A Pennsylvania environmental research group is calling on lawmakers to better support wildlife corridor projects. That refers to any sort of structure that helps wildlife get around man-made infrastructure, like roads or dams.
Pennsylvania consistently ranks in the top five states for animal-vehicle collisions. That’s according to a new report from the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, a statewide non-profit.
“I don't think I know anyone in Pennsylvania that doesn't have a deer crash story, either themselves or their family," said Stephanie Wein, the report's author. "And those are just the accidents that are being reported.”
Wein said these accidents aren’t just costly and dangerous for drivers. They also contribute to the decline of endangered species.
Near State College, there are several underpasses beneath I-99.
“They were placed in those areas to help direct the wildlife to cross under the highway at the places where their traffic was highest," Wein said.
Wein said wildlife mortality significantly dropped at each of those sites. Her report highlights similar projects across the state, including fencing near the Juniata River in Mount Union to protect northern map turtles.
“Wildlife corridors include a variety of successful techniques that are critical for helping all of our wildlife, large and small," Wein said. "We see successes all across the Commonwealth already, but what we lack is a statewide plan for wildlife corridors.”
Wein said lawmakers should create a centralized group to partner with conservation nonprofits that are already doing this work.
