A framework for the design of wildlife conservation corridors With specific application to southwestern Ontario

Natural disturbances and human development can cause habitat fragmentation. Plant and animal populations can become isolated, but wildlife corridors can potentially alleviate the problem by providing linkages between isolated patches of natural areas. These connecting corridors need to be designed to create habitat appropriate for target species. This study developed a framework for design of wildlife corridors which considered both critical corridor attributes and target species. It provided a methodology for use in designing corridors to ensure appropriate species composition. Objectives included identifying and analyzing attributes which constitute a corridor. An ‘ecosystem approach’ for selecting guilds of target species was used. The framework was applied to a fragmented landscape case study in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Results indicated that, by applying this framework to a fragmented landscape, ecologically appropriate corridors could be designed when corridor attributes and target species were carefully analyzed. In addition, it was shown that optimal corridor designs could be altered to fit a landscapeʹs opportunities and constraints.