Critical Paths for Wildlife
Project #: 1771 – Updated: January 17, 2011
Project Summary
Prioritize north-south wildlife crossing areas along the spine of the Green Mountains of Vermont using historical and new road ecology science and wildlife passage techniques to fulfill State Wildlife Action Plan priorities to improve wildlife mobility and ability to survive a changing climate. Mitigation work will focus on identifying priority road crossing areas in need of land conservation and management attention.
view full descriptionLocation (by county):
["", "Bennington County (VT), ", "Franklin County (MA), ", "Franklin County (VT), ", "Windham County (VT), ", " (show more)", "Chittenden County (VT), ", "Addison County (VT), ", "Rutland County (VT), ", "Lamoille County (VT), ", "Washington County (VT), ", "Windsor County (VT), ", "Orleans County (VT), ", "Orange County (VT)", " (show less)"]
Watersheds:
["", "Lamoille, ", "West, ", "White, ", "Missisquoi, ", "Winooski, ", "Hudson-Hoosic, ", "Lake George, ", " (show more)", "Otter, ", "St. Francois, ", "Deerfield, ", "Black-Ottauquechee", " (show less)"]
Congressional Districts:
MA District 01, VT District 00
Bird Conservation Regions:
Lower Great Lakes/ St. Lawrence Plain, Atlantic Northern Forest
USFWS Regions:
Northeast Region
Project size:
4268111.61 acres
Public Access
| Site Name | Publicly Accessible |
|---|---|
| Spine of the Green Mountains | Yes |
| Spine of the Green Mountains | Yes |
Full Project Description
Prioritize north-south wildlife crossing areas along the spine of the Green Mountains of Vermont using historical and new road ecology science and wildlife passage techniques to fulfill State Wildlife Action Plan priorities to improve wildlife mobility and ability to survive a changing climate. Mitigation work will focus on identifying priority road crossing areas in need of land conservation and management attention.
Project Assistance & Partnership Opportunities
Funding
Additional funding would allow project partners to increase implementation measures to secure conservation and management attention for wildlife mobility along the Green Mountains in Vermont.
Goals and Targets
Primary motivations:
- Public Benefit
- Conservation Mission
Primary goals:
- Test our initial analysis through field verification to determine where there are bottlenecks and impermeable crossings
- Progress:
In progress.
- Utilize Geographic Information System modeling to prioritize critical north-south wildlife road crossings in the State of Vermont.
- Progress:
Completed
- Develop strategies that will increase the permeability of 5-10 priority sites through land conservation, local land use planning, road mitigation, or other roadside improvements.
- Progress:
In progress
Consistent with plans:
- Federal Land Management Plan
- State Wildlife Action Plan
Targeted habitats:
- Forests and Woodlands
- Mixed Hardwoods and Conifer
Targeted species:
- Fisher Martes pennanti
- American Black Bear Ursus americanus
- Bobcat Lynx rufus
- Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus
- Long-tailed Weasel Mustela frenata
- American Mink Neovison vison
Actions
Project Actions
Assistance
Direct Funding
In-Kind Contribution
Outcomes
Is the success of this project's actions being monitored? Yes
Please describe your monitoring activity.
Periodic evaluation of protocols designed to identify priority crossings.
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Organization
Vermont Natural Resources Council
(Non-Governmental Organization)
Primary Contact
George Gay
(Senior Program Manager ~ Climate Change)
National Wildlife Federation
Send email
Partners
- National Wildlife Federation, Northeast Regional Center, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
Project Photos
Photos were not provided.