Pivotal summit leads to renewed policy commitments

In June 2024, more than 170 individuals gathered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the first-ever cross-boundary gatheringfocused on advancing landscape connectivity conservation and restoration in the five eastern-most Canadian provinces, seven northeastern-most U.S. states, and Indigenous territories of the region.

Northeastern North America/Turtle Island Landscape Connectivity Summit (Montreal, Quebec, June 2024)

Attendees included a diverse mix of representatives from provincial, state, and federal agencies; Indigenous groups; non-governmental organizations and academic institutions; and public and private funders. Co-convened by the Quebec-Labrador Foundation and Center for Large Landscape Conservation on behalf of the Staying Connected Initiative partnership, the Northeastern North America/Turtle Island Landscape Connectivity Summit marked a watershed moment for connectivity conservation efforts in this region.

The Summit’s overarching goal was to catalyze expanded relationships and durable mechanisms for well-coordinated, collaborative and inclusive landscape connectivity conservation at multiple scales. Discussions centered on themes of connectivity science, weaving together Indigenous knowledge and western science, partnerships, land use, policy and funding.

New policy was adopted soon after the Summit’s conclusion. On September 10, 2024, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG-ECP), at their 45^th Annual Conference in Boston, adopted NEG-ECP Resolution 45-2. This resolution reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate across borders on ecological connectivity, adaptation to climate change, and biodiversity conservation.

The new resolution builds on the landmark 2016 NEG-ECP Resolution 40-3, which committed the States and Provinces to work jointly to conserve and restore terrestrial and aquatic ecological connectivity. That resolution directs jurisdictions and their agencies to perform a host of actions to further connectivity conservation and restoration. These include identifying priority connectivity zones; improving land use planning; developing wildlife-friendly infrastructure; controlling invasive species and disease; promoting sustainable forestry and more.

Together, resolutions 40-3 and 45-2 provide a strong mandate at the highest level of subnational government to expand cross-border collaborative efforts for ecological connectivity in Northeastern North America.

Please note: This digest is intended to provide up-to-date information on policy development from a neutral, unaffiliated position as it relates to connectivity and corridor science and management.

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

Pivotal summit leads to renewed policy commitments

Northeastern North America/Turtle Island Landscape Connectivity Summit (Montreal, Quebec, June 2024)

Related Posts

Subnational governments play a key role in ecological connectivity conservation

Ramsar Convention’s Fifth Strategic Plan incorporates ecological connectivity

CMS/CoP-15: Ecological connectivity strengthens cooperation for migratory species

About the Author: Gabriel Oppler

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
Florida	2024	SB1638	Dedicates annual funding to land purchases, conservation easements, and trail maintenance within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	HB1379	Creates annual appropriation to acquire lands that complete certain linkages and are under high population stress within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	SB2500 sec.146	Provides funding to buy Ocala to Osceola (“O2O”) Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2021	SB976	Tasks state agencies with maintaining wildlife connectivity and designates Florida Wildlife Corridor as an existing physical, geographically defined area
Florida	2021	SB2500	Appropriates $300 million to acquire lands to conserve Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2019	SB7068	Creates a "Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance Program" that includes protection of wildlife corridors as an intended benefit
Florida	2008	SB542	Amends Florida Forever Act statues to include goals of connecting linkage corridors
Florida	2001	SB1468	Amends Florida Forever Act to establish that land acquisitions should include complete landscape linkages and corridors
Florida	1999	S908	Creates Florida Forever Program, with increased protection of lands that protect threatened or endangered species and plans to create a statewide system of connected landscape linkages