A mule deer crosses a highway in Utah. (Morten Flach Sortland Getty Images)
In 2022, the federal government and eight states (including seven we worked with) adopted bipartisan laws or policies to install bridges, tunnels, culverts, and fencing to conserve animal corridors and provide safe passage for wildlife and drivers alike.
Data to make a difference: Yes, government gridlock is real. But these victories show that evidence-based, nonpartisan solutions can pave the way to progress.
QUOTE OF NOTE
“These wins should mark just the start of durable solutions to conserve U.S. migration corridors.”
In short: just about any structure that helps animals cross over or under roads or rail. At The Pew Charitable Trusts, we help identify and conserve wildlife migration routes in the U.S.—including helping to plan and build bridges and underpasses for elk, pronghorn, and other animals.
Aerial view of an overpass, or green bridge, on Israel’s A1 highway. (Hagai Agmon-Snir)
Why support wildlife crossings?
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To help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.
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To conserve wildlife.
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To enable wildlife to move safely to more hospitable areas as climate change alters traditional ranges.
All of the above underscore the need to protect pathways for wildlife migrations—some of them thousands of years old—and promote healthy and connected landscapes. And that’s essential to ecosystems and economies across the Western U.S.
Underpass near Buena Vista, CO. (Matt Staver/Getty Images)