vision

A sustainable landscape for people and wildlife through shared goals, science and action.

Mission

The mission of the Northwest Basin and Range Synthesis is to facilitate communication; to synthesize, identify and prioritize conservation science and management needs for regional stakeholders; and to maintain socio-economic systems for a resilient landscape.

Priorities

The Northwest Basin and Range Synthesis will use an open stakeholder-based collaborative process to:

• Facilitate communication to share ideas, knowledge, successes, and challenges in natural resource management, and foster collaboration among the diverse interests found in this landscape.
• Synthesize, complement, and augment existing plans, science, and local knowledge to:
• Conserve working landscapes,
• Maintain and enhance conservation efforts on working lands that support both ecosystems and communities,
• Conserve ecosystem connectivity to support healthy, viable, populations of native plant and animal communities,
• Identify gaps and prioritize science and management needs to increase conservation efforts on all regional lands, 
• Create  a cohesive vision of shared socio-ecological conservation priorities with accompanying strategies and actions across the landscape, and
• Incorporate adaptation strategies which include potential future landscape change (e.g. resilience planning and strategies).

Webinars

Past webinars

Contacts

View the team structure for the NWBR.

• John Tull, Science Coordinator, Great Basin LCC, [email protected], (775) 861-6492
• Tom Miewald, Landscape Ecologist, USFWS, [email protected], (503) 231-6840