Linking Landscapes for Wildlife

Promoting landscape habitability and resiliency in our region and beyond.

Resiliency Depends on Habitat Connectivity

Mountain Lion found at the mall in downtown Santa Rosa, CA in 2019. Photo Courtesy: Press Democrat

Climate change, catastrophic wildfire, pervasive drought, and human development continue to alter and shrink Northern California’s natural habitats.

Over the last decade, natural areas in the West–including forests, wetlands, deserts, and grasslands– have been lost to development at the rate of one football field every two and a half minutes. These remaining habitats are becoming smaller and increasingly fragmented (by roadways, development, and other human activity), making it more difficult or impossible for wildlife to access necessary resources.

The diminished availability of suitable habitat has placed more than 300 California animal species at or near the brink of extinction, with many other western wildlife species also in severe decline. Sonoma County – located north of San Francisco – is known for its lush landscapes, yet it is accruing habitat loss 20% faster than other California counties and 80% faster than elsewhere in the US.

What are habitat corridors?

 

Habitat loss is not just an aesthetic problem.
It leads to profound social, environmental, and economic consequences for all.
But you can make a difference.

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Our Approach: Linking Landscapes for Wildlife

Our goal with this initiative is to increase the pace and scale of conservation actions that sustain wildlife populations and improve habitat corridors throughout Northern California. We will:

– work with communities to understand the importance of expanding and improving habitat corridors from California’s Coast Ranges to the Pacific,

– map habitat changes and extend our wildlife camera network to monitor trends in wildlife diversity, behavior, abundance, and movement,

– train and convene landowners and residents to develop and implement wildlife-friendly practices, and

– share models for regeneration of healthy wildlife corridors that integrate watershed protection and fire resilience among regional, national, and global partners.

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