Enabling a National Program for Ecological Corridors in Canada in support of biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, and Indigenous leadership

Abstract

Identification and protection of important areas to improve connectivity in support of biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, and Indigenous Rights has been a key aspect in the Convention on Biological Diversity's policymaking for over two decades. Target 3 of the recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework reiterated this need, calling on nations to conserve 30 % of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030 through “well-connected” and equitably governed systems of protected and conserved areas, among other considerations. In response to this call, Canada has initiated and amplified a new National Program for Ecological Corridors to enable collaborative efforts to protect and restore ecological connectivity across the country. Using multiple methods, including a literature review and a combination of interviews and workshops with conservation stakeholders, seven enabling conditions to support the effective and equitable implementation of the program were identified. These enabling conditions encompass respectful and meaningful engagement of and inclusion of Indigenous Peoples; establishing high-level commitment and vision, consistent with international and national biodiversity conservation and climate change commitments, supported by predictable, sustained funding and enabling legislation; and developing an appropriately scaled national corridor vision and supporting criteria and indicators to effectively monitor and communicate outcomes for biodiversity and people. Supporting mechanisms and strategies are detailed that can be used to effectively enable a national corridor program in Canada, providing early lessons learned and next steps for consideration by the wider global conservation community who are also striving to meet their own biodiversity and climate change adaptation goals.