Connecting Wildlife Habitat in a Fragmented World (In-Person & Live-Streamed Talk)

Jonathan Hayden, executive director of the New Mexico Land Conservancy, explores the critical importance of connecting fragmented wildlife habitats across the Southwest. He highlights how NMLC's conservation of land forming wildlife corridors supports species movement, genetic diversity, and long-term ecosystem resilience in the face of development and climate change. Hayden shares real-world examples from New Mexico, discusses collaborative conservation strategies with landowners and communities, and emphasizes why protecting and reconnecting these landscapes is essential for sustaining the state’s rich biodiversity.

About the presenter:

Jonathan Hayden is the Executive Director of the New Mexico Land Conservancy, where he leads efforts to preserve and connect New Mexico’s most important wild landscapes. Under his leadership, NMLC has spearheaded high-impact projects such as the protection of Chupadera Mesa, a culturally and ecologically rich landscape in central New Mexico, conservation of 25,000 acres of Lesser Prairie Chicken habitat, and countless other projects to sustain New Mexico's land, water, and wildlife.