Wildlife Linkages

Late day, Watson Lake, Granite Dells_W Anderson 17_s.jpg

What do wildlife linkages have to do with saving the Granite Dells or the Granite Dells Regional Park & Preserve?

Animals aren’t just valuable for their own sake – they’re also part of a wider natural environment.

Protecting the open spaces that comprise critical habitat and connecting individual parcels of natural functional open space creates the large, contiguous network of habitat that allows animals to move over the landscape as food and water availability changes through

the seasons. It prevents fragmentation into small, isolated subpopulations that inevitably suffer chance local extinctions and the erosion of genetic diversity due to inbreeding.

OUR WILDLIFE—
ThreatENED BY LACK OF PRIORITY in the Quad Cities Area

Residential and commercial development, roads, and wildlife-impermeable fencing all contribute to that fragmentation, and roads, in particular, are a significant source of mortality.

We can do better. Wildlife-protecting words are written in the Arizona Department of Transportation, Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Town of Prescott Valley, the City of Prescott, US Fish and Wildlife, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and Yavapai County plans.

Yet the suggestions therein are not codified as law.

PROTECTING WILDLIFE & HABITAT—
Acknowledging THE INTRINSIC VALUE & BENEFIT TO ALL

Wildlife has countless benefits for the ecosystem and for our health and well-being, including pollinating our food, controlling pests, and being a source of beauty and inspiration. Birdwatching is a HUGE economic driver for Arizona and the Prescott Region specifically.

The following solutions have been proposed to begin addressing the most urgent aspects of providing safe movement and resources for wildlife:

Habitat conservation

Conserve natural habitats, such as wetlands or woods to protect land from development and other human activities that can disturb the ecology.

influence the creation of wildlife linkages

Work with cities, towns, and agencies to create and enhance wildlife linkages throughout urban and rural areas.

Research &monitoring

Monitoring the status and trends of wildlife populations is essential for effective conservation management. Research can identify opportunities for conservation and inform policy and management decisions.
You can participate! See how by using the Central Arizona Wildlife Alliance Survey 123.

Public education & awareness

Educating the public about the importance of wildlife conservation is crucial in creating a culture of responsible and sustainable behavior. This can be done through outreach programs, school programs, and public awareness campaigns that raise awareness about the impacts of human activity on wildlife.