Linking Mapping to Policy:
Ecosystem Connectivity
Ecosystem Connectivity
Ecosystem connectivity refers to the degree to which lands or riparian areas are connected to larger areas of intact habitats and support a broad range of species. Ecosystem connectivity is vital for facilitating movements of wildlife populations, maintaining species diversity, and maintaining high-quality habitats. Climate change and human development threaten ecosystem connectivity by disconnecting, fragmenting and changing species’ habitat availability and causing ecosystem shifts.
The goal is to protect and enhance connectivity so the value of natural areas and their ability to support as many species as possible is maximized. Connectivity patches or corridors should be as large as possible to ensure their resilience to disturbances and to support as many species as possible. Retaining and enhancing connectivity does not only benefit wildlife, it also benefits the human community by providing ecosystem services, such as flood mitigation, temperature and wind moderation, shade, and soil retention.
Connectivity usually requires retaining existing natural areas that are in good ecological condition and restoring connectivity between important ecosystems. It can also be realized with good quality ecological restoration of underutilized green spaces, such as turfed areas in parks
This information can be used to make land use and zoning decisions that retain and enhance ecosystem services and that leverage opportunities for nature-based solutions, rather than further erode them.
To advance nature-based climate resilience and biodiversity protection, local governments should establish clear and long-term land use and environmental objectives that can be achieved through policies linked to targets and indicators.