Andrew Montijo

As urbanization and infrastructural development continue to fragment natural habitats, wildlife face significant challenges in maintaining connectivity, which is essential for their migration, reproduction, and survival. Climate change further exacerbates these issues, altering species’ movement patterns and increasing the frequency of human-wildlife conflicts as species’ ranges shift north in response to a warming climate. This project seeks to address the growing need for design strategies that support wildlife habitat connectivity across various land-use types, from rural to urban settings, using the Northeastern United States as a testing ground. By carefully selecting target species, using geospatial analysis to inform planning, and strategically applying design interventions across sites of different land uses, this project will explore how to harmonize development with ecological needs, offering a framework for landscape planning that can be applied anywhere.