The Mammoth Lakes U.S. 395 Wildlife Crossings Project has taken important steps forward toward becoming a reality recently, according to the Wildlife Crossing Fund, which supports innovative infrastructure systems that reconnect ecosystems disrupted by roadways.
Beth Pratt, president and CEO of the Wildlife Crossing Fund, said this week that certain project requirements have been met, including:
• The completion of the Project Approval and Environmental Document and 30% of the designed plans, which Caltrans accomplished in April, thanks to a $3.17 million grant from the State of California’s Wildlife Conservation Board.
• The carrying out of an extensive design workshop and review in 2024 and 2025, which the Wildlife Crossing Fund took care of with help from Chicago-based landscape architecture and ecology firm Rock Design Associates.
“Environmental permitting is a tough stage to get through,” Pratt said. “A lot of these projects don’t even get past this stage.”
For more about Wildlife Crossings, visit wildlifecrossingfund.org