Wyoming wildlife gets a boost from millions in grants

Money to be used for migration route programs, dangerous road crossings
 
POWELL — Millions in funding is streaming in to assist the state’s big game herds, including $250,000 in grants to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for migration corridors and a $24.3 million grant for Department of Transportation wildlife crossings. 
 
Two grants to Game and Fish totaling $250,000 will assist the state in continuing work on securing ungulate migration corridors. 
 
The first grant from the Department of Interior gives Wyoming a share in a $5.55 million grant with members of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA), bringing $200,000 to the state. The Association was unable to apply for the grant itself, so Wyoming officials offered to handle the application. 
 
Recipients in the grant include 18 states, five Canadian provinces and places where wildlife movement is needed to sustain species across the West. 
 
The project will advance existing corridor plans and supply an opportunity for information sharing from Indigenous communities. The money is to be used on projects that enhance, prioritize, restore and conserve habitats that improve landscape permeability and connectivity; directly contribute to overall ecosystem resiliency and biodiversity; and provide economic benefits to rural communities, according to a Department of Interior announcement. 
 
The funds are part of a federal government collaboration with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation program called the America the Beautiful Challenge. 
 
In November, the program awarded more than $140 million in grants to 74 recipients across 46 states, three U.S. territories and 21 tribal nations, and will generate at least $12 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of more than $153 million. 
 
“Nature is essential to the health, wellbeing and prosperity of every community in America. Through the president’s Investing in America agenda, we have the historic opportunity to invest in locally led, collaborative efforts that can help combat the impacts of climate change, advance environmental justice, and safeguard the lands and waters we all love,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “I’m thrilled that in this year’s grant selections, 40% of the projects awarded will be implemented by tribal communities, putting Indigenous knowledge at the center of our conservation work.” 
 
Wyoming also received $50,000 for the Pooled Migration Fund from the NextEra Energy Foundation. 
 
The Pooled Migration Fund is dedicated to supporting the United States Department of Agriculture and State of Wyoming’s Big Game Pilot, which aims to conserve big game populations that migrate across working lands in Wyoming. 
 
It has three main strategies: land conservation, habitat restoration and long-term private lands stewardship, the department reported. 
 
“The WYldlife Fund is grateful for the support from NextEra Energy Resources as it enables us to make significant strides in preserving Wyoming’s exceptional big game species and their migratory corridors,” said WYldlife Fund President Chris McBarnes. “This generous contribution will help us implement projects that will have a lasting positive impact on Wyoming’s wildlife and their ecosystems.” 
 
The Pooled Migration Fund supports stewardship of private lands within the recently state-designated Platte Valley, Baggs and Sublette mule deer migration corridors, as well as multi-species seasonal ranges in the Shoshone River Valleys in the Cody Region and the Big Horn Basin. 
 
These initiatives will play a pivotal role in safeguarding the migratory routes and habitats of the state’s diverse wildlife, ensuring important species continue to thrive in their natural environments, according to the announcement. 
 
“At NextEra Energy Resources, we are committed to conservation and stewardship of wildlife and their habitats in the states we call home,” said Matt Raffenberg, vice president of environmental services for NextEra Energy Resources. “We are proud to support the Pooled Migration Fund, which aligns with our mission as an industry leader in renewable energy to support sustainable practices and find real-world solutions to address large-scale conservation challenges.” 
 
In what is being called a “victory for transportation safety and wildlife,” the Wyoming Department of Transportation announced Tuesday it will receive a $24.3 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to complete a wildlife crossing project south of Kemmerer. The grant will be used for the Kemmerer Wildlife Crossing Project on U.S. Highway 189 and consists of five underpasses, one overpass and fencing improvements along a 30-mile stretch between Evanston and Kemmerer. 
 
“This project exemplifies Wyoming’s leadership in demonstrating a collaborative approach where we work together to solve problems,” Gov. Mark Gordon said. “Through the efforts of our agencies and the involvement of private sector partners and landowners, we’re able to create a safer transportation corridor that conserves our world-class wildlife along a critical migration.” 
 
The project is designed to provide motorists with a safer means of travel while ensuring wildlife can continue to migrate between seasonal ranges. 
 
Along the route an average of 80 deer-vehicle collisions are reported annually — although this number is likely underreported, the state reported. Traffic is expected to increase on this stretch of road in the coming years as a nuclear power facility will be constructed near Kemmerer. 
 
Once completed, this project is anticipated to eliminate 80%-90% of wildlife-vehicle collisions. 
 
“This is a great triumph for the state,” said Darin Westby, WYDOT director. “Our mission is to provide a safe and effective transportation system for all of Wyoming, including its wildlife.”
 
This story was published on December 7, 2023.