Safe Passage

The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project

safe passage

Safe Passage’s Jeff Hunter named N.C. Wildlife Federation’s 2022 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year

On July 20, as part of the 58th Annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards, North Carolina Wildlife Federation announced Safe Passage’s Jeff Hunter as the 2022 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year.

Hunter, senior program manager for National Parks Conservation Association, was nominated for this award by his Safe Passage colleagues, who cited his instrumental leadership in driving the organization’s mission forward.

“Jeff’s humanity, talent, and commitment brought diverse interests together in common purpose when nothing less would have succeeded,” said Don Barger, who initially brought Hunter in to the project that later became Safe Passage. “The project serves as a lesson and a template for all of those interested in preserving the integrity and connectivity of our living landscape.”

Hunter will be honored at a banquet, held Sept. 10 in Cary, N.C., alongside 18 other award recipients — including agency professionals, elected officials, volunteers and organizations committed to conserving the state’s wildlife, habitat and natural resources.

The annual awards are an opportunity for N.C. Wildlife Federation to honor and highlight positive wildlife conservation efforts around the state, while also serving as an inspiration for others to become more active in protecting natural resources for future generations.

Jeff Hunter speaks to a group of college students about road ecology—how roads affect both nearby plants and animals—under the Bluffton Bridge on Interstate 40 near Hartford, Tennessee, as part of a data-driven collaborative effort to improve wildlife connectivity and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in the Pigeon River Gorge.

“For nearly 60 years, the awards program has been bringing together conservationists from across the state working to protect wildlife, air, water and land,” said T. Edward Nickens, chair of the NCWF Awards Committee. “This year’s conservation heroes are land stewardship champions, water advocates and leaders in preserving unique ecosystems.”

Excerpt from N.C. Wildlife Foundation:

Wildlife Conservationist of the Year, Jeff Hunter

Jeff Hunter spent 20 years in telecommunications before an Appalachian Trail thru-hike inspired him to follow a new career path in wildlife conservation.

As a senior program manager with the National Parks Conservation Association, Hunter uses road ecology projects and wildlife mortality research to create wildlife passages and corridors that preserve the integrity and connectivity of Western North Carolina’s natural landscapes.

Hunter’s leadership is instrumental to Safe Passage, a public-private collaboration between local, state, tribal and federal agencies, land managers, conservation organizations and community members. The initiative helps increase wildlife corridors, reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, improve driving conditions, and build climate resiliency through restored wildlife connections.

The group recommends ways the North Carolina Department of Transportation and other agencies can support free wildlife movement and improve habitat connectivity without compromising conventional highway project funds. Ecological highway solutions include wildlife-only structures and overpasses, modified bridge replacements, and acquiring land near highways to stabilize wildlife areas.

“Jeff strives to raise — and succeeds in raising — all voices and genuinely making space for others to lead or contribute in meaningful ways,” said Safe Passage Co-research Lead Steve Goodman. “He is not just a delegator of duties for our collaborative but is also willing to roll up his shirt sleeves and utilize his diverse arsenal of professional skills to fill any voids or respond to any new opportunity or challenge. He is willing to shoulder the heaviest of burdens that arise in any multi-party, diverse endeavor.”

Jeff Hunter has given a host of presentations, both in person and on Zoom, to students and adults, about the work of Safe Passage: The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper met with Safe Passage supporters on June 2 at the Western Office of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources in Asheville.

Goodman went on to say that the dream of most researchers is “to have adequate resources of equipment, time, trust, and autonomy to design, implement, analyze data, and report findings in a rigorous and meaningful way. At no time in my 25-year wildlife biology career has this level of support been on such display as it has under Jeff’s visionary leadership. Even during the darkest days of the pandemic when NPCA’s nationwide staff were sequestered at home, he secured exclusive permission from our president for me to continue our fieldwork without stoppage.”

Read more about N.C. Wildlife Federation’s 58th Annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards here.

Research results unveiled for Safe Passage project area, providing framework for wildlife–vehicle collision prevention

The burden imposed by I-40 on wildlife habitat connectivity and transportation safety makes the Pigeon River Gorge a national priority site for wildlife–vehicle collision mitigation.

