The Gap Analysis Program (GAP) is an element of the U.S. Geological Survey. We help implement the Department of Interior’s goals of inventory, monitoring, research, and information transfer. GAP has three primary goals:
- Identify conservation gaps that help keep common species common;
- Provide conservation information to the public so that informed resource management decisions can be made; and
- Facilitate the application of GAP data and analysis to specific resource management activities.
To implement these goals, GAP carries out the following objectives:
- Map the land cover of the United States
- Map predicted distributions of vertebrate species for the U.S.
- Map the location, ownership and stewardship of protected areas
- Document the representation of vertebrate species and land cover types in areas managed for the long-term maintenance of biodiversity
- Provide this information to the public and those entities charged with land use research, policy, planning, and management
- Build institutional cooperation in the application of this information to state and regional management activities.
GAP conducts national as well as regional and state projects, utilizing cooperative efforts among federal, state and regional agencies and private organizations. Learn more about GAP Partners >>
GAP is one of the core services of the USGS Core Science Services program and the national GAP office based in Boise, Idaho. Regional offices are located at North Carolina State University and New Mexico State University. The National Program COordinator is Kevin Gergely, based in Boise, Idaho. Find all contacts for GAP staff and offices >>
