SC Wildlands brings both scientific rigor
and a highly collaborative approach to
regional planning. We are working with
biologists and conservation scientists from
Northern Arizona University, San Diego
State University Field Station Programs,
Conservation Biology Institute, and others
to develop platforms that engage biological
experts in the region with methods for
identifying and designing movement
corridors that functionally connect habitats
and sustain ecosystem processes.
The South Coast Missing Linkages Project is producing conservation designs for 15
key habitat linkages associated with the South Coast Ecoregion. Planning for each
linkage involves 3 main phases:
Agency, academic
and professional scientists specializing in a wide variety of disciplines presented
the results of biological studies in the region and participated in taxonomic workgroups
to identify focal species that represent the complexity of ecological interactions
that can be sustained by successful linkage design.
The focal species data
generated at the workshops, along with additional research and various GIS analyses,
are guiding field assessments and the development of conservation designs for each
linkage.
As each linkage design
is completed, working groups are initiated to engage planners, engineers, biologists,
federal and state agencies, tribal associations and local non-governmental organizations
in implementation activities. This project is dedicated to ensuring that each linkage
design is incorporated into all local management and planning activities in the
region.