The raison d’être of the Wildlands Project—to protect and link wild ecosystems in order to ensure the long-term survival of wide-ranging species like wolves, bears and caribou, as well as the full sweep of biodiversity that accompanies them—is alive and kicking in Canada. This is great to see! In fact, all of Canada’s large landscape initiatives have been inspired in fundamental ways by the thinking of the Wildlands Project.

Perhaps the most expansive in scope is the Canadian Boreal Initiative. It is focused on the northern forest ecosystems that cover over half of the country and constitute 25% of the world’s remaining intact forests. Participants are guided by a framework negotiated across an unlikely alliance of native, industry and conservation leaders.

The initiative’s major goals are to protect at least half of this region in interconnected protected areas with sustainable development across the rest of the landscape, advanced in a manner that respects aboriginal rights. The partnerships coming together under this umbrella are delivering some impressive results that support connectivity, cultural protection, conservation and sustainable economies.

Nearly as ambitious in size is the Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) Conservation Initiative. On the Canadian side, Y2Y has been helping to move the expansion of Waterton Park forward, which not only enlarges an important core, but also helps maintain connectivity northward to Banff. Y2Y also continues to build on connectivity successes, such as the overpasses across the TransCanada Highway. Y2Y is committed to making cross-border cooperation a daily affair, and this has paid off for several species.

The Wildlands Project’s Greater Northern Appala¬chians program is a collaborative U.S./Canadian effort that includes important wildlands between New York’s Adirondack Park and the Maritimes of Canada. The proposed system of connected wildlands extends from southern Quebec eastward to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and south through New England and New York. This network design was developed in consultation with scientists and conservation advocates in each province and state in the region.

There are other, geographically smaller campaigns underway to save Canada’s wildness and species by maintaining connectivity across the landscape and keeping ecosystems whole. There is a great deal we can learn from the Canadian experience.

—Mary Granskou, president