Connections

Oftentimes roadways meant to create connection for us will disrupt access to needed habitat for our other-than-human relatives, but as that sense of cross-species relationship returns to our societies, people are investing in practices to re-build bridges. Literal ones, in some cases. For example, in the Brazilian Amazon, Smithsonian fellow Dr. Fernanda Abra leads Reconecta to help design canopy-travel options and study the effectiveness of each for different species of arboreal animals. The project works closely with the indigenous Waimiri-Atroari people to choose locations and designs, and more than 150 members helped construct and install over 30 bridges for tree-dwelling primates to move over roads. Other species benefit as well, with even snakes experimenting on the twisted rope bridge alternatives.

Image courtesy of Ana Rúbia Rossi

When roadway deaths are avoided and habitats reconnected, populations benefit from positive gene flow and forest composition regains greater diversity because of the seed dispersal and pollination roles these often endangered primates serve in their communities. Abra’s work with Brazil’s government agencies and universities has expanded the impact and earned her one of this year’s 15 Wayfinder Awards, joining the world community of National Geographic Explorers.

Other crossing initiatives, such as many here in the Rocky Mountains, have created partnerships across conservation and road safety organizations, as well as between local jurisdictions and national governments. Large ungulates here are the most frequent victims of roadway collisions, and also support a huge part of the region's tourism industry. They feature in the state wildlife agency budgets as well, with both local and outside hunting license fees contributing to salaries and project costs. Most typically, crossings are constructed as underpasses, but wide overpasses too offer safe passage for migrating groups of elk or pronghorn and for more solitary individuals, such as mountain lions and bobcats.

from Friends of the Bridger-Teton National Forest

The Friends of the Bridger-Teton supports an Ambassador program across the 6 counties of a 3.4 million acre national forest. Ambassadors are a human, rather than technological effort to support co-existence of our species with the multitude of others who call these landscapes home. Ambassadors visit with recreationists to be sure bear attractants are kept inaccessible to avoid dangerous habituation behavior, and they ensure eager roadway photographers give wildlife sufficient space. All of us can play a part in such efforts simply by planning our travels to move slowly when visibility is low, such as during these increasing hours of darkness at summer's end. In memory of a world-beloved grizzly matriarch killed in the higher-speed canyon south of her usual national park environs, all proceeds from my upcoming book launch in Alpine, WY will be given to this forward-acting organization.