Development Of Corridors Research Articles

Simulation of the potential impact of urban expansion on regional ecological corridors: A case study of Taiyuan, China

• We found suitable location for potential corridors by adopting high resolution spatial data. • We predicted the expansion of urban built-up area in Taiyuan from 2015 to 2035. • The impact of urban expansion on regional ecological corridors has been analyzed. • We identified the corridors that should be enhanced for conservation and restoration. • Our results can provide planners insightful suggestions for spatial planning. Urbanization caused by intensive land-use change is the main driving force of environment degradation. The development and protection of ecological corridors to connect green natural features has been recognized as an effective means for improving the resilience of cities. It is especially important for the cities which are in the rapid urbanizing process. In this paper, we used high-resolution spatial data to extract the distribution of ecological corridors by using the Least Cost Path model for the city of Taiyuan, China. Then, a prediction of the urban area for the year 2035 was achieved by using the SLEUTH model. Finally, we analyzed the negative impact of urban expansion on the corridors under current urbanization trends. Our results show that the regional corridors are mostly distributed in the western mountainous area, connecting large natural areas. There are also three ecological corridors crossing the city from the east to west. According to our prediction, Taiyuan will mainly grow southward along the urban edge and road network. As a result, two ecological corridors in the central and southern parts of Taiyuan will be largely occupied, especially the corridors in Xiaodian district which account for 72.51% of the total occupied corridor area. To avoid further conflict, the urbanization intensity along the sides of the corridors should be restricted to maintain corridors of a certain width. Our research findings can provide urban planners insightful suggestions for conservation and restoration of ecological networks and assist in spatial planning.

Rehabilitating Valley Floors to a Stage 0 Condition: A Synthesis of Opening Outcomes

Degraded floodplains and valley floors are restored with the goal of enhancing habitat for native fish and aquatic-riparian biota and the protection or improvement of water quality. Recent years have seen a shift toward “process-based restoration” that is intended to reestablish compromised ecogeomorphic processes resulting from site- or watershed-scale degradation. One form of process-based restoration has developed in the Pacific Northwest, United States, that is intended to reconnect rivers to their floodplains by slowing down flows of sediment, water, and nutrients to encourage lateral and vertical connectivity at base flows, facilitating development of dynamic, self-forming, and self-sustaining river-wetland corridors. Synergies between applied practices and the theoretical work of Cluer and Thorne in 2014 have led this form of restoration to be referred to regionally as restoration to a Stage 0 condition. This approach to rehabilitation is valley scale, rendering traditional monitoring strategies that target single-thread channels inadequate to capture pre- and post-project site conditions, thus motivating the development of novel monitoring approaches. We present a specific definition of this new type of rehabilitation that was developed in collaborative workshops with practitioners of the approach. Further, we present an initial synthesis of results from monitoring activities that provide a foundation for understanding the effects of this approach of river rehabilitation on substrate composition, depth to groundwater, water temperature, macroinvertebrate richness and abundance, secondary macroinvertebrate production, vegetation conditions, wood loading and configuration, water inundation, flow velocity, modeled juvenile salmonid habitat, and aquatic biodiversity.

Seamless imaginaries, territorialized realities: the regional politics of corridor governance in Southern Africa

ABSTRACT Corridors are central to contemporary processes of spatial reordering. On the African continent, they feature prominently in development planning at national, regional and continental scales. This article sheds light on the regional politics and supranational governance of cross-border corridors, aspects that have remained underrepresented in the burgeoning literature on corridors. Combining theoretical insights from the New Regionalism Approach and critical political geography and focusing on the ‘corridor agenda’ pursued by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the article deconstructs dominant conceptions of corridors as archetypal spaces of flow and advances the argument that the spatial production and governance of cross-border corridors are contingent upon the compatibility of scalar and territorial articulations of state space. In the case of the Walvis Bay–Ndola–Lubumbashi Development Corridor, the incompatibility of Namibia’s decidedly regional ‘gateway strategy’ and Zambia’s (sub)national ‘pothole politics’ has yielded a connectivity patchwork. Efforts to institutionalize supranational corridor governance have been obstructed by state territoriality aimed at retaining political control over corridor space at the national scale. While commonly represented as spatial panaceas for attaining neoliberal meta-goals of global connectivity and seamless territorial integration, (trans)regional corridors are politically contested spaces that engender dialectical processes of de- and reterritorialization at various scales.

