International Connectivity Archives - Center for Large Landscape Conservation

Jabiru Stork, Pantanal, Brazil. Adobe Stock photo.

Moving the Needle for Ecological Connectivity and Migratory Species

A recent global report delivered a stark warning: 49% of the 1,200+ unique species protected under the Convention on Migratory Species have declining populations, up from 44% two years ago. Confronting this newest evidence that birds, fish, insects, and mammals that cross national borders are increasingly at risk, government and conservation leaders gathered in late March for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS/CoP-15) in Campo Grande, Brazil.

Wildlife warning sign, Brazil 262. CLLC photo

Report from the Field: A Road Trip of Wonder and Horror Along a Brazilian Highway

Known worldwide as an ecotourism destination for its rich biodiversity, the Pantanal biome is home to many of Brazil’s quirky and elegant, iconic species such as the feathery tailed, gentle-looking giant anteater, the stub-nosed, water-loving capybara (the world’s largest rodent!), and the tapir—a three toed ungulate with an elongated snout that is most closely related to the rhinoceros. But wildlife habitat in and around this vast, tropical landscape is gradually shrinking as land is cleared for production of some of the country’s biggest exports such as beef and soybeans. And wildlife movement is increasingly hampered by highways.

Within the biosphere reserve and adjacent to Montecristo National Park in El Salvador, many producers grow coffee under the shade of banana trees and other tall trees, resulting in more flavorful coffee beans. Credit: CLLC/Gabriel Oppler

Connecting Across Borders in Central America

The Trifinio-Fraternidad Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (TFTBR) is a land of steep mountains covered by dense tropical forest, home to iconic species such as quetzal and puma, small cities and rural villages, and a thriving coffee-growing economy. Spanning parts of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, the TFTBR is a model in transboundary environmental governance, established primarily to safeguard vital water sources that originate in the mountains and flow to major population centers in all three countries. The Center for Large Landscape Conservation worked with UNESCO and partners in the TFTBR on the project “Scaling up Connectivity in the Trifinio-Fraternidad Biosphere Reserve” to strengthen habitat connectivity and landscape resilience in this richly biodiverse region.

CCSG Deputy Chair Jodi Hilty (far left) and Chair Gary Tabor (second from right) with the team from CLLC in Romania in 2019

Saving the Spaces in Between: CLLC Promotes International Collaboration for Connectivity

Some of the greatest success stories in conservation are the creation of formally protected areas of land and water such as national parks and reserves. While essential to conserving nature around the world, these areas alone can’t sustain biodiversity if they are isolated patches surrounded by people and infrastructure. Wildlife, especially migratory and wide-ranging species, need connected habitats to find food, water, and mates and adapt to climate change. Safeguarding the natural corridors and movement routes between protected areas forms the basis of connectivity conservation. Yet these critical linkages are increasingly threatened by rapid development and mounting human pressures.

Collaboration in Action: CLLC at the World Conservation Congress

Species extinction… climate change… increasing pollution. There’s no denying our planet is in crisis. So how do we to avert ecosystem collapse and secure the health and well-being of all life on Earth? Held every four years, the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) brings together thousands of conservation leaders to reach consensus on saving the environment and harnessing nature to solve pressing global challenges.

Snow leopard - © Muhammad Osama / WWF-Pakistan

Designing Infrastructure With Snow Leopards in Mind

With complex, sprawling ranges across the high mountains of South and Central Asia and low population densities, snow leopards are an elusive species. Over the last decade, however, urban centers and communities surrounding their habitats have become increasingly connected, with many more investments in infrastructure on the horizon. How can new linear infrastructure—including roads, railways, and power lines—meet human needs while protecting snow leopards, their prey, and the fragile ecosystems they depend on to survive?

Eurasian Lynx are one of several endangered species in this region. (Courtesy: Team Bars)

Advancing Transboundary Connectivity Conservation for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Along the remote border of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, the Kugitang Mountains are home to a unique mix of species and ecosystems, from Eurasian lynx and markhor—the world’s largest wild goat—to fragile cave systems and alpine grasslands. Since 2020, the Center for Large Landscape Conservation has led a collaborative effort to strengthen protected area management, monitoring, and connectivity in this region, with support from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. The project unfolded in two phases: first focusing on Koytendag State Nature Reserve (SNR) in Turkmenistan, then expanding across the border to Surkhan SNR in Uzbekistan.

Collaborative Planning for Ecological Connectivity in Québec

Across deciduous and evergreen forests, lakes, streams and wetlands, working farms and timber lands, Québec, Canada is enormously rich in ecological diversity. However, pressures from people—residential and commercial development, climate change, and pollution—increasingly threaten the biodiversity that depends on intact habitats. Black bears and eastern wolves need wide swaths of land in their home ranges to find food and mates, wood turtles rely on unfragmented corridors to safely reach water sources, and migratory birds need stepping stones of habitat for their seasonal movements.

Orcas At The Kenai Fjords National Park In Alaska. Credit Nps Jim Pfeiffenberger

Blue Corridors: Habitat Connectivity for Marine Species

Oceans cover roughly 71% of Earth’s surface, yet much still remains to be discovered about their vast depths. As scientists learn more about the ocean’s diverse and complex ecosystems, they are shattering preconceived notions and showcasing the interconnectedness of land and sea. Terrestrial wildlife needs habitat connectivity for survival, often relying on ecological corridors between parks and other protected areas. Thanks to research in recent years, it is becoming increasingly clear that habitat connectivity is just as important in the marine environment.

Reserve rangers and collaborators from the Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan environmental ministries and the Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences discuss data entry using the SMART system - CLLC/Gabe Oppler

Transboundary Conservation: Building Partnerships for Shared Landscapes

When lynx, elephants, markhors, bears or elk move in search of water or food, they don’t stop to show their passports at the border or pause to consider which areas are protected; wildlife goes where it needs to survive. In this special feature article for the 2024 Annual Report, interviews with Center staff illuminate the challenges and opportunities associated with several of our current efforts to reconnect landscapes that straddle international borders.

International Connectivity