State of the Rockies Project

Report Documents Threats to Biodiversity in the Rockies

By Bryan Hurlbutt, 4-25-06

Biodiversity, or the variety life, is critical to the functioning of numerous systems on Earth, but biodiversity is diminishing around the globe as species face a variety of amplifying threats, from habitat destruction to invasive species to pollution to climate change. Here in the Rockies, an abundance of life still exists relative to most other parts of the country, but today’s rapid development poses serious threat to species in the region.

“Preserving Biodiversity,” part of the 2006 Colorado College State of the Rockies Report Card, measures habitat threat in all 281 counties in the eight-state region. The report uses six indicators to compute threat in each county: percentage of urban landcover, percentage of agricultural landcover, gallons of daily withdrawals from water bodies, pounds toxic pollution emitted, projected population growth, percentage of lands protected (Wilderness, National Park, etc). How does your county rank? Click here for the Preserving Biodiversity section of the report (PDF).

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