PHÁT TRIỂN HÀNH LANG KINH TẾ TRÊN ĐỊA BÀN TỈNH NGHỆ AN GIAI ĐOẠN ĐẾN NĂM 2030

This research aims at clarifying a variety of issues concerning the development of economic corridors in Nghe An province until 2030. The author proposes a plan for Nghe An province’s economic corridors’ development based on the existing status of the province's five economic corridors and the anticipated effects of the formation of expressways (East and West), high-speed railways, and the development of an industrial-urban site in the East. The orientation of key industries and sectors, such as transportation, manufacturing, services, agriculture, and urban, that are important for the growth of each corridor is also suggested. The author highlights the need of expanding legality in the creation of economic corridors in the province together with specialized policies, particularly for the economic centers along the corridor.

Promoting the High-quality Development of Belt and Road Economic Corridors in South Asia: A Multi-pronged Approach

The construction of economic corridors is a crucial way to promote the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and is also an essential strategy for China’s neighborhood diplomacy and economic cooperation. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, the high-quality development of Belt and Road Economic Corridors can be promoted at various levels, including language and culture, policies and regulations, economic structures, financial services and social environment. Meanwhile, fieldwork surveys and other means are conducted to map out a long-term vision of the future development. To promote the spread of China’s soft power in the economic corridor regions, we need to grasp the direction of public sentiment and social reactions so as to find problem-solving solutions, strengthen interconnectivity cooperation and build a community of shared future for mankind.

Can We Retrofit Suburban Arterials?

Problem, research strategy, and findings The multilane arterial roadway is a central feature of post–World War II (WWII) suburbs that challenges efforts to create more transit-oriented regions. Retrofitting suburbs is an important planning goal, but research examining the urban form of arterials and their potential for transformation has been scarce. We analyzed four suburban corridors in the Toronto (Canada) region developed during different periods of suburbanization. We found that the walkability of corridors declined as modernist planning ideas were more fully implemented, and then walkability increased as new urbanist ideas began to influence planning in the 1990s. Over time, however, the retrofit potential declined across all corridors studied, with patterns of lots and development becoming ever more static. Understanding these patterns is important to developing successful strategies for retrofitting suburban arterials. Takeaway for practice Arterial roadway corridors present potential to bring transit-oriented, walkable urban places near large areas of automobile-dependent suburbs and should be a primary focus for retrofitting research and practice. We present here a set of metrics that rely on readily available data, are not complex to carry out, and produce mapping and visualization that is legible and allows comparison across corridors. We suggest that local governments should be routinely studying and evaluating the potential for retrofit and intensification of all such corridors within their jurisdiction. Planners should seek to develop approaches to managing future corridor development to permit greater adaptability in response to future economic, transportation, and climate changes and vulnerabilities.

Транспортно-логистическая система Туркменистана

Purpose: To conduct an analytical study of the current state of Turkmenistan transport and logistics system, taking into account the geopolitical situation, including the questions of the development of logistics infrastructure and international transport corridors and ongoing large-scale transport-logistics projects. Methods: The method of analytical review of the state of transport and logistics system of the Republic of Turkmenistan is applied. Results: The characterization of the development of transport modes, of established trade-economic and transport links is given. The analysis of existing logistics infrastructure is carried out. The key features of Turkmenistan transport and logistics system are established. Promising target development tracks are formulated. Practical significance: An analytical review of the current state, trends and prospects for the development of Turkmenistan transport and logistics system has been carried out. It has been established that Turkmen transport and logistics system works with cargo flows through almost all transport modes. The country develops modern logistics tools, building modern competitive transport macrostructure, which includes the system of international transport corridors and multimodal type logistics centers, and pursues policy of open transport-logistic space and integration. Based on the study results, the key distinctive features of transport-logistic system existing image were formulated, SWOT analysis of transport-logistics system features was performed, as well as promising tracks of the system development were defined.

