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The Three Borders Linkage / Le Lien entre les Trois Frontières

 

 

 

English

The Three Borders Linkage is an ongoing wildlife connectivity project that spans northern Maine, northwestern New Brunswick through to Gaspésie, Québec.

CPAWS NB considers it a priority landscape linkage that needs conservation in the Northern Appalachian / Acadian / Wabanaki ecoregion. Recent connectivity studies by The Nature Conservancy show this as the most highly connected region in eastern North America.

The forests, rivers and wetlands in Three Borders support wildlife that move long distances for food, mates and shelter, including:

  • Moose by Arielle Demerchant
    Black Bear
  • Moose
  • Canada Lynx
  • American marten
  • Fisher
  • Atlantic Salmon

Wildlife need connected habitats to safely move across the land. These connections are threatened by roads, development and the uncertainties posed by climate change.  

Why Wildlife Connectivity?     

Wildlife and habitats of high interest to hunters, fishers, hikers, tourists and photographers support local jobs and culture. Many habitat corridors are on privately managed lands that generate jobs and sustain human communities.

Since time immemorial, the Indigenous Nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy, including the Penawapskewi, Abenaki, Mi’gmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Peskotomuhkati Peoples, have stewarded the land to help keep it healthy for future generations.

It is important for us to work on our shared responsibilities to the lands and waters, and to each other. This is a key part of our ongoing Treaty relationships and kinships with nature.

What CPAWS NB Is Doing

CPAWS NB is working with many partner groups to raise awareness about connectivity needs in Three Borders:

Together we work with local managers and knowledge holders to identify key corridors for various wildlife in the Three Borders Linkage.

CPAWS NB is also working to identify new partners to share ideas and actions, including Indigenous Peoples, researchers, and local organizations. We hope that as we make decisions together about wise use of the Three Borders Linkage, wildlife will thrive alongside us and the changing landscape.

What Needs to Happen in Three Borders

To sustain wildlife on the 3 Borders Linkage into the future, we need to:

  1. Create more protected areas and stepping stones of conserved habitats where New Brunswick, Québec and Maine all meet.
  2. Use community land use planning to make sure wildlife habitat is considered in development decisions.
  3. Ensure forests are managed to conserve old forests and healthy stream banks so wildlife will always be able to find the room they need to roam for food, mates, and shelter.

Recently, the New Brunswick government added new protected areas along the Green River and the Restigouche River. This is a good start to help make sure New Brunswick parts of the Three Borders Linkage will be conserved into the future.

There is more work to be done, and CPAWS NB will keep you in the loop about actions you can take to help!

Further Reading