Within the framework of the European Union Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and the Green Infrastructure Communication Enhancing Europe’s Natural Capital, the Directorate General of Environmental Policies and Nature has promoted the Green Infrastructure Programme of Catalonia. This is a key-planning instrument of priority actions that aims to strengthen and improve the region’s green infrastructure. The programme has two strategic objectives: to enhance biodiversity and ecosystems functions, and to improve the sustainability of human activities concerning green infrastructure. Among the operational objectives related to biodiversity and ecosystems functions, there is one related to restoration of ecological connectors’ functions. This communication is focused on the methodology and results regarding the achievement of this specific objective. In other words, it is focused on the identification of critical areas and the definition of specific actions for habitat defragmentation, permeabilisation of terrestrial transport infrastructures, and restoration of ecological connectors’ functions in Catalonia. The methodology for the identification of these critical areas is as follows: firstly, we developed a GIS analysis to identify critical areas for ecological connectivity, using available information about ecological connectors, road kills, and potential areas for defragmentation. For that purpose, we updated the database about critical areas for ecological connectivity (Basis of ecological connectivity information, Government of Catalonia, 2012). We have done this in following way: (1) adding new critical areas as a result of overlapping road kills spots (Government of Catalonia, 2012 and 2014) or potential areas for defragmentation (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, 2013) with principal and secondary ecological connectors (Basis of ecological connectivity information, Government of Catalonia, 2012). (2) Eliminating critical areas where connectivity infrastructures were already constructed (Inventory of connectivity structures in Catalonia’s road network, 2014). (3) Grouping critical areas when cases were concentrated. Secondly, we constructed additional critical areas as a result of the expert consultation. Finally, we carried out fieldwork for a more precise diagnostic and a better formulation of the required actions and their viability. We identified 46 critical areas for the restoration of ecological connectors’ functions: 40 as a result of the GIS analysis, and six from the expert consultation. Proposals were prioritised considering data such as the relevance of the ecological connector, the severity of the road kills spots, the protection level of the area, and the presence of protected habitats and endangered species. Annually, we will select critical areas from this list for their restoration, according to the available budget. Among priority, other criteria such as land property, responsibility, cost, and action opportunity are taken into account when selecting proposals for their implementation. Thus, seven critical areas have already been selected to begin with their implementation process, and one has already been restored. The definition of concrete restoration actions for each area and its prioritisation was essential for proceeding with its execution in the frame of the Green Infrastructure Programme of Catalonia.