The role of corporate governance in management of physical public infrastructures in some selected Sub-Saharan African countries

This study used the case study research design to achieve its objective. Secondary data were collected from five public infrastructures in five African countries made up of Cameroon, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. The analysis focused on the failures and successes in planning, development, and operation of public infrastructure according to the tenets of corporate governance theories chosen. The findings revealed that the failures in public infrastructure management as observed in three of the five cases studied, namely, the Olembe Stadium in Cameroon, the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project in Zimbabwe, and the Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital in Lesotho, originated mostly from the planning and development stages. On the other hand, the success recorded in two cases, which are Mozambique’s Maputo Development Corridor and Zambia’s Chirundu One-Stop Border Post, are attributable to the fact that they are governed by clear coordination in all stages of the public infrastructure management process with the clear involvement of all the stakeholders.

High asymptomatic malaria among seasonal migrant workers departing to home from malaria endemic areas in northwest Ethiopia

BackgroundIn Ethiopia, thousands of seasonal migrant workers travel from non-malaria or mild malaria transmission areas to malaria-endemic areas for seasonal farm activities. Most of these migrants stay in the farm areas for land preparation, plowing, planting, weeding, and harvesting for a specific period and return to their living areas. However, there is limited evidence of how seasonal migrant workers contribute to the transmission of malaria to new or less malaria transmission areas.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at the departure phase of seasonal migrant workers in the Metema district from September 2018 to October 2019. A total of 1208 seasonal migrant workers were interviewed during their departure from farm sites to their homes. The face-to-face interviews were performed using a pretested structured questionnaire. Moreover, blood samples were collected from each study participant for microscopic malaria parasite examination. The data were fitted with the logistic regression model to estimate the predictors of malaria transmission.ResultsAt departure to home, the prevalence of malaria among seasonal migrant workers was 17.5% (15.6–19.45%). Approximately 71.80% (177/212) of the cases were Plasmodium falciparum, and 28.20% (35/212) were Plasmodium vivax. Most seasonal migrant workers 934 (77.4%) were from rural residences and highlanders 660 (55%). Most 661 (55.4%) of the migrants visited two and more farm sites during their stay at development corridors for harvesting activities. Approximately 116 (54.7%) asymptomatic malaria cases returned to the Dembia 46 (21.7%), Chilaga 46 (19.8%) and Metema 28 (13.2%) districts.ConclusionIn this study, asymptomatic malaria remains high among seasonal migrant workers departing to home from malaria endemic areas. This may fuel a resurgence of malaria transmission in the high lands and cause challenges to the country's malaria prevention and elimination efforts. Hence, tailored interventions for seasonal migrant workers could be in place to enhance malaria control and elimination in Ethiopia, such as asymptomatic malaria test and treat positive cases at departure and transit, and integration between malaria officers at their origin and departure for further follow-up to decrease any risk of spread at the origin.

Distribution, Population, and Habitat of Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) in Bulu Mario, South Tapanuli

The population of siamang in the forest around Bulu Mario Village needs attention even though it is outside the conservation area. Therefore, this study was conducted using survey methods, vegetation analysis, and concentration count. Based on the data, siamang was distributed at an elevation of 683 - 1123 m asl in forest and mixed plantations with a dominant slope of 70.02%. Furthermore, the population was 44 individuals from 15 groups with a density of 2.88 individuals/km 2 , and the ratio of adult males to females was 14:12. The age classes of adults and juvenile-1 dominated the age structure pyramid; hence, the population's sustainability is considered good enough. Also, the low population density of the primate is due to habitat fragmentation in several locations. The siamang uses the entire canopy space and is associated with various other primates. Both hayu ndolok (Syzygium sp.) and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) are the tree species with the highest abundance in the forest and mixed plantations. The siamang eats more of the fruit of 51 plant species dominated by the Euphorbiaceae family and tree habitus. Therefore, the development of animal corridors is needed to reduce the impact of habitat fragmentation.

