Epic Three-Thousand Mile "Wildlife Crossings Across America" Road Trip Will Explore Animal Crossings and Connectivity Projects Across the United States

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Sep 12, 2023, 11:30 ET

Broadcast-quality images of the tour and real-time images of every stop on the journey will be available here.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, a partnership between the National Wildlife Federation's #SaveLACougars Campaign, Big Cat Voices, ARC Solutions, and The Wildlife Crossing Fund will launch the Wildlife Crossings Across America a series of epic road trips that will explore wildlife crossings and connectivity projects across the United States and beyond. This first leg will cover more than 3,000 miles over two weeks and will begin with a press conference on Friday, September 15th at 10:00 a.m. PST at the future site of the visionary Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills, near Los Angeles.

Featuring current and future wildlife crossings sites from California to Arizona to New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, New Orleans, and Florida – every stop will generate awareness for the perilous pathways of wildlife, showcase solutions that can save the lives of animals and raise awareness for the need for wildlife crossings.

The effort is being led by Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation and Director of The Wildlife Crossing Fund. It will include the expertise of a talented team including wildlife photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer, Steve Winter, environmental journalist and author Sharon Guynup, and Renee Callahan and Marta Brocki of ARC Animal Road Crossing Solutions. The core group will also be joined at each location by local partners working to advance wildlife connectivity initiatives.

Today, road trip team members shared their excitement, ahead of the official start of the road trip, later this week.

"I am leading this road trip to help raise awareness and support for the need for more wildlife crossings. I just spent over a decade working collaboratively with partners to bring the visionary Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing to life, but so many more crossings are needed. As I wrote in my eulogy to the globally beloved mountain lion, P-22, 'The most fitting memorial to P-22 will be how we carry his story forward in the work ahead. One crossing is not enough – we owe it to P-22 to build more crossings and connect the habitats where we live now." said Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation.

Pratt continues, "And we have the ability to build more. Wildlife crossings are nonpartisan. These are issues that we agree on. There are projects queued up across the country and around the world, and the only thing holding them up is dollars. If we can match public dollars with private dollars, dozens of projects could break ground. Tomorrow."

"Los Angeles' beloved cougar, P-22, built a huge wave of support for co-existing with nature. It manifested in construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing that spans the 10-lane 101 Freeway to connect habitat. Wild lands – animals' homes - are cut by roads, and safe passage is impossible." said Steve Winter, Wildlife Photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer. "Identifying key crossings and building underpasses and overpasses is the only hope for wildlife, from salamanders and frogs to elk, cougars, and other animals, many of them endangered. This is an idea whose time has come."

"Saving wildlife amidst a growing biodiversity crisis and rapidly changing climate demands 21st-century solutions," said environmental journalist and author Sharon Guynup. "Connecting habitat bisected by roadways is key: animals need to move in order to survive. Reporting on this nationwide effort—with this rock star team—will help create safe passage for America's wildlife and help insure their future."

"Unlike many of the issues we face today, we have proven solutions that can make roadways safer for both people and wildlife. Wildlife crossings are a critical strategy for protecting biodiversity, safeguarding motorists, and reweaving the landscapes we all call home," said Renee Callahan, Executive Director of ARC Solutions. "As we embark on building the next generation of infrastructure, let's do so in a way that supports the coexistence of humans and wildlife — from mule deer to mountain lions to monarch butterflies."

"Wildlife crossings reveal and highlight the landscapes and habitats our road networks have fragmented. By telling the stories of these structures – those who championed them and the wildlife and motorists they safeguard – we celebrate successes and inspire new connections. With many more wildlife crossings in place, we can begin to reconnect our landscapes and restore North America's wild ecosystems," said Marta Brocki, from ARC Solutions.

Studies show that roadways and major highways disrupt ecosystems, wreak havoc on wildlife and create serious hazards for drivers. There are an estimated one to two million collisions between cars and large animals every year in the United States and the annual cost of these collisions is over $9 billion. Research also shows that beyond the benefits they provide to wildlife and the ecosystems where they are constructed, green infrastructure and landscape connectivity structures also create jobs and boost local economies.

Complete Wildlife Crossings Across America Road Trip Schedule:

Date	Location
Fri, September 15	Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing – Agoura Hills, California I-15 Mojave Wildlife Crossing Restoration Project – Mojave Desert, California
Sat, September 16	Oracle Road Wildlife Crossings – Catalina, Arizona Steins Wildlife Corridor – Peloncillo Mountains, New Mexico
Sun, September 17	Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge – North of San Antonio, Texas
Mon, September 18	Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Ocelot Crossings – Los Fresnos, Texas
Wed, September 20	Black Bear Connectivity in Louisiana
Thurs, September 21	Wekiva Parkway Wildlife Crossings – North of Orlando, Florida
Fri, September 22-23	Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge Crossings – Southwestern Florida
Tue, September 26-28	"Corridor Connect: Ecology + Economy for a Better Florida" Conference – Orlando, Florida Presentation by Beth Pratt on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing on 9/28

The Wildlife Crossings Across America Road Trip is a collaborative effort of the National Wildlife Federation's #SaveLACougars Campaign, ARC Solutions, Big Cat Voices and The Wildlife Crossing Fund. The Wildlife Crossing Fund is a movement that aims to raise a half a billion dollars from private philanthropy, leverage public dollars – and accelerate the building of wildlife crossings across California, the United States, and beyond, reconnecting lands for our collective future.

For more on the Wildlife Crossings Across America road trip, visit: https://savelacougars.org/crossingsroadtrip/. You can also experience real-time updates by following Beth Pratt on Facebook and her Twitter Account.

Photos, videos, and special content from the trip will also be shared on the P-22 Mountain Lion Facebook page.

The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization with over 6 million supporters nationwide, uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SOURCE The National Wildlife Federation