Panel
Patricia Cramer, Wildlife Connectivity Institute
James Hirsch, Environmental Scientist, New Mexico Department of Transportation
Jeff Gagnon, Researcher, Arizona Game and Fish Department
Gregg Servheen, Wildlife Program Coordinator, Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Alissa Salmore, Senior Environmental Planner, Idaho Transportation Department
Nova Simpson, Northern Nevada Biological Supervisor and Wildlife Mitigation Specialist. Nevada Department of Transportation,
Emanuel Vasquez, Senior GIS Analyst, Wild Utah Project
Katie Rodriguez, Senior Biologist and Planner, Caltrans
Overview
This panel will present a range of collaboration and cooperation that exists between transportation and wildlife agencies in western U.S states. The seven states represented by the speakers are working to include wildlife data into transportation planning, especially with respect with Interior Secretarial Order 3362 (https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/so_3362_migration.pdf ). This order directs appropriate bureaus within the Department of Interior to work with western states to improve habitat quality in western big game winter range and migration corridors. The collaboration and cooperation among the agencies and states is a model for other U.S. states and Canadian provinces to work cooperatively and proactively to monitor wildlife populations, map wildlife-vehicle conflict, and plan for wildlife connectivity while reducing wildlife-vehicle conflict. The goals of this session are to inform participants of what these states are doing to protect wildlife and their connectivity, and for participants to discuss challenges and potential solutions for gathering data, building collaboration, and potential improvements to the upcoming Transportation Act. The Secretarial Order has spurred considerable interest in wildlife connectivity especially with respect to roads and it is important for ICOET to sponsor a session that addresses what states are doing for wildlife and connectivity in the west.