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 worked 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 brought a whole landscape approach to strategically address habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation—especially in light of increasing human development and climate change.
A blueprint for lasting impact
Conditions for collaborative conservation success
Ecological connectivity
Between valley bottoms and mountain ranges brought a whole landscape approach
Multi-species approach
Recognizing interconnectedness of at-risk species and their ecosystems
Key coordination role
To facilitate activities across multiple landscapes as a unified effort
Collective impacts
Where local activities nest into a larger landscape-level strategy
Local knowledge + leading-edge science
To inform a science-based, data-driven approach rooted in local context
Strong, diverse partnerships
Built by Kootenay Conservation Program for almost 25 years
Stable multi-year funding
Providing long-term predictability and investment by regional funders
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 was 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.
Highlights by Topic
Supporters
Kootenay Connect was made possible thanks to generous support from our funders. This initiative was a Community-Nominated Priority Places project funded by a federal Canada Nature Fund grant issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada. We also received significant local partner funding.
Coming soon
Resource & Data Catalogue - Dozens of reports, maps and videos have been developed as part of this project. Resources will be listed and indexed in an easy-to-use searchable format.
