Initiative for Natural Corridors

The Initiative for Natural Corridors (INC) _(sm) is a collaborative effort of the members of the Wildlife Habitat Council, along with partners including the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and many other conservation partners. This conservation collaborative will work together to link the programs involved with WHC to additional projects, programs and organizations to create “wildlife corridors” or “habitat pathways”  in order to support both migratory and resident species of wildlife.

An INC collaborative will:

• Link together two or more sites (one of which is a Certified WHC program), or at least one certified program with another conservation area, greenway project, or landscape level initiative.
• Contain a citizen science or research aspect in order to monitor the success of the collaborative.

A Deepening of the Core Mission:

INC is a natural step in the evolution of WHC—it has long been the work of its staff, its members and its partners to protect and preserve wildlife habitat. More than two decades ago, WHC was founded by forming productive collaborations for conservation and has always depended on partnerships. The INC initiative is a way to more deeply “connect the dots”—uniting the decades-long efforts of corporate members with landscape level projects for the benefit of migratory species. Climatic changes, habitat fragmentation and continued environmental impacts continue to threaten biodiversity on a global scale; reduced governmental budgets have become a reality, forcing less money to be spent on large-scale conservation projects in all regions—and more creative thinking and collaboration to take place if species are to be preserved. There has never been a more important time for the members of WHC and their partners in government to work together, through INC, to preserve migratory habitat for future generations.

Benefits to Council Members:

• Although not tied directly to existing certification criteria, involvement in this initiative does encourage WHC programs along a path of continuous improvement through increased emphasis on productive partnerships and involvement with rigorous scientific monitoring on a regular basis.
• In addition to enhancing wildlife corridors—a measurable environmental advantage for migratory species–increased partnership may provide additional opportunities for support or funding for larger scale projects, critical in challenging economic times.
• Keystone partners indicate the interest to sponsor additional awards for involvement in INC collaborative, based upon criteria developed with Council and partner input, bringing higher visibility to the efforts of members.
• The INC initiative provides an opportunity for WHC members to move their conservation and education efforts beyond the borders of their property—into the surrounding community—connecting to regional efforts for greater impact, increased visibility and to create an enduring legacy on a regional basis.