It is essential that ESP managers are able to identify the most appropriate activities for the areas in which they operate. A landscape approach to conservation allows them to do this by permitting multiple factors to be analyzed in a single context. A “development pathways” map, as shown here,

Integrates knowledge about the physical and economic landscape, including the current structure of land use, land-use patterns, and relevant market factors to prioritize development areas and activities. Pathway maps integrate information based on parameters and criteria that are set by project’s technical teams. For example, if a project is trying to identify critical watersheds in which to implement conservation activities, their selection of these areas is based on many factors, which may include the type of land cover, slope, elevation, proximity to markets, proximity to water utilities, and the presence of other current or previous conservation initiatives. All of these are spatial factors that can be mapped and combined into a single planning map that highlights the areas in which project can most likely get results.