On June 29, two partners of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition — Wildlands Network and the National Parks Conservation Association — released their official report, Road Ecology Research and Mitigation Strategies to Improve Wildlife Connectivity and Human Safety along I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge.

The much-anticipated report details the findings of more than three years of roadside research in the I-40 Pigeon River Gorge project area combined with analysis of 20 years of historical data. The study was one of largest road ecology research projects ever completed in the eastern United States.

The report was authored by a team of cooperating researchers and scientists:

  • Liz Hillard – Ph.D., Senior Wildlife Biologist, Wildlands Network
  • Steve Goodman – Conservation Biologist, National Parks Conservation Association
  • Ron Sutherland – Ph.D., Chief Scientist, Wildlands Network
  • Jeff Hunter – Southeast Regional Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association

Based on the research findings, the report provides 20 detailed mitigation recommendations for improvements to existing structures or creation of new structures throughout the Gorge, and calls for installation of a system of strategically placed wildlife fencing. Additionally, through consensus, the report’s authors provide seven “top priority” recommendations, including key opportunities to construct wildlife overpasses and install larger culverts under the highway.

Click here to read the executive summary of the report, and click here to read the report in full.

READ THE SUMMARY

The research provides the framework for mitigation strategies to both improve existing structures and construct new wildlife-specific structures to reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) and increase wildlife habitat connectivity.

Fletcher students, Safe Passage partners met with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper June 2 to advocate for wildlife crossings in the state

On June 2, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper met with student supporters, representatives, and partners of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition in a roundtable discussion about the importance of wildlife crossings in the state. 

Three fifth grade students from FernLeaf Community Charter School in Fletcher delivered letters to the governor advocating for wildlife safety along North Carolina’s highways.

Held at the Western Office of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the meeting was also attended by representatives from National Parks Conservation Association, The Wilderness Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, The Conservation Fund, N.C. Wildlife Federation and Wildlands Network — as well as N.C. Wildlife Resources Commissioner Brad Stanback, Secretary Reid Wilson of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and other key figures in the wildlife-crossing work.

Safe Passage facilitator Jeff Hunter began the meeting by introducing the coalition and its mission, then turned the spotlight over to the group’s scientists and researchers, who presented the data that’s been collected and explained how that data will be used to drive decisions about future wildlife crossing locations. 

From left to right: Hugh Irwin of The Wilderness Society; Bill Holman of The Conservation Fund; Brad Stanback of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission; Christine Laporte of Wildlands Network; Tanya Prater from FernLeaf Community Charter School faculty; Ben Prater of Defenders of Wildlife; Nikki Robinson of Wildlands Network; Alexis Hinchliffe of FernLeaf Community Charter School faculty; Joy Mast, Elsa Rule and Cailee Montague, students of FernLeaf Community Charter School; Governor Roy Cooper; Hanni Muerdter of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy; Liz Hillard of Wildlands Network; Jeff Hunter of National Parks Conservation Association; Secretary Reid Wilson of N.C. Department of Natural & Cultural Resources; Aurora “Rory” Wynne, intern of National Parks Conservation Association; Manley Fuller of N.C. Wildlife Federation; Steven Dobey of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation; Emma DuFort of Great Smoky Mountains Association; Steve Goodman of National Parks Conservation Association. Photos by Jerry Greer, courtesy National Parks Conservation Association.

The three students then presented letters from their class, which were drafted during a project-based learning module about the impact of roadways on wildlife and how wildlife crossings can keep both people and animals safe. Over the course of the lesson module, hosted by Defenders of Wildlife and the Safe Passage Fund Coalition, students spent time reading “A Search for Safe Passage,” published by Great Smoky Mountains Association, and enjoyed a field trip to the Pigeon River Gorge to see firsthand how the Safe Passage Fund Coalition is working to make this section of Interstate 40 safer. 

“‘A Search for Safe Passage’ was written to engage the next generation — those who may inherit this work in the next 15-20 years — in environmental advocacy.”

— Emma DuFort, illustrator of “A Search for Safe Passage,” who spoke about the book and its message for young people at the June 2 meeting

They also learned the basics of advocacy and how to use social media to share important messages with the world. As part of their advocacy efforts, many of the students wrote letters to the governor asking for support for wildlife crossings locally and across North Carolina.

