Colorado Natural Heritage Program Logo Colorado Natural Heritage Program Logo CNHP
  • About Us
    • About Us
      • Biennial Report
      • Strategic Plan
    • Conserving Biodiversity
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
      • Employment
      • Internship
      • Volunteer
    • Meetings
    • The NatureServe Network
    • Partners
  • Our Work
    • Ecology
    • Wetlands
    • Plants
    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Education
    • Invasive Species
    • Statewide Natural Heritage Survey
  • Our Services
    • Database Development
    • GIS Analysis & Modeling
    • Mapping
    • Surveys & Inventories
    • Monitoring & Assessment
    • Conservation Planning
    • Private Lands Conservation
  • Our Data
    • About CNHP Data
    • Request Data
    • Contribute Data
    • Download Data
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Help & Documentation
  • Maps
    • (CODEX) Conservation Data Explorer
    • CNHP Spatial Layers
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • COMaP
  • Library
    • Reports
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Field Guides
      • Rare Plant Guide
      • Colorado Wetland Field Guides
  • Blog
  • Use CODEX Conservation Data Explorer

  • Donate Now

Conservation Planning

Conserving Colorado’s biodiversity is the primary goal that drives all of our work – and is especially critical given the growth of the state’s population and the proliferation of human influences across our landscapes. Through conservation planning, we help landowners, land managers, and land users make informed choices that allow people to pursue their livelihoods, maintain the state’s natural character, and conserve all the plants and animals that live here.

Featured Topics

bipdiagram
Picture by NatureServe

BIP Dashboard

The Biodiversity Indicators Dashboard Program focuses on supporting national, regional, and global institutions with tools for developing streamlined biodiversity monitoring and reporting systems that track progress toward biodiversity-related targets.

Visit the Biodiversity Indicators Dashboard Program Page

Learn more

By Emma Balunek
By Emma Balunek

Priority Areas for the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Ecosystem

Our team has developed a large-scale collaborative conservation planning initiative for the black-tailed prairie dog (BTPD) ecosystem that stretches across North America’s central grasslands. Because prairie dogs are keystone species, their conservation and management often lies at the core of grassland conservation efforts.

Visit the Priority Areas for the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Ecosystem Page

Learn more

landscape
landscape

Roaring Fork Biodiversity and Connectivity Study

This study was a collaborative investigation into the status of biodiversity values and landscape connectivity across the Roaring Fork watershed. Objectives include understanding habitat quality and the highest priority areas for conservation and restoration for focal species and their habitats.

Visit the Roaring Fork Study Page

Learn more

Wind turbines at Pawnee National Grassland by Michael Menefee.
Wind turbines at Pawnee National Grassland by Michael Menefee.

Planning for Climate Change

CNHP scientists have been exploring potential future climate scenarios, developing methods to analyze potential for distribution shifts and other effects, and working with partners to highlight priorities for management and options for adaption.

Visit the Planning for Climate Change Page

Learn more

State Wildlife Action Plan Cover
State Wildlife Action Plan Cover

Colorado’s 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan

CNHP worked closely with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to facilitate the revision of our state wildlife action plan which for the first time included plants and Important Plant Areas that support high quality concentrations of rare plant species. This effort drew upon the expertise of many agency and academic scientists, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders.

Visit the Colorado’s 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan Page

Learn more

The State of Colorado's Biodiversity Cover Photo
The State of Colorado's Biodiversity Cover

Measuring Success

CNHP, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, has developed a prototype analysis of the status of Colorado’s biodiversity, using a “scorecard” approach. We evaluated ecological systems, animals, and rare plants to determine the effectiveness of current conservation. GIS analysis was used extensively in evaluating the health, threats to, and protection levels of Colorado’s rare plants, animals and ecosystems.

Visit the Measuring Success Page

Learn more

Rural highway in eastern Colorado by Michael Menefee.
Rural highway in eastern Colorado by Michael Menefee.

Transportation Planning

CNHP has helped to develop GIS-based methods and tools for improving impact assessments and advance mitigation planning in the context of long-range transportation planning.

Visit the Transportation Planning Page

Learn more

Rare plant habitat in western Colorado by Susan Panjabi.
Rare plant habitat in western Colorado by Susan Panjabi.

Conservation Action Plans

CNHP has authored and/or co-authored several Conservation Action Plans many of which identify specific conservation strategies for high quality occurrences of rare plant species.

Visit the Conservation Action Plans Page

Learn more

Swift fox (Vulpes velox)
Swift fox (Vulpes velox)

Planning for Rare Species Conservation

Planning for conservation of biodiversity can require regional planning or site-specific strategies.

