Kick-off of PONT Connect!

Thirty people from twelve organisations from three countries united in the Greek part of Prespa on 27 & 28 March 2025. Under the leadership of PONT, the first in-person meeting of ‘PONT Connect’ was hosted in the premises of the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP).

Protected areas and conserved areas are far more effective at conserving nature when they are connected rather than when isolated. Ecological connectivity, facilitated through ecological (connectivity) corridors, helps integrate landscape elements to ensure species can move between protected areas.  PONT, with the help of local experts, identified seven Connectivity Conservation Areas (CCAs). The objective of these CCAs is to maintain, enhance and restore ecological connectivity. Twelve NGOs work on pilot interventions in the CCAs through different grants. PONT wants to learn from and build on these pilot activities as part of the larger programme named ‘PONT Connect’.

The aim of PONT Connect is to ‘improve the conservation of ecosystem connectivity and the sustainable co-management of ecological corridors thereby maintaining and enhancing linkages between cross-border protected areas.’ The NGOs, experts in their fields, are identifying, analysing, prioritising and describing key ecological corridors in the wider CCAs. Data collection and a synthesis will inform recommendations and outline the next steps, with priority given to Natura 2000 sites and Other Effective Area-based conservation Measures (OECM) in line with international nature conservation obligations and EU accession procedures. PONT’s financial support to NGOs is directed towards the implementation of connectivity conservation priority actions linked to activities aimed at developing society, improving communities and promoting citizen participation in conservation. Improved understanding will lead to a balanced approach between ecological and socio-economic objectives in the governance and management of corridors. NGOs will expand, scale, or replicate activities if work is positively evaluated.

This new initiative is supported by the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) with co-financing from Fondation Hans Wilsdorf and PONT. PONT Connect is envisaged for an initial period of five years (2025-2029) to ensure the analysis of results of the pilot phase and a full cycle of follow-up grants. All PONT grant applications are screened on potential Environmental & Social Risks in accordance with the established PONT Environmental Social Management System. The initial development of PONT Connect was supported via the Sigrid Rausing Trust and a Bellagio Residency by the Rockefeller Foundation.