Blog Archives - The WYldlife Fund

WYDOT receives $24.3 million federal grant for Kemmerer wildlife crossing project

We have some exciting news to share in the world of wildlife crossings! But first, a bit of background:

According to Dr. Corinna Riginos of The Nature Conservancy, the annual number of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) continues to rise over time, with a current five-year average of 7,656 animals per year. The vast majority of these collisions (approx. 5,500) involve mule deer, whose numbers are already in decline. There are currently 21 big-game collisions every day in Wyoming, eight of which involve significant damage to vehicles and/or human injury. The total cost of WVCs in Wyoming average about $55 million per year. These numbers have doubled over the last 15 years, and we can expect them to double again by 2035 if we don’t address the problem. Further, the actual number of collisions and dead animals is likely twice the number that gets counted, due to undetected mortalities away from the roadside.

Since The WYldlife Fund’s inception in 2020, we have made it a top priority to help fund wildlife crossing projects and ensure the safety and survival of wildlife populations most negatively affected by roads. The first large-scale project we helped fully fund was the I-25 Buffalo-to-Kaycee Wildlife Crossing Project. Currently, this project is 90% complete and includes close to 20 miles of big game exclusionary fencing to direct wildlife–mainly mule deer–to existing underpasses.

Earlier this year, The WYldlife Fund began work to raise and pool private funds to support another wildlife crossing project: the HWY-189 South Kemmerer Wildlife Crossing Project.

There is a particular 30-mile stretch along Highway 189 in southwest Wyoming that has seen significant WVCs with pronghorn and mule deer, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT). These collisions are causing population-level impacts to pronghorn and are disrupting migratory and winter-range movements of mule deer from the Uinta and Wyoming Range Mule Deer Herds. These herds were severely impacted during the harsh 2022-‘23 winter, with biologists reporting upwards of 70% mortality.

This wildlife crossing project would reduce WVCs and promote habitat connectivity for ungulates by directing animals to existing and new wildlife crossing structures. It will also ensure humans can more safely travel this highway, as WVCs are very injurious not only to wildlife, and it will create a plethora of jobs for Wyoming’s workforce. The project is a huge undertaking: to complete it, existing fences will be replaced and five underpasses and one overpass will be constructed. A similar 13-mile-long wildlife crossing project in nearby Nugget Canyon reduced WVCs by 81% while allowing 49,146 mule deer to safely cross the highway during a three-year period, according to Hall Sawyer, Research Biologist at West Inc. We hope to see similar statistics for the Kemmerer project.

Understandably, a project of this magnitude requires an extensive budget. Together, WYDOT and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department applied for a federal grant through the Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program, which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The WYldlife Fund helped raise close to $1 million to bolster the federal grant request, which was crucial given the highly competitive nature of the grant process. We also helped garner over 20 support letters for the grant application itself.

The partners who came together through The WYldlife Fund to donate this money are Genesis Alkali Wyoming, the Knobloch Family Foundation, the Mule Deer Foundation, the Muley Fanatic Foundation Blue Ridge Chapter, the Muley Fanatic Foundation Headquarters, the NextEra Energy Foundation, Project West, the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation, SOS Well Services, the supporters of the annual Golf for Wildlife Outing, Spire Storage, TerraPower, The WYldlife Fund, the Wildlife Barrier Breakers Coalition, Williams Energy, and the Wyoming Wildlife Federation. We are beyond grateful for their invaluable support.

Now, for the exciting news we mentioned:

The Federal Highway Administration Award is part of $350 million available through the federal wildlife crossing pilot program. Approximately $112 million was allocated during this first round of awards, with WYDOT receiving more than 20 percent of the available funding for the Kemmerer project–$24.3 million, to be exact!

What’s more, the Wyoming Transportation Commission, Game and Fish Commission, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, and partners contributed the remaining $8.8 million (which includes private donations to The WYldlife Fund), making the project fully funded!

“I am thankful and excited to have had the opportunity to work with WYDOT, Game and Fish, industry, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to secure this incredibly important funding source to conserve Wyoming’s iconic wildlife,” said Chris McBarnes, President of The WYldlife Fund. “Wyoming is showing the power of public-private partnerships which will continue to produce positive results for wildlife and advance the overall prosperity of our state.”