Assessing the Underlying Drivers of Change over Two Decades of Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics along the Standard Gauge Railway Corridor, Kenya

Land cover has been modified by anthropogenic activities for thousands of years, although the speed of change has increased in recent decades, particularly driven by socio-economic development. The development of transport infrastructure can accelerate land use land cover change, resulting in impacts on natural resources such as water, biodiversity, and food production. To understand the interaction between land cover and social–ecological drivers, changing land cover patterns and drivers of change must be identified and quantified. This study documents land cover dynamics along the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) corridor in Kenya and evaluates the underlying drivers of this change from 2000 to 2019. The study utilised GIS and remote sensing techniques to assess the land use and land cover changes along the SGR corridor, while correlational and regression analyses were used to evaluate various drivers of the changes. Results showed that built-up areas, bare lands, water bodies, croplands and forests increased by 144.39%, 74.73%, 74.42%, 9.32% and 4.85%, respectively, while wetlands, grasslands and shrub lands reduced by 98.54%, 67.00% and 33.86%, respectively. The underlying drivers responsible for these land use and land cover dynamics are population growth, urbanisation, economic growth and agro-ecological factors. Such land cover changes affect environmental sustainability, and we stress the need to adequately identify and address the cumulative social and environmental impacts of mega-infrastructure projects and their interacting investments. The findings of this study provide an evidence base for the evaluation of the social–ecological impacts of the SGR and the implementation of best practices that will lead to enhanced sustainability in the development corridors in Kenya and beyond.

Another look at achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: using extraction projects as a source for financing impact projects?

A workable definition of a successful project is ‘a project which has achieved its pre-set objectives’. 1 1 Arent van Wassenaer, A Practical Guide to Successful Construction Projects (Routledge 2017), 6. The immediate follow-up question is: which and whose objectives? Traditionally, project objectives are (1) budget, (2) time and (3) quality, also known as the triple constraint or iron triangle. If, however, the objectives were also to include (4) completion and operation of the project to the satisfaction of all relevant stakeholders, 2 2 Kate Davis, ‘An Empirical Investigation into Different Stakeholder Groups Perception of Project Success’ (2017) 35 International Journal of Project Management 604. and (5) without disputes, it would be possible to develop objectives that are aligned for all stakeholders involved. Including stakeholder objectives with the associated environmental objectives brings such projects within the realm of the triple bottom line concept of balance or harmony among economic, social and environmental interests. 3 3 Martina Huemann and Gilbert Silvius, ‘Projects to Create the Future: Managing Projects Meets Sustainable Development’ (2017) 35 International Journal of Project Management 1066. Such stakeholders should include not only the developer or employer of projects but also, typically, the contractor(s), project team, operator, clients, users, funders, relevant authorities and affected communities. If the interests of such stakeholders – whether using Free Prior and Informed Consent processes or not – could be mediated into high-level aligned objectives, ideally, there would be no conflicting interests. Thus, a higher probability of achieving success would be within reach. For the development of successful impact projects (ie projects with a positive impact on one or more of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while generating revenue), the challenge is to identify relevant multi-stakeholder groups and to develop a joint ‘Ecosystem of Shared Value’. 4 4 Kramer, Mark R., and Marc W. Pfitzer. ‘The Ecosystem of Shared Value’ (October 2016) 94 (10) Harvard Business Review 81. Probably, such projects would be part of larger portfolios or programmes leading to the development of corridors as an umbrella for further projects combining infrastructure, energy and related sectors. It is worth further considering to what extent location-dependent projects – such as those developed by the extraction industry, water or power projects – could act as cost drivers and catalysts for sustainable economic development, social and environmental benefits, as part of a long-term vision for regions to be developed.

Landscape features and forest maturity promote the occurrence of macroinvertebrates specialized for seepage springs in urban forests in Washington, DC

Abstract The hypotelminorheic is a groundwater‐fed shallow subterranean habitat, occurring a few metres below the surface and emerging at a seepage spring. Little is known about the habitat requirements for the amphipods and isopods that live there, and forest quality and other surface parameters have been largely unexplored. Urban parks, encompassing protected lands from ballfields to forests, are not necessarily secure sites, because of non‐compatible uses and changing park boundaries. Almost all records for this fauna in the study area are in parks. Using data from sampling in parklands of south‐east Washington, DC, exploratory analyses were conducted at two spatial scales – the seeps and pervious land patches surrounded by impervious surfaces (which range from 0.59 to 231 ha). Habitat quality, fragmentation and geological variables were calculated, and exploratory logistic regression models were fitted to predict occupancy. Hypotelminorheic macroinvertebrates were found at 66 of 207 seeps and 15 of 27 patches. Five species were collected, three of which were uncommon. Only patches containing three or more seeps and >7.6 ha were inhabited. Occurrence of one or more species in seeps was associated with distance inside the forest, taller tree canopy, elevation and geological formation. There is a threshold amount of habitat below which a population can no longer exist. Few patches of forest remain that are sufficiently large for habitation, and conservation actions should prioritize forested patches with three or more seeps. In addition, the development of forested corridors to enhance connectivity among populations, education of the public about the value of the hypotelminorheic, and development of field methods to detect habitats is recommended. Urban parklands can be important reservoirs for species of conservation concern.

