Highlights for January 15, 1998
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• GAP Goes International: During the week of January 6, Mike Jennings (CBI), John Mosesso (OBIO), and other Gap Analysis Program (GAP) staff finalized a work plan for the bilateral Rio Bravo-Rio Grande GAP Project. Working with Mexican counterparts from the Mexican Commission on Biodiversity (CONABIO) and the Institute of Ecology and Institute of Geography at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the group concluded the planning phase for the project. The study area covers the Rio Bravo-Rio Grande from El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico, extending about 100 kilometers north into Texas and south into Mexico--an area of explosive growth about the size of California. The project itself is a pilot for a countrywide Mexico GAP. Mexico GAP will be led by Gerardo Ceballos and Carlos Gonzales of the Institute of Ecology at UNAM, and will be funded by CONABIO. Jennings earlier provided the Mexican government with a cost analysis on acquisition of a full set of Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery for Mexico through the U.S. Multi Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC). This pilot project was made possible, in part, by the availability of existing MRLC satellite imagery for Texas that covers portions of northern Mexico. GAP is a proactive geographic approach to protecting biodiversity. Satellite remote sensing and geographic information system technologies are used to identify unprotected "gaps" that may be filled by applying alternative conservation strategies. The program is coordinated by the USGS BRD and is managed by the CBI. (Mike Jennings, Moscow, ID, 208/885-3565)

• New GAP Bulletin Available January 29: The new issue of the Gap Analysis Bulletin is in press and is expected to be distributed by January 29. On 65 pages, Bulletin No. 6 features 20 articles on GAP-related topics such as land cover mapping, vegetation classification, animal species occurrence, land stewardship, partnerships, regionalizing data, extending GAP into Mexico, applications, conservation planning, and aquatic GAP, as well as software reviews and final report summaries. The Bulletin also contains status updates for the 48 conterminous states and a number of notes, announcements, and meeting summaries. GAP is a proactive geographic approach to protecting biodiversity. Satellite remote sensing and geographic information system technologies are used to identify unprotected "gaps" that may be filled by applying alternative conservation strategies. The program is coordinated by the USGS BRD and is managed by the CBI. (Elisabeth Brackney, Moscow, ID, 208/885-3560)

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.