Keep the Places You Love Connected

If you hike, bike, paddle, camp, watch birds, or explore local trails, you’re part of a connected Thompson–Okanagan landscape.

Every route you travel is also part of how t̓micw | tmixʷ | all living things move through this place. Wildlife follows valley bottoms and ridgelines. Water connects creeks, wetlands, and floodplains. Plants spread through wind, birds, and insects.

But many of these natural routes have been disrupted over time—by roads, development, fencing, and barriers in streams. Understanding how nature stays connected helps us protect the places we love, now and for future generations.

What Is Ecological Connectivity?

Ecological connectivity is how wildlife, water, plants, and natural processes move across the landscape—linking habitats and keeping ecosystems working over time.

When connectivity is strong:

wildlife can reach food, water, shelter, and safe breeding areas
plants and seeds spread naturally across the landscape
streams, wetlands, and floodplains function well and support healthy fish
ecosystems recover more quickly after fire, drought, or floods
species can shift and adapt as conditions change

Connectivity describes how well the landscape functions as a living, linked system.

When connections are disrupted, wildlife can become isolated and ecosystems can become less resilient.

How Corridors Work

Ecological connectivity is the movement of wildlife and natural processes; ecological corridors are the linked lands and waters that make that movement possible.

Corridors can include:

valley bottoms and ridgelines
creek- and riverside areas, including floodplains
forests, grasslands, and wetlands
“stepping-stone” habitats like small ponds
wildlife crossings such as overpasses, underpasses, and improved culverts
restored creek channels and naturalized streams

Corridors support healthy ecosystems over the long term by:

linking seasonal habitats
enabling genetic exchange between populations
helping species shift and adapt as the climate changes
reducing wildlife isolation and supporting healthy fish populations

Corridors aren’t necessarily parks. They often connect parks and protected areas, while also crossing working landscapes—private lands, forests, ranches—and sometimes running near or through communities.

Corridors are the pathways. Connectivity is the outcome.

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's at Risk

Habitat fragmentation reduces the ability of wildlife to move safely. As landscapes become more divided, both wildlife and people face increased risks.

Connectivity is declining in many places—including here at home—mainly because of:

A. Habitat fragmentation

Land that once formed continuous habitat is now broken into smaller, isolated patches by:

residential development
agriculture
industry
logging and resource roads

B. Barriers that block movement

Some of the biggest and most dangerous obstacles include:

highways and busy roads
railway lines
dams and perched culverts
extensive fencing
channelized rivers

These barriers can isolate wildlife, increase road collisions, block fish migration, and reduce ecosystem health.

C. Climate change reducing natural resilience

As temperatures rise and snowpacks shift, wildlife and plants need room to move to cooler areas, wetter habitats, and new seasonal ranges. If corridors are lost, climate adaptation becomes impossible.

Why This Matters

Keeping nature connected helps wildlife thrive—and supports clean water and safer communities.

Connected lands and waters support wildlife, healthy rivers, and the outdoor places we love.

Keeping nature connected supports:

wildlife and biodiversity
healthy rivers and clean drinking water
pollination and food security
healthy fish and wildlife populations
reduced flood and wildfire impacts
recreation and access to nature
cultural continuity and land-based learning
mental and physical well-being

Healthy, connected ecosystems benefit everyone—people and wildlife alike.

Keeping Wildlife and Waterways Connected

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.

Protect
Corridors

Improve Fish Passage

Make Roads
Safer

Restore
Habitat

Small Steps, Big Impact

Big projects restore landscapes—but everyday choices at home and in our communities matter too. Small actions in backyards, neighbourhoods, and local parks can help wildlife move, support healthy waterways, and keep nature connected where we live.

