NBCI’s maps of bobwhite habitat potential for each of the 25 NBCI member states are now available for viewing on our website HERE. These are an important part of NBCI 2.0 and are called the Biologists Ranking Information (BRI) maps. Essentially, these identify the habitat potential for each of the 25 states. The BRI maps (some have referred to them as “Bobwhite Response Index” maps) are biologists’ collective judgement of exactly where and how much they should focus resources for bobwhite conservation. More than 600 biologists contributed, evaluating over 600 million acres and providing informed input unattainable by satellite imagery, or geo-spatial data layers, including such things as current distributions of quail, and the economic or sociological potential for habitat management by the people who control the land, whether private or public. This component of NBCI 2.0 allows bobwhite data to be integrated with other complementary conservation efforts, including Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). Using NBCI 2.0 mapping and tools, biologists can drill down into the landscape of habitat potential for project planning and reporting purposes.
