Applying science to conservation challenges

ABOUT

Bronwyn Rayfield

I apply landscape ecology, spatial modelling, and conservation planning to address complex conservation challenges. I lead and contribute to collaborative projects involving researchers, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. My roles combine scientific analysis with coordinating teams and managing multi-year projects.

My work focuses on the effects of land use and climate change on ecological outcomes, including wildlife habitat, landscape connectivity, and ecosystem carbon storage. I develop analyses, predictive models, and decision-support tools that help identify effective strategies for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem function.

  • I completed a BSc in Environmental Science, majoring in Statistics, at the University of Guelph and a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. My PhD research focused on ecological connectivity and how it can be used in conservation planning.

  • My early career included postdoctoral research at McGill University, where I worked on both theoretical and applied questions in ecological connectivity. I then moved into consulting, applying ecological science to conservation challenges and increasingly taking on project and team leadership. I have now worked in applied conservation science for more than 10 years, currently as an independent consultant and Research Scientist at Carleton University, affiliated with the Bennett Lab.

EXPERTISE

Landscape Modelling

Building spatial models to understand landscape patterns, ecological processes, and future change.

  • Predictive modelling

  • Land-use change modelling

  • Scenario development

Conservation Decisions

Providing science-based evidence for conservation planning, prioritization, and policy development.

  • Spatial prioritizations

  • Evaluation of conservation options

  • Decision-support tools

Connectivity Analyses

Assessing ecological connectivity to understand species movement and identify barriers and corridors.

  • Connectivity modelling

  • Network analysis

  • Corridor identification

Natural Climate Solutions

Evaluating nature-based solutions for their climate, ecological, and societal benefits.

  • Spatial opportunity mapping

  • Biodiversity and carbon assessment

  • Scenario evaluation

FEATURED PROJECTS

Landscape view of native grassland.

Tomorrow’s Prairies

Nature United, ECCC, AAFC, NCC, DUC, Bennett Lab

A collaborative initiative exploring the future of Canada’s remaining native grasslands under alternative land-use scenarios. The project combines landscape modelling with biodiversity and ecosystem carbon assessments to evaluate potential changes and support strategic grassland conservation planning.

  • Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference. May 5-7, 2026. Saskatoon. Collaborative science for Tomorrow’s Prairies: projecting grassland loss under conversion scenarios. Bronwyn Rayfield, Joseph Bennett, Lauren Bortolotti, Susan Cook-Patton, Emily Lindsay, Alison Long, Richard Schuster, Ronnie Drever.

  • Prairie Habitat Joint Venture Webinar. December 17, 2025. Virtual. Tomorrow's Prairies: Baselines and projections for grasslands in Canada. Ronnie Drever, Bronwyn Rayfield.

Tracking Progress Toward Global Biodiversity Targets

ECCC, Center for Large Landscape Conservation

An emerging area of work focused on measuring ecological connectivity in support of global biodiversity targets. This work develops and evaluates connectivity indicators to assess landscape connectivity, measure progress toward well-connected protected area networks, and inform biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning.

  • Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. July 26-31, 2026. Salt Lake City, Utah. A new indicator for measuring and tracking landscape connectivity per se over time. Richard Pither, Bronwyn Rayfield, Jason Pither, Scott Moran, Jeff Bowman, Michael Catchen.

  • The GitHub repository for the project is available here.

Planning for Connected Landscapes

MELCCFP, Gonzalez Lab

A long-term effort supporting connectivity conservation across southern Quebec. Using representative focal species and spatial modelling, this work identifies priority areas for maintaining and strengthening ecological connectivity under current conditions and future land-use and climate scenarios

  • Albert CH, Rayfield B, Dumitru M, Gonzalez A (2017). Applying network theory to prioritize multispecies habitat networks that are robust to climate and land-use change. Conservation Biology, 31:1383-1396. doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12943.

  • Interactive ArcGIS map showcasing a subset of project results.

  • Rayfield B, Larocque G, Martins KT, Lucet V, Daniel C, Gonzalez A (2021). Modélisation de la connectivité de l’habitat terrestre dans les basses-terres du Saint-Laurent selon différents scénarios de changements climatiques et d’occupation des sols. Report for MELCCFP, 34 pages. Available here.

    Rayfield B, Laroque G, Daniel C, Gonzalez A (2019). Une priorisation pour la conservation des milieux naturels pour les basses-terres du Saint-Laurent en fonction de leur importance pour la connectivité écologique. Report for MELCCFP, 36 pages. Available here.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Connectivity indices can predict population persistence in river networks: insights from a metapopulation model

Ali Gharouni, Richard Pither, Bronwyn Rayfield, David Cote & Frithjof Lutscher

Landscape Ecology, 2026

Open access

Spread of networked populations is determined by the interplay between dispersal behavior and habitat configuration

Bronwyn Rayfield, Celina B. Baines, Luis J. Gilarranz & Andrew Gonzalez

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2023

Open access

Operational assessment tool for forest carbon dynamics for the United States:
A new spatially explicit approach linking the LUCAS and CBM-CFS3 models

Benjamin M. Sleeter, Leonardo Frid, Bronwyn Rayfield, Colin Daniel, Zhiliang Zhu & David C. Marvin

Carbon Balance and Management, 2022

Open access
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