Canada's only population of endangered small-mouthed salamanders survives on Pelee Island, a single island in Lake Erie near the southern-most point of Canada. Hundreds to thousands of kilometres away, Canada lynx roam Canada's boreal forests, but climate change is gradually reshaping where suitable habitat exists for one of the country's most iconic predators. 

For more than 30 years, Dr. Dennis Murray, a biology professor at Trent University, has dedicated his career to understanding these two distinct species, among other wildlife. As Canada Research Chair in Integrative Wildlife Conservation, his research has helped governments and environmental agencies better understand how species respond to changing landscapes, climate change and human activity, informing recovery strategies and conservation planning across North America. 

His recent research on Canada lynx, for example, found the species historically occupied substantially more suitable habitat in the United States than previously recognized, suggesting conservation planning should consider historic, current, and future habitat together when developing long-term recovery strategies. 

Prof. Murray also works alongside Dr. Tom Hossie from the biology department and Dr. Chris Wilson with Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources here at Trent to study the small-mouthed salamanders on Pelee Island. The work is helping improve understanding of one of the country's rarest amphibians and the habitat it depends on for survival. 

A shift from doing research to using research

Decades of answering ecological questions in the field has led Prof. Murray to a broader question: what determines whether the science of conservation actually shapes the decisions to protect nature? 

"I've spent much of my career producing scientific evidence to help us better understand wildlife and ecosystems. As I've reached this stage in my career, I've become increasingly interested in what happens after we've found answers," said Prof. Murray. "How does that knowledge move beyond academic journals and into the policies and decisions that shape conservation on the ground?" 

That question became the focus of Prof. Murray's latest research, published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 

Working with 20 years of international research data across environmental sciences, as well as social sciences and humanities, Prof. Murray examined the relationship between academia, democratic governance, and environmental performance. What he found was a consistent pattern: countries experiencing declines in democratic governance also tended to experience declines in academic freedom and weaker environmental performance. 

"Environmental policy is only as strong as the evidence informing it," said Prof. Murray. "When scientific expertise becomes less influential, it becomes harder to develop policies that deliver lasting environmental and economic benefits."  

Economics of environmental management

The findings arrive as Canada pursues industrial ambitions alongside major environmental commitments, including the Paris Agreement, protecting 30 per cent of the country's lands and waters by 2030, and implementing recovery plans under the Species at Risk Act. 

Prof. Murray says these objectives should reinforce one another rather than compete,. 

"Strong scientific evidence helps governments understand not only the ecological consequences of decisions, but also their long-term economic costs and benefits,” said Prof. Murray. "The federal commitment to protect 30 per cent of Canada's lands and waters by 2030 reflects an important international commitment, but area-based conservation targets alone are not reliable proxies for ecological resilience. Conservation outcomes depend on ecological prioritization, landscape connectivity, Indigenous governance capacity and long-term monitoring systems, which are best informed by credible research." 

Building on the findings published in Frontiers of Ecology and Evolution, Prof. Murray is developing a collaboration with Dr. Cristine de Clercy, Trent’s inaugural Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership, to better understand how environmental research moves from universities into public policy. Together, they hope to strengthen connections between researchers, policymakers, and communities so that environmental decisions better reflect the best available scientific evidence while supporting sustainable economic development. 

"I've watched conservation science answer increasingly complex questions over the past few decades. Today, the challenge is ensuring that knowledge reaches people making decisions before opportunities to protect species and ecosystems are lost. The future of species like the small-mouthed salamander or Canada lynx won't be determined alone by whether we can do good science. It will matter greatly how we use it." 

Learn more about Conservation Biology and Canada Research Chairs at Trent University.