Toward best practices for developing regional connectivity maps

Area of Science:

• Conservation biology
• Landscape ecology
• Spatial planning

Background:

• Ecological connectivity is vital for species survival and ecosystem health, requiring both broad-scale and site-specific conservation planning.
• Existing research often focuses on fine-grained linkage designs for small areas, leaving a gap in large-scale connectivity mapping strategies.
• Conservation professionals require effective tools for both strategic visioning and on-the-ground interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a 7-step methodology for coarse-grained mapping of ecological connectivity across large geographic areas.
• To provide practical recommendations for mapping natural landscape blocks and identifying feasible connections between them.
• To guide conservation efforts by integrating technical criteria with stakeholder values for effective landscape connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Devised a 7-step process for mapping dozens to hundreds of ecological linkages over large areas.
• Applied the methodology across six diverse conservation projects in North America and Bhutan.
• Recommended mapping natural landscape blocks using naturalness, protection status, barriers, and habitat quality for key species.

Main Results:

• Identified mapping natural landscape blocks and determining feasible connections as the most challenging steps.
• Outlined procedures for identifying and mapping functional or restorable linkages using various modeling approaches.
• Demonstrated the application of the coarse-scale mapping approach across multiple large-scale conservation initiatives.

Conclusions:

• A systematic, coarse-grained mapping approach is essential for large-scale conservation planning of ecological connectivity.
• Integrating technical data with stakeholder input is critical for successful landscape block definition and linkage prioritization.
• The outlined methods provide a flexible framework for improving conservation decision-making and implementing effective connectivity strategies.