Kootenay Connect Priority Places
A science-based initiative designed to sustain and connect exceptional places of biodiversity across Kootenay landscapes.
A Whole Landscape Approach
Kootenay Connect Priority Places works with local partners to enhance, restore and manage large dry forest and riparian and wetland complexes to support the recovery of federally-listed species and species of local concern.
By focusing on habitat conservation, enhancement and connectivity within and between valley bottoms and mountain ranges, this initiative brings a whole landscape approach to strategically address habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation—especially in light of increasing human development and climate change.
Our Role
As the lead coordinator for Kootenay Connect Priority Places, we actively support a team of over 35 partners and specialists to enhance and restore habitat across the Kootenays.
How Do We Do This?
Background
In 2019, a report by Dr. Michael Proctor and Marcy Mahr inspired us to take a landscape-level approach. This analysis identified a regional network of 12 ecological corridors across the Kootenays that connect valley bottom riparian-wetland complexes with surrounding uplands. While intact, these corridors conserve wildlife movement, at-risk species, and ecological functions in a changing climate.
This analysis kickstarted a new initiative—Kootenay Connect—to collaboratively stitch together important habitats, biodiversity hotspots, protected areas and climate refugia across the Kootenay region. This regional framework aims to identify and conserve ecological connectivity—offering a landscape context that existing conservation efforts can contribute to, as well as a catalyst for new projects.
Kootenay Connect Priority Places is nested within this framework and blends the best available science, local and Indigenous knowledge, and community-based approaches to promote collaborative action.
Focal Areas
Grizzly bear corridor identification, riparian-wetlands mapping, biodiversity hotspots, climate change resilience modelling, and expert opinions—these inputs all played an important role in identifying 12 key connectivity areas across the Kootenays.
Kootenay Connect Priority Places is currently active in seven out of the 12 areas. These seven areas encompass 1,660,000 hectares and are linked by a variety of habitat types that contain rich biological diversity, multiple species at risk, and potential climate change refugia.
Highlights By Area
Interested in what has been done in each of the focal areas? Click on a region below.
↑ Click to play Michael Proctor's video
“Drone Bear” Animation
Connected landscapes in the Kootenays include both large protected areas and smaller conservation lands that together form a mosaic of diverse, well-distributed habitats. In this 2.5 minute video, bear biologist Michael Proctor tells the story of a satellite-collared male grizzly bear’s travel throughout the Rocky Mountain Trench which underscores that many of our landscapes are still functioning as wildlife corridors and we must continue to protect opportunities for safe passage of wide-ranging species.
Supporters
Kootenay Connect is possible thanks to generous support from our funders. This initiative is a Community-Nominated Priority Places project funded by a federal Canada Nature Fund grant issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada. We also receive significant local partner funding.
