Look for complete geospatial metadata in this layer's associated xml document available from the download link

* Metric Name: Quino checkerspot butterfly  

* Tier: 3  

* Data Vintage: 2009  

* Unit Of Measure: Binary layer, 1 represents current habitat  

* Metric Definition and Relevance: These data identify, in general, the areas of Final critical habitat for _Euphydryas editha quino_ (Quino checkerspot butterfly). This species is listed as an endangered species by the USFWS.

Critical habitat constitutes areas considered essential for the conservation
of a listed species. These areas provide notice to the public and land
managers of the importance of the areas to the conservation of this listed
species. Special protections and/or restrictions are possible in areas where
Federal funding, permits, licenses, authorizations, or actions occur or are
required.

  

* Creation Method: The authors considered several quantitative and qualitative criteria in the selection and designation of specific areas or units for Quino checkerspot butterfly critical habitat. These criteria focused on: (1) lands considered to be occupied: lands within recovery unit boundaries and with confirmed recent (since 1986) Quino checkerspot butterfly locations that are part of identified habitat complexes, (2) lands not known to be occupied that provide landscape connectivity between adjacent occupied habitat complexes, and (3) lands not known to be occupied that contain confirmed historic Quino checkerspot locations and are part of identified habitat complexes, and are contiguous with occupied lands. Critical habitat for the Quino checkerspot butterfly was delineated based on interpretation of multiple data sources available during the preparation of this rule, including confirmed Quino checkerspot butterfly observation and collection records, 2005 one-meter digital aerial photography at 1:24,000 scale (comparable to the scale of a 7.5 minute U.S. Geological Survey topographic quadrangle map), current aerial photography prints, boundaries of approved habitat conservation plans (HCP), and projects authorized for take through section 7 consultations. In defining critical habitat boundaries, the authors made an effort to avoid: (1) developed lands such as towns and agricultural fields, (2) other non-habitat lands that do not contain one or more primary constituent elements of Quino checkerspot butterfly habitat, (3) non-essential habitat lands that may contain Quino checkerspot butterfly habitat features, but are too isolated or fragmented to provide for long-term conservation of populations, and (4) lands covered by an existing, legally operative, incidental take permit under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act in which the Quino checkerspot butterfly is a covered species. However, the minimum mapping unit that the authors used to approximate their delineation of critical habitat for the Quino checkerspot butterfly did not allow them to exclude all areas described above. Existing features and structures within the boundaries of the mapped units, such as buildings, paved or improved roads, aqueducts, railroads, airports, other paved areas, lawns, large areas of closed canopy chaparral, portions of agricultural fields, and other urban landscaped areas do not contain the primary constituent elements. Federal actions limited to those areas, therefore, would not trigger a section 7 consultation, unless they affect the species and/or primary constituent elements in adjacent critical habitat. Initial polygons were created using the process described above. Edits based on staff biological input to include essential habitat and eliminate non-essential areas, and to eliminate as much urban and agriculture as visually possible within or adjacent to the target area was completed in this release. Polygon edits were accomplished using heads-up digitizing and ArcInfo coverage feature extraction from various sources. Heads-up digitizing was completed using 1-meter resolution USDA NAIP (National Agriculture Imagery Program) - USDA NAIP 2005) and coverage features were extracted from data sources such as: California Spatial Information Library, CaSIL (roads, county lines, contour lines, and hydrolines), Riverside County GIS (Stevens Kangaroo Rat (SKR) Core Reserve Boundary), San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) (Multiple Habitat Planning Areas, major roads, vegetation, ownership, county boundaries), City of Chula Vista (Preserve design), County of San Diego (major amendment areas, pre-approved mitigation areas), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, Otay-Sweetwater Unit), California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) (ownership), and USFWS-Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office Proposed Quino Recovery Units Boundaries (See Recovery Data metafile for information on units and creation process).

The critical habitat polygons were then transformed to a binary 30m raster
layer, where 1 represents critical habitat.

  

* Credits: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office