It has been a very exciting week for all of us, and we are thrilled to be able to share this news with you. Another win for wildlife!

Head here to read the full press release from the Governor’s Office, Game and Fish, and WYDOT!

The WYld Showdown Has Launched

The WYldlife Fund, Wyoming Craft Brewers Guild, and University of Wyoming’s Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources Team Up For WYld Showdown

Beer Coaster Game Aims to Raise Money for Wildlife Conservation

With the launch of the WYLD Showdown, consumers in breweries across Wyoming can participate in a bracket-style competition via a QR code found on beer coasters to raise awareness and funds that support wildlife conservation. Consumers will vote on their favorite wild animal by making small donations to participate. The WYLD Showdown is a partnership among The WYldlife Fund’s signature initiative WYldlife for Tomorrow, the Wyoming Craft Brewers Guild, and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming. Through this initiative, The WYldlife Fund aims to create new ways to help all people take an active part in conservation funding.

“As a home for all people, The WYldlife Fund is proud to partner with The Craft Brewers Guild and the Haub School to showcase the commitment that Wyoming breweries have to the state’s wildlife resources” says Nate Brown, Operations Manager of The WYldlife Fund. “Great beer, made by great people, in great places across our state!”

Through the support of the Wyoming Craft Brewers Guild, these coasters will be available at breweries across Wyoming, giving those who enjoy the great beer that Wyoming breweries produce the opportunity to support wildlife conservation while enjoying their favorite beverages and supporting local businesses.

“Engaging in this program is a great chance for Wyoming breweries to showcase their commitment to their communities and wildlife conservation,” said Michelle Forster, Executive Director of the Wyoming Craft Brewers Guild. “We’re excited to see Wyomingites show their love for craft beer and wildlife all at once.”

By choosing their champion through these donations, consumers across the state can make a collective impact on wildlife conservation by helping fund on-the-ground projects. The idea for the WYLD Showdown came from Haub School graduate student Tyler Shreve’s thesis project that examines strategies to promote charitable giving in support of Wyoming conservation projects. College of Business economists, Todd Cherry and Alex James, were also instrumental in the project design.

Inna Willis, a former graphic design student at the University of Wyoming, designed the coasters for the WYld Showdown. As stated by Inna Willis, who is now working alongside Haub School graphic design and economics faculty Kayla Clark and Jacob Hochard in support of the initiative, “Anyone can support wildlife conservation, one beer at a time!”.

The WYLD Showdown coasters are now out at breweries across the state. The competition will last for several months. The WYldlife Fund’s signature initiative, WYldlife For Tomorrow is moving the needle for Wyoming’s wildlife conservation. Wyoming’s wildlife has suffered greatly due to several factors including habitat encroachment, invasive species, wildlife vehicle collisions, and most recently, the worst winter in modern history.

NextEra Energy Resources Invests in Wyoming Migration Corridors

NextEra Energy Resources Commits $50,000 to The WYldlife Fund in Support of Big Game Migration Corridors

The WYldlife Fund is proud to announce a $50,000 contribution to the Pooled Migration Fund from the NextEra Energy Foundation, the charitable arm of NextEra Energy Resources, to focus on implementing wildlife-friendly projects. The Pooled Migration Fund is dedicated to supporting the United States Department of Agriculture and State of Wyoming’s Big Game Pilot, which aims to conserve big game populations that migrate across working lands in Wyoming via three strategies: land conservation, habitat restoration and long-term private-lands stewardship.

“The WYldlife Fund is grateful for the support from NextEra Energy Resources as it enables us to make significant strides in preserving Wyoming’s exceptional big game species and their migratory corridors,” said WYldlife Fund president Chris McBarnes. “This generous contribution will help us implement projects that will have a lasting positive impact on Wyoming’s wildlife and their ecosystems.”

