Biological Linkage Corridors

Two hundred years ago the Northern Rockies was one vast, unspoiled wilderness. Today, human settlements, agriculture and a growing network of roads and rail lines occupy most of the valleys between remaining wild habitats. To prevent the isolation of wildlife in small pockets which eventually succumb to the effects of small population size and inbreeding, scientists have pioneered the concept of biological linkage corridors that connect the core wildlands of a region into a functioning ecological whole. These biological bridges allow for animal, fish and plant migration, and the genetic interchange vital to longterm health and viability. NREPA puts this concept into practice through its designations of Biological Linkage Corridors and through the expansion of Wild & Scenic Rivers that maintain free-flowing rivers essential to fish migration.

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