A major infrastructure project to protect Vermont's wildlife has been shelved indefinitely because of cost concerns and uncertainty over funding.
What's happening?
The state had planned to build a wildlife crossing to connect protected lands in Mount Mansfield and Camel's Hump. As Vermont Public reported, the project featured an underpass at Sharkeyville Brook to allow wildlife to traverse Interstate 89 and Route 2 safely.
There is an existing culvert, but it's much too small, and there's no record of animals actually using it. A conservation planner with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department described it as a "pinhole of light."
The proposed underpass would have been 150 feet wide, providing ample room for animals to avoid the traffic overhead. The intention was to use federal funds for the project, but those are capped at $25 million and will expire soon. With an estimated cost of $50 million, the project was scrapped by state officials, who cited the high cost.
Why are wildlife crossings important?
According to the Federal Highway Administration, 365 million animals are killed on American highways each year, or about 1 million every day. Of course, this is not a unique problem to the United States; vulnerable species worldwide could be driven to extinction without intervention. For example, a study found that Brazil's maned wolf and little spotted cat, South Africa's brown hyena, and India's leopard could all be wiped out within 50 years.
Wildlife crossings have proved effective in other areas, though research is still in the early phase. "Placed in areas of known wildlife movement, wildlife crossing structures with associated elements such as fencing have been shown to reduce motorist collisions involving wildlife by up to 97%," according to a study of the infrastructure in Western states.
Unfortunately, as this and many other stories illustrate, even when a solution is effective, it remains an uphill battle to navigate the complex political landscape.
What can be done to protect wildlife from vehicles?
While discouraging, such setbacks are only temporary if there is sufficient desire to overcome them. The vast majority of bills introduced in Congress never see the light of day, but local action has a much greater chance of success. Raising awareness of climate issues, engaging in productive discussions, and supporting candidates who prioritize environmental concerns can and do make a significant difference in the long run.
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