CENTER FOR LARGE LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION Wildlife crossings—including vegetation-covered overpasses spanning a highway and their less-apparent underpass cousins—are becoming more familiar in the West. The “Animals’ Bridge” over Montana Highway 93 on the Flathead Reservation and dozens of underpasses along the same route are Montana’s best-known examples. In the coming years, U.S. Highway 191 south of| Explore Big Sky | Your Local Source for News, Culture & Events
On May 8, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill into law that will help keep drivers and wildlife safe on the state’s roadways. House Bill 855 creates a dedicated fund and authorizes a new state specialty license plate expected to generate up to $160,000 per year. Revenues from sales of the plate will help contribute to the planning, design, and construction of wildlife crossing structures, which have been proven to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. The Center for Large Landscape ...| Center for Large Landscape Conservation
The Center’s work is part of a larger movement to not only connect landscapes, but also help ensure that waters are connected for fish and other aquatic species. In particular, the Gallatin River is known for healthy populations of rainbow trout, brown trout, and Westslope cutthroat trout, which need to move be able to move freely to remain abundant and healthy.| Center for Large Landscape Conservation
In early September, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) applied to the federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program for a discretionary grant to help fund a $26-million project that includes a new wildlife overpass, upgrades to an existing underpass, and a bridge retrofit to allow wildlife to pass safely over and beneath US Highway 191 in Southwest Montana. Through the Montana Wildlife and Transportation Partnership, MDT teamed with the Bozeman-based, nonprofit Center for Large Landsca...| Center for Large Landscape Conservation