The Pooled Migration Fund, administered by The WYldlife Fund, is intended to bolster voluntary conservation of private working lands within migration corridors for big game populations in Wyoming. The Pooled Migration Fund supports stewardship of private lands within the recently state-designated Platte Valley, Baggs, and Sublette mule deer migration corridors, as well as multispecies seasonal ranges in the Shoshone River Valleys (i.e. Cody area).

The generous contribution from NextEra Energy Resources will support crucial on-the-ground wildlife projects within these important geographies. These initiatives will play a pivotal role in safeguarding the migratory routes and habitats of the state’s diverse wildlife, ensuring that these invaluable species continue to thrive in their natural environments.

“At NextEra Energy Resources, we are committed to conservation and stewardship of wildlife and their habitats in the states we call home,” said Matt Raffenberg, vice president of environmental services for NextEra Energy Resources. “We are proud to support the Pooled Migration Fund, which aligns with our mission as an industry leader in renewable energy to support sustainable practices and find real-world solutions to address large-scale conservation challenges.”

This donation marks a significant step toward securing a thriving future for Wyoming’s diverse wildlife and their migratory corridors. By working with The WYldlife Fund and supporting habitat improvements, NextEra Energy Resources is helping to ensure that these majestic creatures continue to roam their natural landscapes freely.

2023 Inspire a Kid Camp

The Inspire a Kid Camp hosted at the Little Jennie Ranch in Bondurant, Wyoming aims to be a transformative and one of kind, wilderness experience for young men and women. Campers take part in leadership development, western conservation, and outdoor recreation in one of the most iconic settings found in the American West. The WYldlife Fund is proud to sponsor and operate these camps with the Hamlin Family and the entire team at the Little Jennie.

The WYldlife Fund Mourns the Loss of Maury Brown

For the past two years, The WYldlife Fund and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department have partnered with Maury Brown on the Maury Brown Kids Fishing Day at his spectacular ranch outside of Cheyenne. The event touched the lives of hundreds of children and families. Maury made this day possible. This was only one small example of Maury’s deep commitment to the people of Wyoming. The WYldlife Fund was deeply saddened to learn of Maury’s passing this week and extend our deepest condolences to Maury’s family and friends.

The loss of Maury, a great man and philanthropist, has left a profound void in the state of Wyoming. Maury was a remarkable individual who dedicated his life to making a positive impact on his community and beyond. His philanthropic endeavors touched the lives of countless people, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. Maury’s contributions to Wyoming were immeasurable, from supporting local youth to championing the University of Wyoming. His generosity knew no bounds, and his kindness resonated with everyone he encountered.

His selflessness, vision, and unwavering commitment to making the world a better place will be remembered as a shining example of the power of one individual’s dedication to their community and fellow human beings. Wyoming will forever mourn the loss of this exceptional man, but his legacy of giving and compassion will continue to shine as a beacon of hope and inspiration in the state and beyond.

The WYldlife Fund is committed to carrying on the Maury Brown Kids Fishing Day in the years to come. The video and photos below shine light on the pure joy that Maury brought to the lives of countless individuals. The WYldlife Fund will forever be thankful for Maury’s selfless spirit of love and compassion.

Sincerely,

Chris McBarnes

President

The WYldlife Fund

Check out this video from last years Maury Brown Kids Fishing Day

South Park Wildlife Habitat Management Area Dedicated with Partners and Local Officials.

In late July, The WYldlife Fund and WYldlife for Tomorrow gathered with partners, elected officials, and Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel to dedicate the South Park Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) Wetland Restoration and Enhancement Project south of Jackson, Wyoming.

This project was one of the first to receive funding from WYldlife for Tomorrow, and we are thrilled to see it completed. The goal of this project was to improve wetland connectivity. The WHMA had been cut off from its natural connection to seasonal floods, which trigger important ecosystem restoration processes. To maintain a healthy wetlands ecosystem, this project enhanced the WHMA by converting fields into shallow-water wetlands and reconnecting old channel scars in the cottonwood galleries to the Snake River. These efforts raised the water table and provided more habitat for migrating waterbirds. The project also installed new infrastructure in the wetland ponds, which filter water from the Jackson Wastewater Treatment Plant before the water reaches Flat Creek. Now, discharges from this plant provide cleaner water into the enhanced wetland and help sustain the trout fisheries in Flat Creek and the Snake River. Collectively, this work restores habitat for a wide variety of species, including birds, large ungulates and small mammals, while simultaneously providing an educational and recreation area close to town for all to enjoy!

