This policy proposal advocates for establishing a Cascades Transboundary Multispecies Connectivity Agreement to protect ecological corridors from Northern California through Oregon, Washington, and into British Columbia. It emphasizes that habitat continuity is not just a conservation goal but a justice obligation for the more-than-human world. Drawing on the Endangered Species Act, Species at Risk Act, and critical legal precedents such as TVA v. Hill (1978) and Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia (2014), the paper suggests a binational framework that harmonizes environmental policies across jurisdictions while prioritizing Indigenous co-governance.

The proposed Transboundary Connectivity Council would bring together U.S., Canadian, and Indigenous authorities to identify and protect migration routes for animals such as grizzly bears, wolverines, caribou, lynx, and salmon, combining Western science with Indigenous knowledge. By aligning existing laws, respecting relational governance, and incorporating ecological justice into formal policy, this proposal rethinks borders not as barriers but as shared responsibilities within a living bioregion.

Oregon State University, 2025 (Full Version)