Subarctic Corridors in Northern Quebec: Is the Canadian Northern Corridor Concept Aligned with Quebec’s Historical Development?

Proposals for infrastructure development in Canada’s North are gaining political traction, including a corridor connecting the northern regions of each of the country’s provinces. Quebec is Canada’s largest, northernmost province and would be pivotal in the construction of the corridor. Examining the historical phases of Quebec’s northern development is crucial in assessing the challenges ahead. This paper groups Quebec’s infrastructure developments into three main phases, synthesizes each phase, and critically compares them to the proposed Northern Corridor concept (NCC). No research has yet examined the NCC’s complementarity with Quebec’s history of northern infrastructure development. While previous phases could be categorized as intraprovincial penetration corridors linking northern to southern Quebec, the NCC aims to develop an interprovincial economic corridor for landlocked provinces to be able to gain better sea access. Obstacles arising from the conciliation of past developments with the NCC include the unfitness of using existing infrastructures in Quebec for a Pan-Canadian corridor and differing development trajectories at the provincial and federal levels. Three route options for the NCC in Quebec are presented in this study. More generally, this paper outlines difficulties specific to subarctic remote corridor development.

The role of migration in enhancing resilience to climate change

AbstractMigration out of areas affected by climate change has long been considered a common adaptation strategy. More recent studies, however, claim that migration should not exclusively be seen as an escape from areas under threat, but that it can also be understood as a powerful strategy towards change and innovation in those areas. This article examines the relationship between environmental stress and migration in the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta, one of the global hotspots of climate change. Based on an extensive survey among households and interviews with key actors, our study shows that indeed environmental stress is an important factor—though not the only one—behind the development of migration corridors, particularly to Ho Chi Minh City. Low-income households are more likely to have experienced migration than high-income ones. Low-income households also account for the largest group of recipients of financial remittances, which are mainly spent on basic household needs and health care, and not on longer-term investments. Our research also shows the important role of non-financial remittances in supporting climate resilience among vulnerable (low-income) households. Actually, in the Mekong Delta case, the transfer of knowledge and skills proves to be more prominent than the sending of cash. Such skills are brought along by returning migrants, and then passed on to others, leading to a diversification of local economies so that these become more resilient to environmental degradation.

Mining Resource Corridor development in Nigeria: critical considerations and actions for a diversified and sustainable economic future

The low crude oil prices in 2019 add momentum to Nigeria’s need for economic diversification as its foreign earnings come primarily from crude oil sales. As a result, Nigeria is seeking to explore other economic potentials, such as developing a Mining Resource Corridor (MRC) to reduce poverty and assist the country’s sustained growth and development. MRCs catalyse mineral extraction, transportation, processing, and infrastructural development and integrate other sectors of the economy, thus, creating jobs and promoting economic diversification and inclusive growth. However, achieving this requires drawing up an articulated delivery mechanism through a framework strategic implementation plan to attain a strategic diversification away from hydrocarbons to minerals. This article takes an applied research approach to examine the critical considerations and actions that Nigeria should take in developing an MRC to ensure a diverse and sustainable economic future. Additionally, it discusses the lessons Nigeria can learn from two corridors in Mozambique. This study notes that the success of a MRC is a function of, among other things, a skilled and adequately strengthened institution, enabling infrastructure and the participation of communities in the decision-making process of the corridor development. It also includes the support of all levels of government and possible assistance from development partners and donor agencies such as the World Bank.

