California Connectivity

 Maintaining and enhancing functional ecological connectivity across California’s landscape in the face of human development and climate change is no easy task, and no single agency or small group of agencies can tackle it alone.  A network of connected wildlands is essential to the continued support of diverse natural communities in the face of human development and climate change.

The California Essential Habitat Connectivity Project (2009-10) was initiated to create a state-wide network of natural landscapes.  The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) commissioned the project and it involved 200 members of the Multidisciplinary Team who have volunteered to serve as ambassadors for connectivity within and outside their agencies. Each agency has a unique role to play in conserving ecological connectivity while also pursuing its own mission—whether it involves improving transportation, delivering water and power, providing recreational opportunities, or conserving biological diversity. Connectivity conservation fits all missions to some degree.

This Essential Habitat Connectivity Project resulted in three primary products.

(1) A statewide Essential Habitat Connectivity Map:  The Essential Connectivity Map depicts large, relatively natural habitat blocks that support native biodiversity (Natural Landscape Blocks) and areas essential for ecological connectivity between them (Essential Connectivity Areas). This coarse-scale map was based primarily on the concept of ecological integrity, rather than the needs of particular species.

(2) Data characterizing the Natural Landscape Blocks and Essential Connectivity Areas:  Data includes block size, physical characteristics, biological characteristics, ownerships, and the roads that cross them.  These data are also available in electronic databases so that users can select, sort, or weight the various attributes to help prioritize and plan conservation, mitigation, or other actions in or near the Essential Connectivity Areas and Natural Landscape Blocks.

(3) Guidance and Recommendations:  The report contains recommendations for mitigating the fragmenting effects of roads and for developing and implementing local and regional connectivity plans.  

These products are now available for public use on two websites.

(1)  BIOS (managed by the California Department of Fish and Game)
(2) Data Basin (managed by the Conservation Biology Institute)

The Essential Habitat Connectivity Project was designed to be adopted and used to support planning at multiple scales. At the broadest scale, the products of this Project can serve new or emerging collaborations larger than the state of California, such as the 14-state Western Governors’ Wildlife Council. At the statewide scale, the Project was intended to support conservation plans like California’s Wildlife Action Plan and the California Climate Adaptation Strategy, and to integrate with infrastructure plans such as California Transportation Plan 2035. At regional and local scales, the products can be used to inform a wide array of planning efforts, including:

Private landowners may also want to use this information to understand how they can be a part of a regional conservation goal or engage in the discussion. Legislation both supports and assures the conservation of connectivity in California.

References:

Spencer, W.D., P. Beier, K. Penrod, K. Winters, C. Paulman, H. Rustigian- Romsos, J. Strittholt, M. Parisi, and A. Pettler. 2010. California  Essential Habitat Connectivity Project: A Strategy for Conserving a Connected California. Prepared for California Department of Transportation, California Department of Fish and Game, and Federal Highways Administration.