2023 CCSG Highlights

Photo courtesy Gabriel Oppler

2023 was an exciting and productive year for the Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group (CCSG). Through direct outreach and word of mouth, 66 new members from 25+ countries joined CCSG and a diversity of contributions were made to advance understanding, development, and application of ecological connectivity science, policy, and practice.

Building on outcomes elevating ecological connectivity in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the volunteer, expert members worked to deploy best practices and consistent approaches for replicating and scaling-up connectivity conservation. This included jointly releasing a 12-page overview of opportunities in the GBF and alignment with Global Environment Fund (GEF) financing, as well as preparing an 11-page Guidance for addressing connectivity in revised National Biodiversity and Strategic Action Plans (NBSAPs).

Toward supporting planning, action, and reporting, the Chinese translation of the IUCN Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors was released in August and a second "groundtesting" workshop was held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in April 2023. After several years of preparation, the IUCN Technical Report Addressing ecological connectivity in the development of roads, railways and canals was released in July and is serving as a leading resource in trainings, webinars, and presentations around the world. This formative work bolstered creation and ongoing refinement of the "Well-connected" section of the High Ambition Coalition's 30×30 Solutions Toolkit – building on the connectivity-related section written for the publication 'Best Practice in Delivering the 30×30 Target'.

Capping a year focused on driving policy implementation, CCSG co-sponsored a side event at UNFCCC/CoP-28 entitled 'Ecological connectivity: An integrated opportunity to address climate change and biodiversity loss.' Additionally, collaboration continued with the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) to frame connectivity-related discussions for the 14th Conference of the Parties in February 2024.

Other notable accomplishments in 2023 included:

Co-creation of the animated short film "Animals move to survive: Wildlife Connect Initiative";
Regular engagement from the Chair and Deputy Chair to support Parks Canada to operationalize its National Program for Ecological Corridors including support from the CCSG Secretariat to facilitate Canada being the first country to pilot test the World Database on Ecological Corridors (WDEC);
Strengthened collaboration with the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration (GIUM) toward creation of its Global Atlas of Ungulate Migration (an inventory) using tracking data and expert knowledge; and 2) stimulating research on drivers, mechanisms, threats and conservation solutions common to ungulate migration worldwide; and
Continued updates to the list of CCSG Publications, the webpage "Ecological connectivity in international policy," and the Connectivity Library, which now totals 944 entries.

The CCSG Secretariat is grateful for contributions from many members in making these accomplishments possible. We look forward to another fantastic year in 2024.

Photo courtesy Gabriel Oppler

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Hampshire	2026	SB592	Enables regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors
New Hampshire	2019	SB200	Requires the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to consider fish and wildlife crossings and mitigation measures in all future road and culvert projects
New Hampshire	2016	SB376	Requires the fish and game department to identify existing and needed wildlife corridors connecting wildlife habitats in the state and to make recommendations for legislative changes

State	Year	Policy	Description
Maine	2023	LD258	Appropriates $7.5 million to Department of Transportation to improve roadways with potential adaptations for wildlife
Maine	2023	LD1881	Establishes compensation fee program relating to fish and wildlife habitats and associated corridors, including compensation paid by solar energy development
Maine	2023	LD508	Requires Department of Environmental Protection to review its permitting laws concerning climate change, habitat connectivity, ecological resilience, and coastal environments

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Jersey	2025	S3618	Directs state agencies to develop a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Jersey	2024	S3916/A5486	Expands eligibility for existing wildlife fencing programs by including farmers leasing farmland
New Jersey	2007	NJAC7:13	Requires the state to incorporate wildlife crossings or a natural bank for terrestrial threatened and endangered species and/or species of concern when a new bridge or culvert project would cause habitat fragmentation

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Mexico	2023	SB72	Appropriates money to new Wildlife Corridors Fund for implementation of wildlife crossing projects under New Mexico Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Mexico	2022	HB 2	Allocates funding for projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and allows the Department of Transportation and Department of Game to implement their Wildlife Corridors Action Plan
New Mexico	2019	SB 228	Requires the creation of a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that includes comprehensive guidance to agencies for identifying, prioritizing and maintaining important areas for wildlife movement

State	Year	Policy	Description
Washington	2023	HB1216/SB5196	Requires Department of Ecology to prepare environmental impact statements for clean energy projects that consider impacts to habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors
Washington	2022	SB5689	Provides funding for US 97 Wildlife Crossing Improvements project
Washington	2019	SEO 1031.02	Recognizes the effect of roadways in creating barriers to wildlife movement, breeding, and migrations; the Washington State Department of Transportation will promote and support Practical Solutions and Planning and Environmental Linkages to integrate habitat connectivity and biodiversity plans; will make use of the highway prioritization map known as Habitat Connectivity Investment Priorities; and will corporate and coordinate with other agencies involved in wildlife habitat protection, specifically along highways

