Integrating regional-scale connectivity in habitat restoration: An application for amphibian conservation in eastern France

The results show that the priority areas identified by the model are similar to those suggested by local experts from a wildlife conservation association. The two approaches are complementary because they are applied on two different scales. The patch addition method can identify strategic areas for improving global connectivity by taking into account the regional scale. Experts' knowledge can target the precise location within the identified area for creating new habitats based on local factors of the surrounding context. In addition, our method can be also used to prioritize locations already decided on by landscape managers. Consequently, this protocol appears to be a useful tool for guiding habitat restoration in the field.