Conclusions

Given that there will be a wildlife corridor connection in the Liberty Canyon study site the goal of this project was to assess the potential of future wildlife corridors being implemented in order to further connect the habitats of the Rim of the Valley. After reviewing all of the data we have come to the conclusion that of the four areas compared with the liberty canyon study site we are able to rate them in order of importance.

1.)    Santa Susana Pass: Highest level of confidence based on the control site comparison; Single corridor could potentially have low cost; Connects key habitats and could be an extension of the Liberty Canyon corridor.

2.)    Newhall Pass / San Fernando Pass: Medium to high level of confidence based on control site comparison; Vital connector between distinct habitat regions; Multiple sites can elevate costs.

3.)    Sepulveda Pass: Medium to low level of confidence based on the control site comparison; Proven as a corridor by an apex predator in Griffith Park; Heavily urbanized region with high land value.

4.)    Conejo Grade: Low level of confidence based on control site comparison; Little to no shelter after crossing; Degraded habitat unlikely to be used; Not currently in a vital connecting corridor.

As Southern California continues to expand into undeveloped land the need more wildlife corridors connecting the existing protected habitat will continue to grow if there is to be any hope of preserving the existing biodiversity. The Rim of the Valley conservation area is a bold strategy to connect the large habitat of the San Gabriel Mountains with the Santa Monica Mountains and protect this area under the umbrella of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area’s status as part of the National Park system. It is the hope of this project that these areas receive biological corridors based on their importance to help to increase the potential biodiversity and provide safe crossings for the apex predator of the region represented as the North American cougar.