Connecting Science to Conservation

About the Author: IUCN CCSG

State	Year	Policy	Description
Wyoming	2026	SF0052	Allocates funds for restoration of aquatic habitats including barrier removal for fish
Wyoming	2025	SF0088	Allocates funds for projects improving wildlife connectivity including fence removal, wildlife crossings improvements, and habitat restoration
Wyoming	2024	SF0060	Provides funds to help maintain primary migration corridors for ungulates in the Little Snake River Conservation District
Wyoming	2023	SF0106	Provides funds for large wildlife crossing projects across the state
Wyoming	2022	SF0048	Approves funding for specific wildlife crossings and aquatic connectivity initiatives
Wyoming	2021	SF066	Provides funds for large wildlife crossing projects across the state
Wyoming	2020	EO 1	Designates three mule deer migration corridors and establishes the process whereby future corridors can be designated
Wyoming	2020	HB 69	Establishes a system wherein funding from outdoor recreation can be appropriated for wildlife conservation efforts related to the state’s transportation system
Wyoming	2018	HB39	Proceeds from the newly established wildlife conservation license plates are allocated to wildlife connectivity improvements to the state transportation system

State	Year	Policy	Description
Vermont	2023	Act59	Vermont's 30x30 law that commits to conserving and maintaining an ecologically functional landscape that sustains biodiversity and maintains landscape connectivity
Vermont	2016	Act 171	Primarily focuses on timber harvesting regulations, but calls for a study of necessary revisions to planning statutes that protect contiguous areas of forestland from fragmentation and promote habitat connectivity between forestlands

State	Year	Policy	Description
Colorado	2026	SB141	Creates optional collision prevention fee to fund wildlife safe passage projects
Colorado	2025	HB1093	Restricts local limits on residential density unless offset elsewhere, exempts areas near wildlife crossings, and allows municipalities to seek judicial review of land use initiatives
Colorado	2023	SB 23-092	Encourages minimal impacts to wildlife migration corridors when constructing solar panel farms
Colorado	2023	SB 214	Appropriates funding to the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund for wildlife crossing projects
Colorado	2022	SB22-151	Creates a $5 million fund for measures that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and reconnect habitat fragmented by roads
Colorado	2022	HB22-1072	Expands the scope of Habitat Partnership Program to fund efforts to conserve wildlife migration
Colorado	2021	SJR 21-021	Aims to protect and enhance habitat connectivity in the state through the establishment of a working group to develop state policies on corridors, as well as the commission of a report on state corridors and voluntary policies to support willing landowners in improving connectivity
Colorado	2019	EO 11	Directs Colorado agencies to identify policy, regulatory, and legislative opportunities to ensure the ongoing conservation of seasonal big game habitat and migration corridors
Colorado	2018	SB 18-143	States explicit goals for Division of Parks and Wildlife to invest in habitat conservation and wildlife crossings

State	Year	Policy	Description
California	2026	SB1250	Requires the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to include wildlife connectivity corridors and needs into its infrastructure project planning
California	2024	AB1889	Requires counties and municipalities to conserve wildlife corridors when planning new developments
California	2023	AB1760	Calls for a statewide analysis of wildlife corridors and connectivity to support conservation planning and climate change adaptation activities.
California	2023	SB145	Outlines provisions for transportation-related environmental mitigation, including funding for wildlife corridors, property and credit purchases for mitigation, reporting requirements, and mandates for wildlife crossings along Interstate 15.
California	2023	SB101	Provides funding for wildlife corridors and open spaces, including projects to improve connectivity and reduce barriers between habitat areas.
California	2022	AB2344	Establishes a state program to address roads with high wildlife-vehicle collisions, authorizes Caltrans to develop standalone wildlife connectivity projects, mandates an inventory and prioritization system for critical areas, and requires integration of wildlife passage features into relevant road designs.
California	2022	AB1384	Requires agencies to address vulnerabilities in Safeguarding California Plans, including protecting and enhancing wildlife corridors
California	2021	SB790	Approves compensatory mitigation credits for wildlife connectivity actions
California	2021	AB1183	Establishes the California Desert Conservation Program to protect biodiversity, including the protection and enhancement of habitat connectivity
California	2021	AB128	Appropriates funding for wildlife crossing projects, including the Liberty Canyon crossing for mountain lions
California	2015	AB 498	Amends the California Fish and Game Code to encourage, wherever feasible, voluntary steps to protect the functioning of wildlife corridors
California	2014	AB1471	Provides funds to the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, in part to protect and restore aquatic, wetland, and migratory bird ecosystems including corridors.
California	2008	AB2785	Orders Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to investigate, study, and identify key wildlife corridors and linkages within the state, and to make those areas public