The Gulf Partnership, in coordination with MSU’s Geosystems Research Institute, has relaunched the newest version of the Strategic Conservation Vision (SCV) Tool. The SCV tool is a free, interactive, GIS-based mapping tool developed by the Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation to support strategic land and water conservation across the U.S. Gulf Coast region.

Designed to help users prioritize, visualize, and identify high-value areas for permanent protection, the SCV Tool highlights conservation priorities such as wetlands, wildlife corridors, and working lands. It serves as a decision-support resource for conservation professionals, land trusts, and agencies seeking to maximize both ecological and socioeconomic benefits across the Gulf region.

The SCV Tool integrates multiple regional conservation indices, including longleaf pine recovery, wetland protection, and coastal resilience, helping guide conservation planning and investment decisions.

This relaunch includes updated data layers and a significant expansion of geographic coverage beyond the original RESTORE boundary. The tool now covers all of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and has expanded to include Georgia as a newly added state.

The SCV Tool was developed through a collaborative effort involving organizations representing the Gulf Partnership, the Strategic Conservation Assessment team, Mississippi State University, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and key partners including the Land Trust Alliance. Funding support was provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Gulf of America Alliance, and the RESTORE Council.

Now hosted by Mississippi State University, the updated ArcGIS Online platform includes new functionality, including support for importing shapefiles that make the tool even more useful for conservation planning and project development.

The SCV Tool is part of the broader Strategic Conservation Assessment (SCA) initiative, which aims to provide data-driven, actionable intelligence to guide conservation decisions across the Gulf Coast.

Visit the SCV Tool and explore the latest updates here:
https://geoproject.hpc.msstate.edu/SCVTool/