When the Earth experiences changes in its climate, wildlife respond by moving – species adjust their ranges to track changes in climate, moving out of areas that become too hot or otherwise inhospitable, and moving into areas that become newly hospitable. However, climate change is now proceeding so quickly that it is becoming difficult for species to move fast enough to keep pace. In addition, today’s landscapes feature significant barriers to movement presented by human land uses (e.g., roads, cities, farms). Such is the case in the region around the border of Washington and British Columbia, where increasing development pressure and limited coordination of land and wildlife management across the border pose a threat to the future ability of wildlife to move as the climate changes. The Washington-British Columbia Transboundary Climate-Connectivity Project sought to address this problem by building the capacity of land and wildlife managers in the transboundary region to incorporate climate change and wildlife movement into their decision-making. The project paired climate scientists with land and wildlife managers from both sides of the border to work together to anticipate how climate change may impact wildlife movement and identify actions for addressing these impacts, so that their management of the landscape and the wildlife within it would be better prepared for future change. Products of this effort are freely available via an online tool that allows users to view and download reports, maps, and other project products describing potential climate impacts and management responses for a diverse group of plants and animals living in the transboundary region. Together, this effort and its products have enhanced the ability of land and wildlife managers in Washington and British Columbia to collaboratively respond to future threats to regional wildlife movement, enhancing the resilience of our shared species and ecosystems.
