Assistant Professor
Department of Ecology and Territory
Faculty of Environmental and Rural Studies
Javeriana University – Bogota, Colombia
E-mail: nurbina@yahoo.com
http://sites.google.com/site/nurbina77/

Fragmentation of habitats and ecosystems is one of the most serious threats to biodiversity worldwide. Retaining or restoring connectivity is therefore crucial to securing healthy, resilient and sustainable ecosystems. However, in practice this involves considerable challenges including socioeconomic variables and climate change trends on species and ecosystem distributions. Not only is it necessary to understand the needs of species with respect to connectivity but also to ensure that the actions of land users and government policies across a range of sectors support well-connected ecosystems ensuring the persistence of species, ecosystems and the services they provide. The Thematic Group aims to meet these challenges by promoting the exchange of experience and expertise on connectivity, disseminating good practice and developing appropriate projects and scientific collaborations.

Vision:
In five years, the thematic group will advance strategies and consolidate initiatives to improve the knowledge on the most appropriate methods on connectivity conservation and the selection of surrogates and indicators (e.g. species, ecosystems, ecosystem services) for innovative management and conservation actions.

Goal:
Collaborate to advance science and knowledge on connectivity conservation improving landscape management and conservation actions.

Objectives:
• To define-design region-wide metrics and tools at different spatial scales (eg. Continental, ecoregional, regional, national, land/seascapes).
• To advance in the review of the different tools and methods to measure landscape (structural and functional) connectivity and prioritize conservation area networks.
• To strengthen knowledge and technical skills of the Thematic Group members in connectivity conservation science.
• To stimulate and facilitate the scientific collaboration between members in the development of new pilot projects and their dissemination through protocols, handbooks and scientific publications.