Policy Development

With partners from local, state, provincial, regional, and federal transportation and natural resource agencies, we are uniquely positioned to help develop and promote best practices and policies that will sustain critical landscape connections across the region.

We work to incorporate habitat connectivity criteria and objectives into natural resource and transportation plans and policies. We also support the development and implementation of policies to advance inter-agency coordination, planning, and projects related to connectivity

In 2016, our partners authored and advanced a resolution on ecological connectivity that was signed by all 6 New England Governors and 5 Eastern Canadian premiers (called the NEG/ECP Resolution 40-3). We are now supporting the most robust implementation of this resolution, which calls for many actions to improve landscape connectivity within the states and provinces, and to advance collaboration across the region.

The U.S., Canada, and a growing number of states and provinces have joined nations around the world in a shared commitment to “30×30” – a global initiative to conserve 30% of lands and waters by the year 2030. Staying Connected Initiative partners are working together to ensure that 30×30 policies and implementation emphasize landscape-scale connectivity, including not only protected areas, but also wildlife crossings, working lands conservation, and other innovative approaches.