Influence of Urban Agglomeration Expansion on Fragmentation of Green Space: A Case Study of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration

Loss of green space habitats and landscape fragmentation are important reasons for the decline in environmental quality, degradation of ecosystem functions, and decline in biodiversity. Quantifying the spatio-temporal characteristics of landscape fragmentation of green space and its relationship with urban expansion mode is an important basis for improving urban development mode and enhancing urban ecological functions. For this paper, we took the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration as the research object, a typical rapidly urbanizing area. Through multi-scale landscape pattern analysis and statistical analysis, the spatial–temporal evolution characteristics of green space fragmentation in the BTH urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020 and the influence of urban expansion were analyzed, and the land-use situation in 2030 was predicted by the Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model. The main conclusions are as follows: The BTH urban agglomeration has developed rapidly in the last 20 years, showing the characteristics of diffusion and corridor development. The intensity and pattern of urban expansion have significantly affected the pattern of green space, leading to the intensification of domestic green space fragmentation. Among them, urban expansion exerts most severe effects on the fragmentation of farmland, followed by grassland and water. The influence of urban expansion on the scale and fragmentation of forestland is limited. The forecast results in 2030 show that built-up areas may continue to occupy green space. The rate of occupation of farmland will slow down while that of grassland will intensify.

Predicting African trade considering uncertainty by scenario planning

PurposeThis study predicts the growth of Africa's international trade from 2011 to 2040 by accounting for the uncertainties in the continent.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies a scenario planning method (SPM) to develop multiple future scenarios considering uncertainties inherent in African socio-economies related to the success or failure of economic and industrial policies (EIPs) and economic corridor development policies (ECDPs). Subsequently, based on these future scenarios, the growth of African international trade from 2011 to 2040 is predicted using the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model.FindingsThe predictions reveal that if the EIPs and the ECDPs are successfully implemented, Africa, as a whole, will experience a significant increase in trade, estimated at US$ 1,905 billion and US$ 1,599 billion for exports and imports, respectively, compared to the scenario in which they fail. However, the effects vary greatly by country or region and industrial sector. The results also show that African intra-regional trade is rapidly expanding and is the second-largest after trade with Europe followed by other continents.Originality/valueSPM, which allows us to reflect the uncertainties affecting African international trade prediction, is applied to build the future scenarios. The study comprehensively predicts African future international trade by setting a wide range of exogenous variables and parameters (input conditions for the GTAP model) related to EIPs and ECDPs.

Networks, Innovation, And Smes Performance In Indonesia East Corridors

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of networks on SMEs performance both directly and indirectly through innovation. The sample in this study were 165 SMEs in East Java, which focused on a number of districts / cities that became the eastern development corridor area and had superior food and beverage businesses. The data that has been collected is then analyzed using path analysis. Four hypotheses were formulated to answer the question: (a) There is a direct effect of networks on SMEs innovation, (b) There is a direct effect of networks on SMEs performance, (c) There is a direct effect of innovation on SMEs performance, (d) There are indirect effects of networks on SMEs performance through innovation. Of the four hypotheses proposed in this study, there are three hypotheses that were accepted and one hypothesis that was rejected. The results of testing the direct influence hypothesis show that there are two pathways that have a significant effect, namely networks on SMEs innovation, as well as innovation on SMEs performance. The results of testing the indirect effect hypothesis show that the networks influences the performance of SMEs through innovation.

Analysis of Conservation Gaps and Landscape Connectivity for Snow Leopard in Qilian Mountains of China

Human modification and habitat fragmentation have a substantial influence on large carnivores, which need extensive, contiguous habitats to survive in a landscape. The establishment of protected areas is an effective way to offer protection for carnivore populations by buffering them from anthropogenic impacts. In this study, we used MaxEnt to model habitat suitability and to identify conservation gaps for snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in the Qilian Mountains of China, and then assessed the impact of highways/railways and their corridors on habitat connectivity using a graph-based landscape connectivity model. Our results indicated that the study area had 51,137 km2 of potentially suitable habitat for snow leopards and that there were four protection gaps outside of Qilian Mountain National Park. The findings revealed that the investigated highway and railway resulted in a decrease in connectivity at a regional scale, and that corridor development might enhance regional connectivity, which strengthens the capacity of central habitat patches to act as stepping stones and improve connections between western and eastern habitat patches. This study emphasized the need for assessing the impact of highways and railways, as well as their role in corridor development, on species’ connectivity. Based on our results, we provide some detailed recommendations for designing protection action plans for effectively protecting snow leopard habitat and increasing habitat connectivity.