Visit the Planning for Rare Species Conservation Page

Learn more

Our Services

Database Development
GIS Analysis & Modeling
Mapping
Surveys & Inventories
Monitoring & Assessment Conservation Planning
Private Lands Conservation

Related Topics

Ecology
Wetlands
Plants
Animals
Climate Change
Education
Invasive Species

Web Projects

  • CODEX - Colorado’s Conservation Data Explorer
  • Rare Plant Guide Online
  • Colorado Wetland Info Center
  • COMaP - Colorado Protected Lands
  • Colorado Bat Working Group
  • STReaMS - Endangered Fishes Database
  • Colorado Native Plant Database Data Portal

About Us

  • About Us
  • Conserving Biodiversity
  • Contact Us
  • Staff Directory
  • Careers
  • The NatureServe Network
  • Partners
  • Site Map
Warner College of Natural Resources Logo
  • Apply to CSU
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Statement
  • Search CSU
  • CSU Land Acknowledgement
  • CSU Principles of Community
© 2025 Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Colorado State University Logo
  • About Us
    ▼
    • About Us
      ▼
      • Biennial Report
      • Strategic Plan
    • Conserving Biodiversity
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
      ▼
      • Employment
      • Internship
      • Volunteer
    • Meetings
    • The NatureServe Network
    • Partners
  • Our Work
    ▼
    • Ecology
    • Wetlands
    • Plants
    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Education
    • Invasive Species
    • Statewide Natural Heritage Survey
  • Our Services
    ▼
    • Database Development
    • GIS Analysis & Modeling
    • Mapping
    • Surveys & Inventories
    • Monitoring & Assessment
    • Conservation Planning
    • Private Lands Conservation
  • Our Data
    ▼
    • About CNHP Data
    • Request Data
    • Contribute Data
    • Download Data
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Help & Documentation
  • Maps
    ▼
    • (CODEX) Conservation Data Explorer
    • CNHP Spatial Layers
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • COMaP
  • Library
    ▼
    • Reports
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Field Guides
      ▼
      • Rare Plant Guide
      • Colorado Wetland Field Guides
  • Blog
  • Use CODEX Conservation Data Explorer

  • Donate Now
  • About Us
    ▼
    • About Us
      ▼
      • Biennial Report
      • Strategic Plan
    • Conserving Biodiversity
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
      ▼
      • Employment
      • Internship
      • Volunteer
    • Meetings
    • The NatureServe Network
    • Partners
  • Our Work
    ▼
    • Ecology
    • Wetlands
    • Plants
    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Education
    • Invasive Species
    • Statewide Natural Heritage Survey
  • Our Services
    ▲
    • Database Development
    • GIS Analysis & Modeling
    • Mapping
    • Surveys & Inventories
    • Monitoring & Assessment
    • Conservation Planning
    • Private Lands Conservation
  • Our Data
    ▼
    • About CNHP Data
    • Request Data
    • Contribute Data
    • Download Data
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Help & Documentation
  • Maps
    ▼
    • (CODEX) Conservation Data Explorer
    • CNHP Spatial Layers
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • COMaP
  • Library
    ▼
    • Reports
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Field Guides
      ▼
      • Rare Plant Guide
      • Colorado Wetland Field Guides
  • Blog
  • Use CODEX Conservation Data Explorer

  • Donate Now
  • About Us
    ▼
    • About Us
      ▼
      • Biennial Report
      • Strategic Plan
    • Conserving Biodiversity
    • Contact Us
    • Staff Directory
    • Careers
      ▼
      • Employment
      • Internship
      • Volunteer
    • Meetings
    • The NatureServe Network
    • Partners
  • Our Work
    ▼
    • Ecology
    • Wetlands
    • Plants
    • Animals
    • Climate Change
    • Education
    • Invasive Species
    • Statewide Natural Heritage Survey
  • Our Services
    ▼
    • Database Development
    • GIS Analysis & Modeling
    • Mapping
    • Surveys & Inventories
    • Monitoring & Assessment
    • Conservation Planning
    • Private Lands Conservation
  • Our Data
    ▼
    • About CNHP Data
    • Request Data
    • Contribute Data
    • Download Data
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Help & Documentation
  • Maps
    ▼
    • (CODEX) Conservation Data Explorer
    • CNHP Spatial Layers
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • COMaP
  • Library
    ▼
    • Reports
    • Tracking Lists
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • Field Guides
      ▼
      • Rare Plant Guide
      • Colorado Wetland Field Guides
  • Blog
  • Use CODEX Conservation Data Explorer

  • Donate Now