UICN Lineamientos para la conservación de la conectividad a través de redes y corredores ecológicos

CMAP Serie Directrices para buenas prácticas en áreas protegidas, No. 30

El CCSG anuncia la publicación de los Lineamientos para la conservación de la conectividad a través de redes y corredores ecológicos. Publicada en inglés en julio de 2020 como parte de la Serie Directrices para buenas prácticas de la CMAP de la UICN, la versión en español salió en abril 2021. Esta innovadora herramienta servirá como el principal recurso para promover las mejores prácticas para proteger las interconexiones de áreas protegidas y conservadas, y restaurar ecosistemas degradados o fragmentados que son críticos para la salud de la biodiversidad.

El 5 de mayo de 2021 se llevó a cabo un webinar para presentar públicamente los Lineamientos en español por primera vez. La grabación completa está disponible en línea.

Estos Lineamientos son la culminación de más de dos décadas de esfuerzos de la UICN y el resultado de las contribuciones de más de 100 expertos en 30 países que contribuyen directamente al cumplimiento de la Resolución WCC-2016-Res-087 de la UICN, ‘Conciencia sobre la definición de la conectividad y las directrices al respecto’. Proporcionarán a los administradores, responsables políticos y expertos de todo el mundo las mejores prácticas y recomendaciones para lograr ecosistemas terrestres, dulceacuícolas y marinos

Los Lineamientos proporcionan definiciones autorizadas para corredores ecológicos y redes ecológicas para la conservación, las áreas definidas espacialmente que permiten la conectividad ecológica estructural y funcional. Proporcionan orientación para que los gobiernos y los profesionales de la conservación planifiquen e implementen corredores ecológicos, incluidas las consideraciones para su delimitación, gobernanza, tenencia, gestión y monitoreo, evaluación e informes a largo plazo. Además, los Lineamientos detallan las muchas formas en que los corredores y redes ecológicos pueden proporcionar a las comunidades valor social y económico. Veinticinco estudios de casos complementan las Directrices ilustrando proyectos de todo el mundo.

Mensajes claves:

El consenso científico indica que, cuando están interconectadas, las áreas protegidas y otras áreas importantes para la conservación de la biodiversidad son mucho más efectivas que cuando se encuentran aisladas por sistemas dominados por las actividades humanas, en particular en el contexto de cambio climático;
Aunque es bien conocido que la conectividad ecológica es fundamental para la conservación de la biodiversidad, los esfuerzos dirigidos a identificar, mantener y fortalecer la conectividad ecológica han sido aislados. Al mismo tiempo, países de todos los continentes, además de algunos gobiernos locales y regionales, han impulsado diversos tipos de regulaciones y políticas con el fin de mejorar la conectividad y
Es fundamental que el mundo avance hacia una metodología global conjunta para la conservación de la conectividad y que empiece a medir y monitorear los esfuerzos de protección de la conectividad, estableciendo redes ecológicas funcionales.
Los lineamientos definen el término corredor ecológico como mecanismos para identificar, mantener, fortalecer y restaurar la conectividad, resumen una gran cantidad de literatura científica y recomiendan mecanismos para formalizar corredores y redes.

Representación conceptual de una red ecológica para la conservación. Las áreas protegidas terrestres se muestran en verde oscuro y rodeadas de actividades humanas. Las áreas marinas protegidas se muestran en azul oscuro. Las OMEC se representan en naranja. Los corredores ecológicos, tanto los continuos como los discontinuos, se muestran en líneas punteadas. La red ecológica para la conservación incluye áreas protegidas, OMEC y corredores ecológicos. © Kendra Hoff / CLLC

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

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	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