US: A new online mapping tool may help Utah”s wildlife. The state is among 16 in the West using the Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT). “It allows users to visually explore wildlife distribution information, crucial habitat areas and information about sensitive species. She said CHAT, which works in a similar way to Google Maps, should help developers avoid sensitive wildlife habitat,” said Carmen Bailey, a policy analyst at the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
“This gives them a quick peek right now, without really committing a lot of their resources to a planning effort,” she said. “It really is better for wildlife and it”s better for business, because it gives them some certainty up front,” added Bailey.