Wildlife Connectivity Project - Giving Wildlife a Chance
UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 - Life on Land
Summary
There are at least 175 species (see list below) in the Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound Biosphere Region that are considered either threatened or endangered. We must act now to save these at-risk species and right historical wrongs. A new project in our biosphere region intends to do just that through the use of habitat modeling.
The Wildlife Connectivity project, led by the Squamish Environment Society (SES), aims to reduce conflicts between human development and wildlife for future generations in the Squamish area and reduce biodiversity loss in the area.
The project is divided into multiple, adaptive phases:
Stage 1 (April 2023 – March 2024):
Baseline assessment of evolving trends in habitat suitability and ecological connectivity
Identification of underlying factors contributing to biodiversity loss in the broader Sea-to-Sky region
Results of this work will inform the development of value-based policy goals and objectives to help guide future stages of biodiversity conservation planning in the region
Stage 2 (April 2024 – March 2025):
In-depth analysis of core habitat areas and connectivity pathways
Outputs will be used to help identify actions that enhance both overall ecosystem resilience and the capacity for wildlife to move through areas
Stage 3 (April 2025 – onward):
Planning scenarios that help make evident the strengths and weaknesses of proposed land management strategies in achieving biodiversity goals and targets identified by project partners
Project partners have the tools and a clear pathway to develop their own biodiversity conservation strategies
The Wildlife Connectivity project is a regionally significant pilot project and requires the cooperation of many stakeholders. Letters of support from the District of Squamish, the Squamish Lillooet Regional District, BC Parks and many more reference the long-standing need to address this issue.
The Need
Bobcat by Chris Dale
The Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixwand other Coast Salish peoples traveled with the seasons hunting for food. As settlers arrived and the colonizers confined First Nations people to reserve lands, the animals that inhabited the lands were also displaced by development and industrial activities.
Since it was first settled, Squamish has grown to a population of close to around 24,000 and rapid development has resulted in a 22% population increase between 2016 and 2021. The District of Squamish references in its Bylaws and Official Community Plan the importance of recognizing the importance of wildlife and the habitat required to support these species; yet this importance has not been taken into consideration as the town develops. In addition to a loss of biodiversity due to urban development, wildlife-human conflicts have the potential to continue increasing if these areas are not identified and protected. There are still lands as yet undeveloped and it is not too late for wildlife corridors to be central considerations.
Project Goals
Given the rapid increase in urban development within the focus area and subsequent loss of habitat connectivity, the goal of this project is to create an adaptive model to visualize wildlife corridors and “stepping stones” for focal species. Through this model, best available routes to maintain wildlife movement and ecological processes will be identified. The model will also highlight areas where there is an opportunity to protect, enhance, and restore habitat connectivity. In summary, we aim to:
Establish a base of evidence that increases awareness and understanding of threats to biodiversity and that empowers local conservation planning in accordance with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15), UN Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 15) and UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Identify the best available routes to maintain movement for wildlife and ecological processes through an integrated network of connectivity pathways that increase the prospects of habitat resilience for the broadest possible range of native species.
Identify opportunities to protect, enhance and restore habitat connectivity and incorporate existing protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.
These goals were developed by the Squamish Environment Society and are also showcased on their website.
Project Benefits
Upon completion, the project will give local governments the tools to develop effective, tangible, and prescriptive policies to ensure the appropriate use and protection of wildlife corridors. This project will also help inform and develop a Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Report, which will provide the necessary information to ensure that stewardship of the natural environment is considered in all development decisions.
The results will also be an act of reconciliation for the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, the original stewards and knowledge-keepers of this land, and the wildlife that has thrived here in the past.
Location
Widlife Connectivity pilot project Focal Area - March 2023
This project is located in the northern portion of the Biosphere Region including Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) lands, the District of Squamish municipal boundary, and lands that fall within the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Electoral Area D.
What was Found?
The results of this phase are summarized in the Part 1: Scoping Report.
This report involved:
Determining the Wildlife Connectivity pilot project Focal Area
Identifying priority goals and objectives
Reviewing other community-led initiatives in and near BC
Establishing a governance structure and engagement framework to help guide project implementation
Building capacity to analyze and evaluate patterns of habitat connectivity in the region using a blend of landscape and focal-species models
Identifying land use planning and policy options for the protection of biodiversity at local and regional scales
Project Updates
April 2024
The Connectivity Modelling phase of the project is now complete. This included a baseline assessment of environmental change using a framework of indicators developed in partnership with our landscape modelling partner, TerrAdapt.org. The phase also included development of a set of integrated species distribution models to identify habitat use and potential pathways of wildlife movement at scales that will be relevant to land management decisions at the site level. In early April, the first Planning Workshop was held to identify a conservation vision to guide the co-development of a Wildlife Connectivity Action Plan and to discuss the scope of land management actions that could be considered to achieve this vision. Read more in the Spring 2024 Update here. View the project overview, for information what is currently underway.
February 2024
Inaugural meetings for both the steering committee and technical working groups were held in fall of 2023. Work continues behind the scenes to assess the vulnerability of critical wildlife habitat and connectivity pathways for a range of species in the region. The project team is currently working on:
The compilation and curation of available wildlife occurrence data, and terrestrial ecosystems to support species distribution modelling
Development of a biodiversity assessment framework and an application program interface to communicate the outputs of models
Indigenous engagement with Knowledge Holders to prioritize a two-eyed seeing approach to the project
For more detailed updates, see the winter 2024 project newsletter.
August 2023
The project team is busy starting the Connectivity Modelling and Biodiversity Conservation Strategy portion of this project. A steering committee and a technical working group are currently being organized and a baseline assessment of connectivity pathways for focal species will begin soon.
April 2023
The scoping phase of this project is now complete!
Deliverables & Resources
Deliverables:
Part 1: Scoping Report (under final review)
Resources & Other Materials:
Project Team
Lead: Murray Journeay - Squamish Environment Society
Contact: mjourneay@shaw.ca
Partners: Squamish Environment Society, Coast Range Environmental, TerrAdapt, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, District of Squamish
The Squamish Environment Society is a well-known environmental non-profit organization focused on wildlife and habitat preservation in the Squamish area. Their connection to community and group of expert volunteers has led to change in the management of wild spaces in the region.
175 species include:
Animalia: 17 Red listed and 57 Blue listed
Funghi, lichens, and protista: - 2 Red listed 0 Blue listed
Plantea and chromista: 35 Red listed and 65 Blue listed