The Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) program ‘…systematically target[s] conservation efforts to improve agricultural and forest productivity which enhance wildlife habitat on working landscapes. Target species are used as barometers for success because their habitat needs are representative of healthy, functioning ecosystems where conservation efforts benefit a much broader suite of species.’ Defenders undertook an evaluation of the program in 2016 and compiled expenditures data for 2012-2015 to better understand where and how it operates. To make the (voluminous) data more accessible, we created this small web app that allows users to filter and view data by county (the highest resolution data available), species, and other variables. This app provides a model by which NRCS/USDA might consider making the WLFW program data available not just to their own staff, but the public at large.
As the previous Director in the Center for Conservation Innovation at Defenders, Jacob led CCI’s work at the intersection of science, technology, and policy to improve conservation outcomes, especially for threatened and endangered species.