#SaveLACougars is a campaign of the National Wildlife Federation with core partners.
The core leadership team that oversees the project includes representatives from the National Wildlife Federation, Caltrans, the National Park Service, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority. Leadership is also advised by a world-renowned design team led by a landscape architectural practice, Living Habitats LLC, that collaborates with Caltrans and coordinates with a broad team of wildlife crossing experts in the planning, design, and construction of the wildlife crossing.
As one of the oldest and largest conservation groups, the NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION has 6 million supporters across the country and a successful track record of large scale conservation work, such as multi-million dollar projects in the Great Lakes or the Gulf Coast. The non-profit is responsible for conservation guidance and education, fundraising, and outreach for the project.
The MOUNTAINS REC-REATION & CONSERVATION AUTHORITY is dedicated to the preservation and management of local open space and parkland. These two entities share joint oversight for the land the crossing connects, and will provide the long-term management of the habitat on the crossing.
Between 2019 and 2024, LIVING HABITATS LLC served as lead project manager, guiding the wildlife design and collaborating with Caltrans District 7 on the preparation of the final engineering drawings. Additionally, the LH team is working with the Project Partners – Caltrans, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, the National Park Service, the National Wildlife Federation and the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains – to develop outreach and communication materials for the project as well as collaborating with scientists, researchers, and academics to infuse the design with the best available knowledge and advances in related fields of study.
CALTRANS is the largest transportation agency in the nation and manages more than 50,000 miles of California’s highway and freeway lanes. The agency is responsible for the development, construction, and maintenance of the crossing.
The NATIONAL PARK SERVICE manages Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area—the largest urban park in the country—where the crossing is located. The agency also conducts the important study of mountain lions and other wildlife in the region.
Since 1980, the SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY has helped to preserve over 75,000 acres of parkland in both wilderness and urban settings.