Create Backyard
Habitat

Join Local
Stewardship

Share Your
Sightings

Respect
Wildlife

How You Can Help

Whether you hike, bike, paddle, ski, ride, or explore with a camera, you can help keep wildlife routes open by:

Staying on designated trails to avoid creating new paths that fragment habitat.
Respecting seasonal closures and signage (winter range, lambing/calving areas, nesting sites – don’t need to add).
Giving wildlife extra space at dawn and dusk, when animals are most active—especially in valley bottoms and along waterways.
Keeping dogs leashed in sensitive areas and pack out all waste.
Taking photos from a distance and avoid approaching wildlife for a closer shot.

Small choices add up—helping wildlife move safely and keeping the Thompson–Okanagan connected for generations.

Plant native species.

These support pollinators, birds, and wildlife.

Native Plant Society

Pollinator Pathway

Keep creekside and wetland areas natural.

Leave shrubs and vegetation in place and avoid mowing, filling, or clearing within 30 m of the water’s edge.

Choose wildlife-friendly fencing.

Keep the bottom wire higher, use smooth wire when possible, and leave space between wires.

Wildlife-friendly Fencing

Video: Danforth Pollinator Pathway

Support and learn from Indigenous Nations and stewardship groups leading connectivity work in the region.

Okanagan Nation Alliance

Join a local stewardship or conservation group - Get involved in habitat and watershed restoration close to home.

Burrowing Owl Conservation Society

Kamloops Naturalist Club

Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program (OCCP)

Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society

Nicola Naturalist Society

North Okanagan Naturalists Club

Thompson-Nicola Conservation Collaborative (TNCC)

Volunteer in your community – Help with student mentoring, tree planting, invasive plant removal, creek clean-ups, wetland monitoring, and ecological reserve stewardship.

BP Parks Partner organizations

Central Okanagan Land Trust

Ecological reserve wardens

Friends of the South Slopes

Fresh Outlook Foundation's Climate Action Ripple Effect (CARE) team in School Districts 22 (Vernon) and 23 (Central Okanagan)

Southern Interior Land Trust

Your observations help identify wildlife corridors and places where action is needed.

Report wildlife observations:

iNaturalist: record plants, animals, insects — all sightings help.

Report a Badger sighting

Provincial Wild Sheep and Mountain Goat App

Wolverine Watch

Report roadkill: Share sightings of roadkill and barriers (blocked culverts, broken wildlife fencing, damaged fish habitat).

Report roadkill BC

Wildlife Collision Prevention Program (WCPP)

Follow WCPP on IG

Explore Nature,
Keep It Connected

Enjoying Nature

Keep the Places You Love Connected

What Is Ecological Connectivity?

How Corridors Work

How Nature Moves

What's at Risk

Why This Matters

Keeping Wildlife and Waterways Connected

Small Steps, Big Impact

How You Can Help

Plant native species.

These support pollinators, birds, and wildlife.

Keep creekside and wetland areas natural.

Leave shrubs and vegetation in place and avoid mowing, filling, or clearing within 30 m of the water’s edge.

Choose wildlife-friendly fencing.

Keep the bottom wire higher, use smooth wire when possible, and leave space between wires.

Video: Danforth Pollinator Pathway

Support and learn from Indigenous Nations and stewardship groups leading connectivity work in the region.

Join a local stewardship or conservation group - Get involved in habitat and watershed restoration close to home.

Volunteer in your community – Help with student mentoring, tree planting, invasive plant removal, creek clean-ups, wetland monitoring, and ecological reserve stewardship.

Your observations help identify wildlife corridors and places where action is needed.

Report wildlife observations:

Report roadkill: Share sightings of roadkill and barriers (blocked culverts, broken wildlife fencing, damaged fish habitat).

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Keeping Nature Connected

Explore Nature, Keep It Connected

Enjoying Nature

Keep the Places You Love Connected

What Is Ecological Connectivity?

How Corridors Work

What's at Risk

Why This Matters

Keeping Wildlife and Waterways Connected

Small Steps, Big Impact

How You Can Help

Explore Nature,
Keep It Connected