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Connectivity Why is landscape connectivity Important? 
Animals are distinct in that they have the capacity for locomotion. On
a daily, seasonal or even lifetime basis, animals move across the landscape
to meet their needs for food, shelter and reproduction. These movements
advance seed and pollen dispersal, allow unoccupied habitats to be colonized
following an environmental disturbance, and promote genetic mixing among
populations.
Human activities and developments are the leading threat to animal movement. Highways and development fragment the natural landscape, reduce animals' dispersal abilities, and degrade natural ecosystem processes. However, the effects of roads can be lessened: careful design and planning, and a variety of construction options can facilitate wildlife movement, (for example, fencing, underpasses, culverts, and overpasses). As we increase the ability of animals to traverse major roadways, we also increase the safety of the people that travel on these roads and highways. What is a Wildlife Linkage? Wildlife linkages connect larger blocks of core habitat, providing an interim source of food and shelter as animals migrate between seasonal habitat areas or disperse from their natal territories. Preventing the isolation of wildlife populations by protecting connections between major habitat blocks and wild protected areas is crucial to maintaining healthy native wildlife populations. As the pace of development and road construction continues at its current rapid rate, the opportunities to retain and restore these linkages are becoming more limited. In Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently completed a study to determine the most critical wildlife crossings along I-70, the most heavily-traveled mountain highway in Colorado. The study identifies 13 key wildlife-crossing areas between Denver and Glenwood Springs. CDOT is committed to constructing these crossings when highway projects in these areas are underway. SREP is now expanding upon CDOT's analysis of I-70 to assess the connectivity needs for wildlife across the entire state through our Linking Colorado's Landscapes project.  |