WYldlife for Tomorrow is proud to have donated $25,000 to this project, which had a total budget of $1 million, and we are even prouder to see it completed. We were honored to join in the project dedication last month, alongside the numerous project partners: Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Environmental Protection Agency, Friends of Jackson Hole, North American Wetland Conservation Act, Teton County Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, Water For Wildlife Foundation, Town of Jackson, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyoming Water Development Commission, and Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resources Trust.

Please visit the WHMA to enjoy its wonderful trail system, countless bird species, and stunning views! You’ll find a plaque dedicating the project. Interested in learning more about The WYldlife Fund and WYldlife for Tomorrow? We hope you’ll consider becoming a donor and contributing to future projects like this one! Head to our website (link) to learn more.

Moose Fund makes another incredible investment for Wyoming’s wildlife

Moose Fund Invests in Cody Regional Office Beaver Holding Facility

The Moose Fund is a restricted line item within The WYldlife Fund created by Mary Rumsey.

To learn more about investing in this fund please reach out to us today!

Beavers and moose have overlapping habitats, and Mary Rumsey of Meeteeste loves moose. With this passion, Mary created a restricted initiative within The WYldlife Fund to focus on projects and research that benefit moose and their habitat. Beavers are incredible ecosystem engineers and provide important riparian habitat which both moose and a plethora of wildlife benefit from! With a generous gift of $60,000, Mary is helping fund a beaver holding facility which will be built at the Cody Regional Office of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. This project is being led by Jerry Altermatt, Habitat Biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Generous gifts of $9,900 each from WYldlife For Tomorrow and Wyoming Untrapped have also made this project possible. Read on for more information about the importance of beavers and the impact of this project which is now under construction!

Resource managers have long recognized the role of beavers in creating and maintaining habitat associated with river ecosystems. Beavers, or more specifically the dams they build, can drastically alter these river ecosystems by impounding water. These alterations can result in a multitude of benefits, including higher water tables, reconnected and expanded floodplains, higher late season base flows, expanded wetlands, improved water quality, and more diversity and richness in the populations of plants, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.

Beavers were extirpated from many drainages in North America during the peak of the beaver pelt market in the mid-1800’s. While efforts to reestablish beaver populations were undertaken in Wyoming in the 1940’s, beavers are still absent in many stream segments, especially where these segments are isolated from core beaver populations associated with larger river systems at lower elevations. It is estimated that beaver populations in Wyoming are only ¼ of historical populations (Olson). The absence of beavers in many of these stream ecosystems has led to degradation of streams, shrinking of riparian areas and loss of habitat for the many species of fish and wildlife that depend upon healthy stream and riparian habitats.

Translocating beavers for restoring stream ecosystem functions has gained popularity among wildlife managers. The rate of successful establishment after translocation varies widely, but certain practices can substantially increase success rates, such as translocating both parents and as many kits as possible from a colony as a group. Beavers are much more likely to stay put if they are not separated from their family members.

To facilitate translocating family groups, beavers must be temporarily held until all or as many family members are trapped. Most beaver translocation practitioners in Wyoming are currently using a mobile holding facility that replicates as much as possible a beaver’s natural habitat. While these facilities work reasonably well, they have several limitations. The most critical limitation is that only one family can be held at a time, as beavers are extremely territorial. Trapping an entire colony can often take two weeks or more. With a short 2-3 month season of trapping, this limitation creates a bottleneck in the translocation effort.

Beaver translocation efforts in other areas in the West have found a solution to this problem by using permanent facilities that can accommodate multiple families. This enables trapping to occur in multiple locations at once, allows for multiple capture attempts to take place, and can allow for “match-making” with single, opposite-sex beavers at the facility.

