As human development reshapes landscapes and climate conditions shift, wildlife face growing challenges in moving freely and adapting to change. Linear infrastructure like roads fragments habitats, disrupts migration routes, and threatens the survival of countless species. That’s why landscape connectivity—the ability of landscapes to support natural pathways for wildlife movement—is critical.
At the recent Corridors, Connectivity, and Crossings Conference in Palm Springs, California, members of the CSP team joined experts from across North America to share innovative research and learn how connectivity science is informing conservation and transportation planning. A key focus of the CSP team’s presentations at the conference was enhancing the integration of climate change and its impacts on animal movements into decision-making for wildlife crossing structures.
Dr. Justin Suraci, Senior Scientist and Director of Wildlife Conservation Science, presented the results from a project developed with the Colorado Department of Transportation. This project combined animal movement data with future climate projections to identify crossing locations that will support elk migrations today and into the future. Factors such as land-use changes (e.g., urban sprawl, energy development), vegetation shifts (e.g., due to wildfire), and increasing traffic were integrated into habitat suitability and connectivity models. This comprehensive approach represents a first-of-its-kind innovation in identifying climate-resilient connectivity areas and integrating it with transportation planning decision-making.
Patrick Freeman, Lead Scientist in CSP’s Changing Landscapes Lab, highlighted a complementary project in partnership with the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). Using a similar climate-informed framework, this initiative helps NDOT prioritize highway segments for future wildlife crossings. Statewide ecological flow models accounted for projected land-use changes (e.g., energy development, lithium mining) and increasing traffic volumes, identifying key movement pathways for diverse species. These models are now guiding NDOT’s efforts to reduce wildlife collisions and support climate-driven movements.
Together, these talks emphasized CSP’s leadership in integrating climate considerations into state-level transportation planning, offering a blueprint for other states embarking on similar efforts. Learn more about these projects.
