The state has launched the Pennsylvania Wildlife Connectivity Work Group, a first-of-its-kind statewide partnership that will develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, improve public safety, reconnect fragmented wildlife habitat, and guide future transportation and conservation investments across the Commonwealth.
Co-led by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the work group will bring together 11 state agencies to identify priority wildlife corridors, recommend strategic infrastructure improvements, and create Pennsylvania’s first statewide wildlife connectivity plan using science-based data and mapping.
Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the nation for wildlife-vehicle collisions, making the initiative an important investment in both roadway safety and conservation. PennDOT recently secured an $840,000 federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program grant to support development of the strategic plan.
“Protecting Pennsylvania’s natural resources and keeping travelers safe go hand in hand,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “This new work group will help us make smart, data-driven investments that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, improve transportation infrastructure, and protect the habitats that make Pennsylvania special.”
“Healthy, connected habitats are essential to sustaining Pennsylvania’s wildlife and outdoor recreation economy,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “By working across agencies, we’re creating a statewide strategy that will better protect wildlife, strengthen our public lands, and help ensure future infrastructure projects support both conservation and community needs.”
The strategic plan will identify opportunities to improve wildlife movement across roads, streams, forests, and other landscapes while helping prioritize future investments in wildlife crossings, habitat restoration, and transportation infrastructure. The effort builds on House Resolution 87 (2023), which called for a coordinated statewide approach to conserving wildlife corridors.
The Work Group includes representatives from the following state agencies:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
- Department of Community and Economic Development
- Department of Environmental Protection
- Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
- Pennsylvania Game Commission
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
- Pennsylvania Department of General Services
- Department of Insurance
- Department of Transportation
- Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