As a result of these findings, a permanent holding facility that will provide for the short-term needs of beavers awaiting translocation will be constructed at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cody Regional Office. This property is located northwest of Cody, WY. The holding facility is designed with three primary considerations: a) efficiency of handling the beavers with a minimum amount of stress to the animals, b) well-being of the beavers while they are being held, and c) ease of maintenance and cleaning.

The facility will contain four individually fenced units consisting of a concrete raceway, feeding area and den. A concrete den will be constructed at the end of each raceway which beavers would access via an underwater entrance to simulate natural dens. The dens will be lined with a removable metal crate for ease of removing the beavers for processing or transport.
Water will be delivered from an irrigation ditch on the property via a headgate and six-inch pipe. An in-line water level control structure combined with stop logs will control the water level in each raceway and, when the stop logs are pulled, will completely drain the raceway for cleaning. A constant flow of 10-40 gallons of relatively clean water will be maintained in each raceway to ensure adequate water quality.

The facility’s location outside of Cody will place it in a logistically ideal location, as it will be centrally located in an area of consistently occurring nuisance beaver problems. The facility will not only serve the beaver translocation needs for the WGFD Cody Region but has the potential to provide a source of beavers for adjacent regions as well. The project will serve as a pilot to demonstrate the efficacy of this approach with the long-term goal of establishing other facilities in strategic locations in the state.

The budget for this project is approximately $80,000. This project is being completed in collaboration with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and is now under construction.

Brewing Conservation Success: WYldlife For Tomorrow’s New Partnerships

WYldlife For Tomorrow (WFT) has been making exciting strides lately, with a key partnership playing a vital role in spreading our message, broadening the conservation funding model, and providing a model of success that is expected to expand across the state.

Last summer, WFT collaborated with The WYldlife Fund and the University of Wyoming’s Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources to set up a Student Ambassador Program. This innovative program was born from a productive meeting involving Taylor Phillips, WFT’s founder; Chris McBarnes, The WYldlife Fund’s president; and Dr. Jacob Hochard, the Knobloch Professor of Conservation Economics at the Haub School. Dr. Hochard highlighted the significant importance of WFT’s mission, stating that unlike the conventional top-down approach to wildlife conservation in the United States, WFT adopts a grassroots approach requiring substantial groundwork, logistical coordination, and relationship building.

In this ambassador program, students embarked on this groundwork under the mentorship of Taylor Phillips (Founder-WFT), Nate Brown (Operations Manager-The WYldlife Fund), and Chris McBarnes (President-The WYldlife Fund). Four Wyoming-based students devoted their summer to working within their local communities, establishing key relationships between WFT and businesses in tourism, outdoor recreation, and hospitality.

A significant achievement of this program is WFT’s new alliance with Altitude Chophouse & Brewery, Laramie, WY. Student ambassador Emma Vandenburg, while working at Altitude, cultivated a working relationship with brewer Sean Minichiello and owner Karen Robillard. Consequently, Altitude Chophouse & Brewery launched a new beer in honor of WYldlife for Tomorrow–the WYld Amber Ale. University student Inna Willis, under the guidance of Haub School faculty Kayla Clark, designed the beer label featuring an illustration of a bull bison. For each pint of beer sold, a dollar is donated to the WFT initiative. Currently exclusive to the Altitude Chophouse and Brewery in Laramie, this concept has inspired more co-branded beers and products that will soon be widely available throughout the state.

Tyler Shreve, a graduate student in Dr. Hochard’s research lab, is studying this hopeful expansion. His thesis focuses on various conservation funding methods and engagement with wide-reaching brands. Shreve’s goal is to collaborate with such brands to co-brand products, disseminate the concept across the state, and identify efficient fundraising strategies. Shreve’s focus is on coffee roasters, aiming to enlist roasters across the state to create coffee blends associated with the state. The first to join is Cowboy Coffee from Jackson Hole, who is developing a signature WYld blend, with a portion of the proceeds going to WYldlife for Tomorrow. Tyler will also work closely with the Wyoming Craft Brewer’s Guild on future projects involving craft breweries across Wyoming. These partnerships are invaluable in raising awareness and funds for conservation projects while spotlighting businesses that appreciate wildlife’s impact on their profits.

