This raster dataset has been created using the 'Important Bird Areas' as originated by the Pennsylvania Audubon Society. All areas designated as core areas were assigned a conservation value of 3. All areas designated as buffer areas were assigned a conservation value of 1. Conservation values were determined by experts gathered by Natural Lands Trust through SmartConservation. This data set is one of several that have been combined to create an overall terrestrial resources conservation value raster for the Central Appalachian Forest Ecoregion. Therefore the values were determined as a relative rank, comparable in value only to the other input terrestrial resources data. Conservation value ranges from 1 - 10 with 10 being the highest value.