Climate change is expected to alter species distributions, modify ecological processes, and exacerbate environmental degradation (Pachauri & Reisinger 2007). To offset these effects, we need a way to set priorities that will conserve biological diversity and maintain ecological functions, despite climate-driven changes in community species composition (Pressey et al. 2007). Our partners at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and their team of scientists have identified a network of Resilient and Connected Landscapes that if protected will enhance the resiliency of these habitats against climate change and other external stressors. SLELO PRISM is applying concepts from this research to form a new approach to our work that focuses efforts within resilient Connected Lands and Waters (CLAW) which consist of wildlife corridors and large-scale connected land and waterscapes that run through our region.

Wildlife corridors are tracts of land that serve as a connection between fragmented habitats. They offer safe passage for wildlife to access different vital resources such as food, water, potential mates, and the ability to adapt to climate change. They also serve as carbon sinks due to their dense vegetation and minimally disturbed forests. The Algonquin to Adirondack corridor (A2A) spans from Algonquin Park in Canada, through the Frontenac Arch which crosses the SLELO region through the St. Lawrence River and surrounding lands to the Adirondack Park in New York. The A2A is considered to be one of the last remaining wildlife corridors in the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence region, and is one of the last of its kind in the Eastern United States. Through the preservation and restoration of natural habitat, this corridor can maintain its connectivity. Large-scale connected lands like the  Blue Ridge to Boreal region spans across the Appalachian  Mountains, 14 states, and three Canadian provinces, and covers almost 2,000 miles including areas within the SLELO PRISM region.  This area holds more than half of the eastern United States’s carbon stocks and has great potential for carbon sequestration and offsetting climate change if more sustainable management practices are used and this area gains more protection (Scarlett & Hurst, 2020).

To protect these wildlife corridors and large-scale connected lands and waters, we will enhance early detection, management, and restoration efforts within these areas throughout our next five-year contract. To kick off this initiative, 2024 will focus on early detection and strategic planning. In the fall of 2023, our early detection team conducted five field surveys in the A2A corridor region. This information will be used to strategize management and restoration efforts moving forward. In addition, limited special project funding may be available to partners who are interested in aiding management and restoration work focused in CLAW areas. You can learn more about the CLAW initiative on our website, and reach out to team SLELO for more details.