BLM to Use State, Regional Data in Identifying Wildlife Corridors, Crucial Habitat

Washington, D.C. - The Bureau of Land Management announced today that it will use state and regional data and maps to help it identify wildlife corridors and crucial habitat in future land-use planning and management efforts. The maps will be available for the BLM to use as a result of the Western Wildlife Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool, known as "CHAT", an initiative of the Western Governors' Association. In 2009, the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Western Governors' Association regarding coordination among federal agencies and states in the identification and uniform mapping of wildlife corridors and crucial habitat. Information developed through the CHAT will facilitate an organized and comprehensive approach to obtaining wildlife-related data and maps by the BLM and other federal agencies. A West-wide CHAT is expected to be available in 2013.