Connecting Protected and Other Conserved Areas

Protected areas are recognized globally as the foundation of efforts to conserve biodiversity (Margules and Pressey 2000). These areas alone, however, are not always adequate to conserve biodiversity, especially when situated within human dominated landscapes. In order for protected areas to be effective at achieving long-term biodiversity outcomes, especially in the face of increasing human activities and the effects of climate change, it is understood that they need to be ecological connected to other protected and/or natural areas across landscapes as part of ecological networks (Hilty et al. 2020). Canada Target 1  and the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Target 11 both acknowledge that protected and other conserved areas have to be well-connected and integrated into the wider landscape in order to help reverse the decline of biodiversity.

Ecological connectivity refers to the unimpeded movement of species and the flow of natural processes that sustain life on Earth (CMS, 2020). Wildlife, for example, move to access food and water, establish new territories, avoid predators, and to find breeding partners. When ecological connectivity is disrupted due to human activities (e.g., the loss and fragmentation of habitats due to land conversion and construction of roads), it negatively alters the critical life processes that maintain biodiversity.

Maintaining, enhancing and restoring ecological connectivity across Canada’s networks of protected and conserved areas will help to limit the negative effects of habitat fragmentation, thereby safeguarding biodiversity and helping species to adapt to climate change as local conditions change. Other benefits to maintaining ecological connectivity among and between protected and conserved areas include the maintenance of genetic diversity, migration routes and stop-over sites, as well as providing access for wildlife to a greater amount and variety of habitats.

The Connectivity Working Group

The Connectivity Working Group (CWG) was established by the Pathway to Canada Target 1 National Steering Committee to oversee and direct work needed to achieve the connectivity priorities identified by the Pathway initiative. The CWG focuses its work on advancing ecological connectivity in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

Connectivity Working Group Work Plan Objectives

1. Identify strategies that could be used to overcome barriers to achieving connectivity in Canada.

2. Identify and document gaps in the science of connectivity conservation.

3. Measure how well and to what extent individual protected and other conserved areas are connected in Canada.

4. Identify areas important for connectivity that are not currently protected or otherwise conserved.

5. Populate the Pathway’s Conservation Toolbox with relevant resources (e.g. guidance, tools) that could be used by governments, land managers and land owners to help them establish well-connected networks of protected and other conserved areas.

Connectivity Toolbox

The Connectivity Working Group assisted in creating a Toolbox of resources (e.g., policies, guidance, best practices, case studies, analytical programs, etc.) to help all levels of government, land managers and land owners advance connectivity conservation throughout the country. This Toolbox focusses on resources that are relevant to Canada in particular and provides links to other excellent sources of information.

The Toolbox is available in a searchable / sortable table here (Feb 1, 2021).  Below are some examples. This toolbox is not exhaustive but will be continually updated to make it as comprehensive and contemporary as possible. Please contact the Connectivity Working Group Secretariat if you would like to suggest a resource to add.

Toolbox Highlights and New Resources

References:

CMS (Convention of Migratory Species of Wild Animals) (2020) Improving Ways of Addressing Connectivity in the Conservation of Migratory Species, Resolution 12.26 (REV.COP13), Gandhinagar, India (17-22 February 2020). UNEP/CMS/COP-13/CRP 26.4.4.

Hilty J., Worboys, G.L., Keeley, A., Woodley, S., Lausche, B., Locke, H., Carr, M., Pulsford, I., Pittock, J., Wilson White, J., Theobald, D.M., Levine, J., Reuling, M., Watson, J.E.M., Ament, R., and Tabor G.M. (2020) Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors. Best Practices Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 30. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN.

Margules, C.R. and Pressey, R.L., 2000. Systematic conservation planning. Nature, 405(6783), pp.243-253.