Let the Southeastern Ecological Framework Be Your Guide
4>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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SOUTHEASTERN
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The SEF provides the information you need and more. Using dynamic Geographical Information System data, the
SEF offers a comprehensive view of the Southeast's most significant ecological areas and the passageways
connecting them. Bright, color-coded maps allow quick identification of agricultural lands, forests, waterways, and
cities, along with a number of other land use elements. The SEF's features also include the ability to identify areas
under conservation, those facing rapid conversion to urban use, and those that provide valuable, environmental
services like clean air and water. Information vital for protecting and preserving the Southeast's quality of life. To
see if the SEF is right for you, check out these other possibilities for protection your natural resources:
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
• Plan future road right of ways to minimize
secondary impacts on existing natural areas
• Connect mitigation banks to larger intact wetland
systems to increase function and long-term
benefits
• Evaluate environmental issues early in the road
corridor alignment phase of highway projects
• Target mitigation banking projects to support
local greenspace strategies
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Site new business activities in locations that minimize
impacts to surrounding drinking water supplies
• Identify locations that can support future business
needs and avoid locations that will not
• Locate lands that provide environmental services
(i.e., filters nutrients from water before it runs into a
lake) that, if provided by the community, would be
costly and increase taxes (mechanical system to
filter lake to reduce algae buildup)
COMMUNITY GROWTH
• Preserve lands that provide the best water
quality protection for the local community
• Create innovative residential developments through
conservation design and open space protection
• Find optimum locations that can support
future growth and avoid locations that will
PARTNERSHIPS
• Create synergistic for businesses, Federal, State and
local governments, community groups and nonprofit
organizations to work together
• Prioritize local environmental issues within a larger
framework
EXISTING PROTECTED AREAS
• Reduce urban encroachment by creating buffers
around wildlife refuges, national parks, state and
local parks, and private wilderness areas
• Provide wildlife corridors to allow migration
through protected areas to prevent species
isolation
DEFENSE READINESS
• Maintain readiness and reduce urban encroachment
by creating buffers around military installations
• Maintain military training areas while protecting
endangered wildlife by creating off-installation
conservation areas
CULTURAL HERITAGE
• Identify at risk archeological, historical, and
cultural resources
• Connect people to significant archeological,
historical, and cultural resources
GREENSPACE PROTECTION
• Integrate local greenspace protection efforts into
a larger, state-wide or region-wide program
• Leverage Federal resources
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LOGICAL FRAMEWORK
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call Rick Durbrow (404) 562-8286
visit www.geoplan.ufl.edu/epa
written request to:
US EPA R4, Atlanta Federal Center
61 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, GA3O3O3
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Southeastern Ecological Framework
2 Framework
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Major Highways
m SEF MODEL IS COMPRISED OF MURAL LAND AND WATER FEATURES- WERS,
RIDGES. ESTUARIES. WETLAND BASINS, AND UPLAND FORESTS - ATA REGIONAL SCALE.
THE MODEL LOCATES IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL HUBS AND CREATES PASSAGEWAYS. OR
CORRIDORS. TO CONNECT THEM: HUBS ARE LARGE INTACT AREAS WITH IMPORTANT
WATERWAYS AND FEW OR NO ROADS, HIGH PLANT AND ANIMAL DIVERSITY, LITTLE
FRAGMENTATION. AND RARE SPECIES. HUBS OREN INCLUDE WILDLIFE REFUGES, PARKS.
NATIONAL FORESTS, OR PRIVATE PROTECTED LANDS. SEF'S CORRIDORS TYPICALLY FOLLOW
NATURAL LAND FORMS AND WATER FEATURES. UNKING HUBS TOGETHER CREATES A
LARGER. STRONGER REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND INCREASES ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE
FRESH AIR, CLEAN WATER AND BETTER PROTECTED LANDS.
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have qpm into the SEF. Such a framework is useful for
integrating EPA programs in a region, as well as for
providing a landscape context for decisions by states, local
governments, and private landowners in the region.
-EPA Science Advisory Board- April, 2002
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THE SOUTHEASTERN ECOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK WASIDEVELOPED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SOUTHEAST NATURAL RESOURCE LEADERS
GROUP, COMPOSED OF THE REGIONAL DIRECTORS OF THE 11 FEDERAL AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUES IN THE
SOUTHEAST: ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, FEDERAL HIGHWAY
ADMINISTRATION, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, NATURAL
RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, USDA FOREST SERVICE, AND US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
EPA does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of
the information shown. The information herein is subject to revision
and is not in final form. EPA shall not be liable for any detrimental
reliance upon the information shown.
For a copy of the SEF Executive Summary and Data CD, contact
Rick Durbrowor John Richardson, US EPA Region 4, Planning and
Analysis Branch, Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth
Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303, (404) 562-8286/(404) 562-8290,
Durbrow.Rick@epa.gov, Richardson.John@epa.gov,or visit the
SEF website at www.geoplan.ufi.edu/epa
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