Driftless Bioregional Foundation
a) Bioregions: Bioregions are geographical areas that are defined by their ecological characteristics, including climate, soil, vegetation, and wildlife. There are many different ways to classify bioregions, but some of the most commonly used frameworks include the EPA Level III Ecoregions, the World Wildlife Fund's Global 200 ecoregions, and the Bioregional Learning Center's 12 bioregions.
b) Eco Zones: Eco zones are similar to bioregions in that they are geographical areas that are defined by their ecological characteristics. The World Wildlife Fund has developed a system for classifying the world's ecosystems into 867 terrestrial eco-regions and 450 freshwater eco-regions.
c) Biospheres: Biospheres are areas of the Earth's surface where living organisms exist, and they are often used as a framework for understanding ecological processes at a global scale. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated 701 biosphere reserves around the world.
d) Micro Climates: Microclimates are small-scale variations in climate within a particular region or ecosystem. They can be influenced by factors such as topography, vegetation, and human activities.
e) Water Basins: Water basins are geographical areas that are defined by their hydrological characteristics, including the flow of water, the distribution of precipitation, and the types of aquatic ecosystems present. The United Nations has developed a system for classifying water basins into 276 "hydrological units."
a) Bioregions: The Bioregional Learning Center is a leading organization that promotes the use of bioregionalism as a framework for understanding ecological systems and promoting sustainable living practices.
b) Eco Zones: The World Wildlife Fund is a leading organization that uses eco-regions as a framework for conservation and biodiversity management.
c) Biospheres: UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme is a leading organization that promotes the use of biosphere reserves for research, conservation, and sustainable development.
d) Micro Climates: Many organizations, including local governments, universities, and environmental nonprofits, use microclimate data to inform land use planning, agricultural practices, and other activities.
e) Water Basins: The United Nations and other international organizations use water basin classification systems to monitor and manage water resources around the world.
The frameworks for classifying landscapes differ in their scope and purpose. Bioregions and eco zones are primarily focused on ecological characteristics, while biospheres and water basins encompass both ecological and social systems. Microclimates are a smaller-scale framework that is useful for understanding local variations in climate. Each framework has its own strengths and limitations, and the choice of framework will depend on the specific goals and objectives of the project.
For onboarding land stewards and associating them with a specific bioregion based on their location, the most useful framework may be BIOREGIONS. Bioregions are well-established and widely recognized, and they provide a useful framework for understanding the ecological characteristics of a particular region. Additionally, the Bioregional Learning Center has developed a set of criteria for defining bioregions that could be useful for identifying specific regions of interest. However, other frameworks such as eco zones and water basins could also be useful depending on the specific goals and objectives of the project.