This document proposes a new approach to assessing landscape connectivity for wildlife in Colorado. It involves analyzing wildlife connectivity statewide using resistance surfaces and least-cost path models to identify key corridors and barriers. The analysis will focus on federal lands to enable identifying areas needing increased protection. Maps of current flow models show connectivity priorities across different regions of Colorado, including important corridors in the San Juan National Forest. The results will help justify enhanced conservation efforts to government agencies.

1. A Fractured Landscape:
A New Approach to Assessing
Connectivity for Wildlife in Colorado
Paul Millhouser
Rocky Mountain Wild

2. What Is Landscape
Connectivity?
?

3. Photo credit: Steve Wagner, Blue Heron Communications
Habitat Comes First

4. Photo credit: Steve Wagner, Blue Heron Communications
1. The land and/or water environment in which a species
lives, feeds, and reproduces
2. A species may use different habitats at different times
of year or for special activities, like breeding
3. Areas of habitat can be measured by both their
“effectiveness” (the degree to which they meet the
needs of a particular species) and their size
Habitat Comes First

5. Habitat Is Not Enough

6. Habitat Is Not Enough
1. All needs of most species cannot be
met by a single patch of habitat, even
if its effectiveness is high
2. Habitat is subject to loss or
degradation by development and by
fires, beetle kill, or other disaster
3. Climate change

7. Photo credit: Colorado Parks & Wildlife
What Is Landscape
Connectivity?

8. Photo credit: Colorado Parks & Wildlife
What Is Landscape
Connectivity?
The degree to which
wildlife are able to move
freely across the
landscape.

9. Artificial Barriers

10. Artificial Barriers
Photo credit: Noel Wallace

11. Natural Barriers

12. The Project
• Analyze wildlife connectivity statewide,
particularly on federal lands
• Enable The Wilderness Society to identify
lands requiring protection
• Provide justification for enhanced
protections to government agencies

13. Colorado

14. Federal Lands in Colorado

15. Resistance Based on Human Modification

16. Slope Added

17. Transportation and Rivers

18. Final Resistance Surface

19. Final Resistance Surface

20. Least Cost Path

21. Circuitscape

22. Resistance Surface with 200K km Buffer

23. Resistance Surface with 200K km Buffer

24. Current Flow with 200K km Buffer

25. Current Flow in Colorado

26. Current Flow in Colorado

27. Colorado

28. Current Flow in Colorado

29. Current Flow in Colorado

30. Current Flow in Northwestern Colorado

31. Northwestern Colorado

32. Current Flow in Northwestern Colorado

33. San Juan National Forest

34. San Juan National Forest

35. San Juan National Forest

36. Special Thanks
The Wilderness Society
Paige Singer

37. Authors:
Paul Millhouser
GIS Analyst
Rocky Mountain Wild
paul@rockymountainwild.org
303-351-1020
Paige Singer
Conservation Biologist/GIS Specialist
Rocky Mountain Wild
paige@rockymountainwild.org
303-454-3340
Proposal Report Date: January 15, 2018