The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and California
Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) commissioned the California Essential
Habitat Connectivity Project because a functional network of connected
wildlands is essential to the continued support of California's diverse
natural communities in the face of human development and climate change.
The Essential Connectivity Map depicts large, relatively natural habitat
blocks that support native biodiversity (Natural Landscape Blocks) and
areas essential for ecological connectivity between them (Essential
Connectivity Areas). This coarse-scale map was based primarily on the
concept of ecological integrity, rather than the needs of particular
species. Essential Connectivity Areas are placeholder polygons that can
inform land-planning efforts, but that should eventually be replaced by
more detailed Linkage Designs, developed at finer resolution based on
the needs of particular species and ecological processes. It is
important to recognize that even areas outside of Natural Landscape
Blocks and Essential Connectivity Areas support important ecological
values that should not be "written off" as lacking
conservation value. Furthermore, because the Essential Habitat
Connectivity Map was created at the statewide scale, based on available
statewide data layers, and ignored Natural Landscape Blocks smaller than
2,000 acres squared, it has errors of omission that should be addressed
at regional and local scales.