From April to June, Wildlands Network held three webinars on wildlife infrastructure projects in partnership with ARC Solutions, the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, and the National Parks Conservation Association.

This third 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. 

•  Renee Callahan, Executive Director of ARC Solutions, reviewed the new federal funding opportunities to help pay for crossings that were unlocked by the infrastructure bill. She also covered what entities were eligible to apply for the funds, timelines for applying, and any matching requirements.

• Tony Cady, Region Planning and Environmental Manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation (DOT), next presented on funding opportunities for crossings within the existing federal formula-allocation programs, including the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) set-aside, among others. He also discussed how best to get involved and engage with the state DOT on state-led programs.

• Finally, Chris Slesar, Environmental Services Manager of the Vermont Agency of Transportation rounded out the webinar by doing a deep dive into the Monkton, Vermont’s community’s successful effort to secure two TAP grants (one for a feasibility study and the second for implementation) for two amphibian crossings. The final crossing is now an amphibian highway under the road. Even small mammals ended up benefitting from this new crossing.