Resources and Opportunities for Reducing Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions and Enhancing Habitat Connectivity
In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, now referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes an array of provisions related to conserving fish and wildlife. One of the most exciting elements of this historic legislation is a $350-million, competitive grant program called the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. This is the first-ever dedicated federal funding for structures that help fish and wildlife safely pass over and under roads while reconnecting habitat. Additionally, these projects are now eligible for funding from more than a dozen other transportation programs under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Center for Large Landscape Conservation’s Corridors & Crossings Program has created and jointly developed a number of resources—including toolkits, guides, and webinars—to assist eligible applicants and partners to understand and take advantage of these new funding and policy opportunities. Please revisit this page in the future as we continue to add and update these resources.
A Toolkit for Developing Effective Projects Under the Federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program
This resource includes:
- An overview of the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program and other fish and wildlife provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
- Suggestions for how applicants and their partners can engage
- Best practices, examples, and resources for designing effective wildlife crossing projects in accordance with each of the grant application criterion of the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program
Federal agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), have already begun to implement the new statute so now is the ideal time to start planning to apply for a grant under the new program.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53847/PZNN2279
In the spring of 2022, the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, ARC Solutions, the National Parks Conservation Association, and Wildlands Network hosted a webinar series designed to raise awareness about wildlife infrastructure, including new and expanded funding opportunities made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Learn more about each webinar and view recordings below.
Webinar 1
Summary:
This webinar took a big picture look at the problem, the solutions, and the benefits of reducing motorist crashes involving wildlife and reconnecting habitat across roadways.
Speakers:
Rob Ament – Western Transportation Institute
Patty Garvey-Darda – United States Forest Service
Scott Jackson – University of Massachusetts Amherst
Webinar 2
Summary:
This webinar looked at the role of data collection tools, “hotspot” analyses, and partnerships in identifying where to invest in wildlife infrastructure.
Speakers:
Elizabeth Fairbank – Center for Large Landscape Conservation
Liz Hillard – Wildlands Network
Jeff Hunter – National Parks Conservation Association
Jens Hawkins-Hilke – Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
Webinar 3
Summary:
This webinar provided an overview of new, expanded, and existing programs that can be used to pay for animal road crossing structures and other mitigation measures for wildlife.
Speakers:
Renee Callahan – ARC Solutions
Tony Cady – Colorado Department of Transportation
Chris Slesar – Vermont Agency of Transportation
Guide: Federal Funding Opportunities for Wildlife Crossings
New Resource! Land Trusts and Wildlife Crossing Structures
Banner Photo: Nevada Department of Wildlife
