What is Ecological Connectivity?
Ecological connectivity is the flow of life that links land, water, and tmixʷ | tmícw (all living things). When tmixʷ | tmícw can move freely, nature stays healthy. Across the Thompson–Okanagan in Secwépemc, Syilx and Nlaka'pamux territories, these connections are under pressure. But together we can help restore the flow.
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Photo by Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program
How Nature Moves
Movement happens in many ways—through air, land, water, and soil. These pathways help keep the Thompson–Okanagan landscape connected and functioning.
These systems work together. When connections are disrupted, ecosystems become less resilient over time.
In The Air
Below Ground
On the Land
In the Water
What Keeping Nature Connected Means
"When we care for the land, it cares for us. Keeping nature connected means our children can still drink clean water and hear the sounds of life all around them."
What Breaks the Connection
Over time, natural pathways that connect life have been interrupted. Roads, railway, fences, dams and development divide continuous landscapes and waterways into disconnected patches. When these connections are lost, the land and all life that depends on it begin to struggle. Animals can’t move safely between feeding and breeding areas. Fish are blocked from reaching the waters they’ve returned to for generations. Wildlife ends up on busy roads, increasing the risk of collisions that can harm both animals and people.
In 2023 in BC, 1,070 injuries resulted from 12,825 crashes where animals were involved.
The true number of collisions could be 2-3 times higher due to under-reporting
Restoring the Flow
Across the region, people are collaborating to actively restore the pathways that keep nature connected. These efforts make the land healthier, safer, and more resilient — for wildlife and for our communities. Big actions happen on the land and water, alongside critical steps taken close to home. Together these efforts help bring back the natural flow of life.
Photo by A M Bezener, OCCP
Solutions in Action
Large‑scale projects across the Thompson–Okanagan are restoring the pathways that wildlife, water, and plants depend on. These efforts protect entire landscapes, reconnect fish‑bearing creeks and rivers, and make travel safer for both animals and people. Together, they keep the natural flow of life moving across the region.
Cultural Connections
For Indigenous People, connectivity is not a new idea. It is embedded in language, teachings, and stewardship practices that recognize relationships among tmixʷ | tmícw (all living things).
How You Can Help
Keeping nature connected starts close to home.
Small actions — like slowing down in wildlife zones, planting native species, reporting wildlife sightings, or supporting restoration efforts — all contribute to healthier landscapes.
Keeping nature connected is everyone’s responsibility.
Featured Project
Okanagan Mountain Kalamalka Lake Corridor
This corridor is one of the last remaining movement routes in the Okanagan Valley that connects the high-elevation forests of Okanagan Mountain to the grasslands and riparian areas around Kalamalka Lake. Wildlife depend on it to reach food, water, and seasonal habitat but with increasing development, this connection is at risk.
Featured Story
Protecting Species at Risk on the Move in Skeetchestn Territory
As wildlife navigate increasingly fragmented landscapes, Skeetchestn Natural Resources LLP. (SNR) is taking a creative, community-driven approach to keeping animals—and drivers—safe on the roads that cross key ecological corridors in Secwépemc territory. SNR’s work is part of a growing Indigenous-led effort to restore and maintain ecological connectivity across the Thompson region, where highways, rail lines, and service corridors intersect with...
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Photo by Skeetchestn Natural Resources LLP
Featured Story
Okanagan Lake Dam Salmon Passage Opens
On August 18, 2025, for the first time in generations, salmon can now swim freely from the Okanagan River into Okanagan Lake and 13 of its tributaries — reconnecting over 350 square kilometres of habitat. Led by the Syilx Nation through the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), this project restores migration routes that were blocked for more than a century, helping...
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Stories
Explore stewardship stories, regional projects and Indigenous-led initiatives working to keep nature connected.