Following this presentation, the group continued engaging Gov. Cooper in thoughtful discussion, exploring the science behind wildlife crossings and examining the potential for crossings in the state. The group also emphasized that North Carolina could become a leader for this type of work in the Eastern United States, elevating the state’s profile on a national level by improving safety for travelers through progressive, science-driven crossing designs — and the governor voiced his enthusiastic support.

The students present their letters, and those from classmates, to Gov. Cooper.
NPCA’s Steve Goodman emphasizes to Gov. Cooper the evidence-based approach to this work.
NPCA’s Jeff Hunter greets FernLeaf Charter school students and faculty.
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commissioner Brad Stanback speaks to Gov. Cooper about Safe Passage: The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project.

Science Blog: Not just about the bears – Researchers consider mesocarnivore needs in Safe Passage study

By Steve Goodman, Volgenau Wildlife Research Fellow with National Parks Conservation Association & Co-research Lead for the Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Connectivity Study

Though the target species of our Safe Passage research are black bear, elk and white-tailed deer — selected because they are relatively easy to monitor and are of the highest concern from a driver safety perspective — they’re not the only animals we’ve studied through this project.

We’ve also collected data on mesocarnivores, which are small to mid-sized mammals whose diets are mostly comprised of other animals, and we are assessing their needs for safe passage under Interstate 40 as well. Mesocarnivores in our study area include bobcats, coyotes, gray foxes, long-tailed weasels, otters, raccoons, red foxes and Eastern spotted skunks.

While improving safe passage for larger mammals should, in general, benefit smaller critters too, several mesocarnivores have very specific requirements that we also must consider when planning new structures or improving existing ones.

We also always work on increasing our understanding of the needs of even smaller animals — like frogs, salamanders and snakes — but that is for a future blog.

Through wildlife camera research in the Pigeon River Gorge, Safe Passage researchers have observed these mesocarnivore species (and more), just within the forested I-40 right-of-way.

Event: Grateful Dead stream + benefit for Safe Passage, May 25

Just one day shy of the concert’s 50th anniversary, join Safe Passage in grooving to the Grateful Dead’s scintillating London performance from May 26, 1972, streaming in its entirety at Homeplace Beer Co. in Burnsville. Jeff Hunter from National Parks Conservation Association will emcee the event; the evening will also raise awareness and funds for Safe Passage: The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project.
Come out and meet some of the local conservationists working to improve wildlife’s ability to safely cross I-40 near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A good time is guaranteed for all!

Wildlands Network’s Nikki Robinson reflects on Safe Passage TEDx Talk

By Nikki Robinson, North Carolina Project Manager, Wildlands Network

“How do you feel about roadkill?”

I asked this question countless times over the last few months while rehearsing my TEDx talk in front of friends and family. It was usually answered with a blank stare, and sometimes even a chuckle. 

Many didn’t know how to respond. It’s not something they’ve considered, although all agreed it’s a bad thing. I kept asking.

Almost everyone has a personal anecdote of hitting an animal while in the car, or at least experiencing a close call. With larger animals, these incidents include unfortunate collision-related costs and injuries. So why are we not talking about this more?

Nikki Robinson was one of nine speakers at the 2022 TEDx Asheville event, which carried a fitting theme of Building Bridges; Opening Doors. Robinson — who manages conservation projects, coalitions, and initiatives that Wildlands Network is pursuing in North Carolina — gave a presentation about how to stop roadkill in the state.

Reducing roadkill is a win for human safety, a win for economics, and a win for the environment. And once that message becomes clear, people tend to open up about how they feel—and are interested in finding solutions to prevent it.

Recently, new federal funding opportunities for projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and reconnect natural landscapes were announced, and conservation groups are collaborating with state agencies to compete for these grants. We’re taking a positive step in the right direction to consider our long lasting impacts on the environment. Hopefully, that means lots of wildlife crossings will be added to our existing 4 million miles of roads across the country.

In the meantime, the next time you take a cruise, slow down—and watch for wildlife! 

(It takes some time and practice to program these thoughts into your brain while driving. I was reminded to practice what I preach a few weeks ago traveling from Asheville to Boone, when a bobcat ran out in front of me on HWY US 221. The irony of almost causing a wildlife-vehicle collision while driving back from giving a speech on reducing roadkill was sickening. Luckily, both the bobcat and I escaped the encounter unscathed.)