Marxan Training Home
The Appalachian LCC and Virginia Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service jointly hosted a two-day Marxan learning session delivered by the Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association (PacMARA) at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Attendees came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and Clemson University.
As Marxan is among the most widely used conservation planning tool throughout the world and the outputs serve as decision support for land managers and conservation practitioners alike, the Appalachian LCC is dedicated to building the technical capacity for its integration. Conservation planning identifies and prioritizes lands that encompass important natural and/or cultural resources across the landscape (e.g., critical watersheds, habitat for rare or threatened species) and develops protection and management strategies for these lands. It is a process where best available science is at the core of planning, but the science is informed by groups of stakeholders using their on-the-ground knowledge and expertise. The goal is to create interconnected reserves of managed lands that are resilient to the many environmental changes that are occurring rapidly on the landscape. All of these efforts are projected through the lens of promoting and/or maintaining biodiversity and cultural vitality into the future.
By providing this valuable training, the Appalachian LCC is facilitating the integration of emerging science and decision support tools at multiple scales.. Utilizing Marxan, the Appalachian LCC and its partners will be able to identify the most effective network of conservation areas throughout the region. This facilitates strategic habitat conservation by ensuring that resources are used in the most efficient manner possible to conserve landscapes capable of supporting self-sustaining populations of fish and wildlife.
Training Materials
Marxan Training Talk 2 - Reserve Design Activity
PowerPoint presentation for reserve design activity.
Marxan Training Talk 3 - Case Study Application
PowerPoint presentation for Marxan Training Talk 3 - Case Study Application
Marxan Training Talk 4 - How Does Marxan Find Good Solutions?
PowerPpoint presentation for Talk 4 of the Marxan training session.
Marxan Training Talk 5 - Zonae Cogito
PowerPoint presentation for Talk 5 of the Marxan training session.
Marxan Training Talk 6 - Case Study Application
Powerpoint presentation for Talk 6 of the Marxan training session.
Marxan Training Talk 7 - Introduction to Marxan with Zones
PowerPoint presentation for Talk 7 of the Marxan training.
Marxan Training Course Handbook - Day 1
Course handbook and exercise instructions for Day 1 of Marxan training.
Marxan Training Course Handbook - Day 2
Course handbook and exercise instructions for Day 2 of Marxan training.
Marxan Good Practices Handbook
Overview of Marxan software and good use recommendations for its use in conservation planning and design.
Cluster Analysis Using Marxan
This manual describes how to use cluster anlaysis with R to analyze Marxan solutions.
User Manual for Zonae Cogito Software
User manual for Zonae Cogito software. The purpose of this software is to act as a decision support system and database management system for the suite of Marxan software.
Protected Areas: Goals, Limitations, and Design
This reference focuses on the functions, design, and limitations of protected areas and the processes of conservation planning.
Applying ecological criteria to marine reserve design: A case study from the California Channel Islands
Reference which describes the steps involved in designing a network of marine reserves for conservation and fisheries management.
Software Installation Overview for Marxan Training
Step by step instructions for installing the various software packages used during the Marxan training.
Installation Files for Zonae Cogito
Installation files and instructions for Zonae Cogito software used during Marxan training.
ArcMap Extension Instructions
Instructions for enabling ArcMap extensions used in the Marxan training.
ArcMap data and associated files
Data and files for ArcGIS software utilized during the Marxan training. The data is in zip file format.