The Critical Linkages: The Bay Area and Beyond Project is developing focal species-based designs for several priority landscape linkages, implementation strategies, and a monitoring framework, and will also provide implementation tools to institutionalize support for a regional network of conserved lands. This comprehensive strategy will be developed through collaboration among scientists, planners, land and resource management agencies, wildlife agencies, transportation agencies, conservancies, and landowners. 

This project was undertaken because a detailed linkage analysis was beyond the scope of the Upland Habitat Goals Project, but will enhance the effectiveness of the Conservation Lands Network to conserve biological diversity.  The Open Space Council and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the primary funder of the project, convened workshops in early 2010 for scientists and land managers to identify linkage areas and corresponding focal species.  

The Critical Linkages project will fine tune the Conservation Lands Network to insure functional habitat connectivity both within the network and to regions north and south of the Bay Area.  The linkages will added to the Conservation Lands Network Explorer in 2012.

For more information, visit the SC Wildlands website or contact Kristeen Penrod at (877) WILDLAND