Dear John, With the change of seasons comes an important transition for much of the North American wildlife we treasure. Shorter days and cooler temperatures drive species like elk and deer from their summer ranges to winter habitat, and bears from East Coast to West begin final preparations for their long winter slumber. A report from the United Nations released last week reveals shortcomings in the world's efforts to conserve biodiversity. With diminished biodiversity we lose not only beloved wildlife, but also resources essential to human well-being. The crisis is driven mostly by habitat destruction and degradation, underscoring the urgency of protecting wildlife corridors to ensure native species can safely carry out the activities they need to prevail. Thank you as always for your dedication to protecting connected wildlife habitat. If you're in a position to make a financial contribution to this vital conservation work, please consider making a sustaining recurring gift. For the wild, |
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Greg Costello
Conservation Director
Interim Executive Director |
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Connectivity Maps Inform National Forest Planning We're starting to see direct evidence that our connectivity mapping work is helping build functional networks of wildlife habitat in the East! In 2018, Wildlands Network unveiled a new map showing priority wildlife corridors for western North Carolina. Created on behalf of the Blue Ridge Forever Coalition, the map was intended to encourage local land trusts to work together to protect wildlife corridors. Read more here on how our mapping is helping inform land management decisions in Nantahala National Forest! |
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Meet Our New Staff and Board Members! We're pleased to welcome new staff and board members who will be central to furthering our science and policy work through the remainder of this year and beyond! - GIS Specialist Alex Vanko works closely with our Chief Scientist to develop new habitat connectivity models, and supports all our mapping and landscape analysis projects.
- California Program Manager Mari Galloway focuses on furthering California policy and land use initiatives that promote wildlife corridors and core habitat protections.
- Intern José Miguel Gabutti (our first-ever Mexico Program intern!) helps with our road ecology efforts in Sonora, including roadkill mitigation and the establishment of wildlife passages.
Our newest board members Danielle Droitsch and Jose Fernando Ochoa Pineda each bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise to guide our programs towards making the maximum impact. |
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| This badger was photographed by one of our trail cameras near the Peloncillo Mountains along Interstate-10 in Arizona and New Mexico. Our Borderlands Program works to protect the ability of wildlife—like badgers—to move between the United States and Mexico. While badgers are abundant in the U.S., the species is listed as threatened in Mexico, meaning that habitat connectivity across the borderlands is important for badger populations south of the border to thrive. |
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