ASSIGNMENT 2 :

CASE STUDY OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EFFORTS

1.0 STUDY AREA
Canmore region of the Bow River Valley
The rapidly growing population of the town of Canmore
is destroying the quality of the habitat. For instance,
paved highways and transcontinental railways
challenge the movement of wildlife across the Bow
Valley.
2.0 CONSERVATION CORRIDORS
The wildlife corridor is a link of wildlife habitat, generally
native vegetation which allows for the animal's
movement. Corridors connect fragments of wildlife
habitat and are an essential component of conservation
management.
BIODIVERSITY DECLINE
Habitat reduction and fragmentation are the two main
causes of the continuing decrease in biodiversity
throughout the landscape.

In general, this article has clearly outlined how the new Figure 2 : The case study of this assignment

technologies and analytical tools (RSF) possible to have more

Figure 1:
Current designated wildlife corridors and
habitat patches in study area, Alberta.
To meet these challenges, Canmore has designed a
number of wildlife corridors to connect Banff National
Park with other protected areas in the region.
better integrate landscape design or pattern with behavioural
processes. Due to the identification of conservation corridors
often ignores the habitat selection and movement processes
of target organisms.
By ways of the new method analysis to study the current
corridors, a more accurate formulation and design corridors
which more emphasise the process of the habitat selection by
the animals and their movement can be built up. It can
accurately inform corridor conservation and is effective to
wildlife conservation efforts.

3.0 ANALYSES & RESULT Figure 3: Predicted probability of grizzly bear occurrence in the Canmore during : (a)spring;(b)summer and (c)autumn.

Resource selection functions (RSF)

The RSF approach
to habitat use
systematically analyses
the preferences of
wildlife for each habitat
factor and their
combined effects. Help
counts calculate species'
habitat preferences and Figure 4: Predicted probability of cougar occurrence in the Canmore during : (a)the
Table 1 : Description and characteristics of non-winter season ;(b)the winter season.
population size environmental variables used to model the
probability of occurrence of grizzly bear and
in habitat patches. cougars

Least-cost path analyses

We used the inverse function of the species-specific
seasonal RSF model to generate the cost surface for the
LCP analysis.

Combining the RSF model with least-cost modelling for

corridor planning allows for the integration of functional Figure 5: Intersected least-cost paths
connectivity in the landscape highlight areas of overlap for cougars and
grizzly bears during various season in
Canmore
Based on the results, it shows an analysis that identifies potential corridors in the study area. Overlaying the paths of the two species highlights corridors
where the landscape can support species and potential highway crossing areas. Besides, the results also show some differences from the current corridors
and it could provide further information for future conservation corridors to ensure species are protected in the planning process.

4.0 IMPLEMENTED INTO PLANNING CONTEXT The wildlife corridors can

Before any development can be planned, it's important to understand the building bridges for
type of land use, the behaviour of wildlife and the resulting migratory wildlife and people
patterns. This will help predict where Human-wildlife conflict(HWC) events
are likely to occur, provide the opportunity to effectively delineate the Ecological corridors must
area and create wildlife corridors that link conservation with landscape be planned from the
planning. beginning of construction.
A wildlife corridor in the Netherlands.
Source : Google Image
This case study demonstrates a quantitative and repeatable method for
identifying potential conservation corridors. The approach can be applied Ecological corridors are
to other multi-species landscapes to develop corridor guidelines. It can
essentially habitats for
play an important and effective role in the planning system, especially in
environmental planning and landscape planning. organisms.

Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo Ecoducts

After knowing the potential conservation corridors through research 5.0 REFERENCE
Source : Google Image and analysis, Planners can try to connect these independent small
Chetkiewicz, C. L. B., & Boyce, M. S. (2009).
ecosystems by the effort of naturally formed or artificially constructed
Use of resource selection functions to
protection corridors. For example, rivers and river vegetation areas should
identify conservation corridors. Journal of
be reserved and used to connect wetlands with lakes and mountains,
Applied Ecology, 1036-1047.
forming a wetland system, alpine system, and river system. These kinds of
https://wwfeu.awsassets.panda.org/downloa
large and complex ecosystems are of great benefit to the survival and
ds/wwf_cs1_web.pdf
development of organisms.
The alpine lakes situated above
CanmoreSource : Google Image
SBEW 3552 Environment, Sustainability and Planning Prepared by : LEE MING ZHE (A20BE0098)