California Bill Prioritizes Wildlife Connectivity in Regional Planning
Contact:
Mari Galloway, Wildlands Network, (209) 373-9973, mari@wildlandsnetwork.org
J.P. Rose, Center for Biological Diversity, (408) 497-7675, jrose@biologicaldiversity.org
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) introduced Assembly Bill 902 today that pushes regional planning and transportation agencies to prioritize wildlife connectivity and improve road safety in California.
The Connected Communities Act would require agencies tasked with regional transportation planning to consider how development and road projects would affect wildlife movement and design projects to minimize the creation of new barriers.
“Wildlife connectivity is one of those bipartisan issues that lawmakers and their constituents deeply care about,” said Assemblymember Nick Schultz. “It’s common sense for governmental agencies to come together and protect California’s unique and abundant wildlife. I want future generations to know that we took special care not to destroy precious habitat when planning new roads and development.”
Transportation projects and other development can cut into wildlife habitat, isolating deer, pumas, newts, and other animals. Without the ability to roam and find suitable mates, animals can suffer from inbreeding and other serious genetic diseases. Roads and freeways that slice up wildlife habitat can also be dangerous because of the increased chances of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
“Poorly planned roads and development can be deadly for animals and people alike, so I deeply appreciate this important legislative move to improve wildlife connectivity,” said J.P. Rose, urban wildlands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Mountain lions and desert tortoises don’t understand the borders of different government agencies, but those agencies have to work together to make sure animals can move around safely to find food and mates. We can protect California’s rich but fragile biodiversity by planning for future growth without creating more barriers.”
Regional agencies like the Southern California Association of Governments and Metropolitan Transportation Commission are tasked with guiding long-range transportation and influencing local land-use planning. There are 43 regional transportation agencies and 18 metropolitan planning organizations across the state.
“The Connected Communities Act marks a crucial step toward ensuring that California’s roads and development projects are aligned with ongoing state and federal efforts to reconnect and restore our increasingly fragmented landscapes for the benefit of both wildlife and humans,” said Mari Galloway, California program director at Wildlands Network. “By designing road infrastructure with wildlife movement in mind, we can restore essential habitat connections, reduce dangerous wildlife-vehicle collisions, and create a safer, more resilient future for all.”
A.B. 902 would require these agencies to prioritize wildlife connectivity and consult with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to minimize wildlife barriers in transportation planning.
The Connected Communities Act, sponsored by the Center and Wildlands Network, builds upon existing legislation aimed at improving government coordination to encourage better wildlife movement.
The Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act of 2022 requires Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity in the planning and designing transportation projects. The Room to Roam Act of 2024 requires local agencies to include wildlife connectivity in their general plans. The two bills signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom were authored by former Assemblymember Laura Friedman and sponsored by the Center and Wildlands Network.
Since 1991, Wildlands Network has been reconnecting, restoring, and rewilding North America so that life in all of its diversity can thrive.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