The collaboration between The Haub School and The WYldlife Fund through the WYldlife For Tomorrow initiative is set to flourish and broaden. We anticipate this model spreading to other craft breweries, coffee roasters, distillers, and more across the state. The potential for growth with this co-branding model is remarkable, and we look forward to the progress made through Shreve’s research and the Haub School partnership.

No matter one’s background in the outdoor industry, we believe that a common love for a good beer or hot cup of coffee unites many. We’re delighted with these new partnerships. As Vandenburg eloquently put it in the Cowboy State Daily.

WYldlife Fund Rebrands Signature Program

WYldlife For Tomorrow inspires businesses that benefit from tourism and recreation to invest in conservation of Wyoming’s wildlife.

The WYldlife Fund announces changes to better reflect the mission and values of its signature program, WYldlife For Tomorrow (WFT). Since WFT’s (formerly Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow) inception in 2021, we have been absolutely thrilled by the support received from businesses that rely on wildlife tourism in Wyoming. We began this program focusing on the tourism industry, as wildlife is the primary driver of Wyoming tourism. By partnering with us, businesses in the industry have an opportunity to contribute to the conservation of our wildlife populations, ensuring the continued existence and even growth of the tourism industry. The original program of Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow has seen enormous growth in these first two years, establishing partnerships with over 85 businesses and individuals.

As we have grown, so, too, has our mission and target audience. There is a wide variety of outdoor recreation communities that rely on and impact wild lands and wildlife populations. We want to encourage outdoor recreationists of all kinds–hikers, climbers, bikers, skiers, anglers, hunters, and yes, wildlife-watchers, among so many more–to give back to the state’s wildlife, and we want the name of this signature initiative to better reflect this all-encompassing community. To communicate this more effectively, we have undergone a small rebranding. Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow is now known as WYldlife for Tomorrow–a name that reflects both the connection with The WYldlife Fund and the inclusion of all user groups.

We want the tourism and recreation industries to be partners investing in wildlife conservation, and we believe our new name and logo reflects this expanded mission. Chris McBarnes, President of The WYldlife Fund, said “The WYldlife Fund is excited about the evolution of our newly rebranded signature program, WYldlife For Tomorrow. We are constantly listening to feedback from our generous supporters, which led us to tweak the brand and messaging of WYldlife For Tomorrow. We believe the new logo and name better represents the heart and soul of this program, which will ultimately help evolve the conservation funding model and drive more dollars on the ground to strengthen Wyoming’s wildlife.”

Taylor Phillips, a board member of The WYldlife Fund and one of the founders of the WFT initiative, said of the changes, “By including the recreation sector as another targeted industry, we have opened up the possibilities for sourcing wildlife conservation funding even more, and we are thrilled with how the new look and feel of the logo and brand message turned out.”

Brian Nesvik, Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, is excited about the expanded mission. “Hunters, anglers, and wildlife-viewing enthusiasts all have a common goal–to help conserve wildlife,” he said in a recent statement. “The WYldlife For Tomorrow program enhances the wildlife conservation funding model by bringing new wildlife users together to help fund additional on-the-ground projects. This is truly a win for all wildlife.”

If you want to learn more about this program and these exciting changes, head to our newly updated website here. We hope you’ll consider joining this movement!

Wyoming Industry Partners donate to support wildlife-friendly crossings

The WYldlife Fund, a charitable nonprofit partner of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, announced six generousgifts totaling $77,500 from Williams, NextEra Energy Resources, Project West (Ciner), Rocky Mountain Power, Spire Storage and TerraPower to support the South Kemmerer HWY189 Wildlife Crossing Project.

“Valued partners step up time and time again for Wyoming’s wildlife,” said WYldlife Fund President Chris McBarnes. “We appreciate their commitment to helping save wildlife and improving safety on Wyoming’s roadways.”

Williams donated $27,500 to support the project, along with $10,000 donations from NextEra Energy Resources, through its charitable arm, the NextEra Energy Foundation, Project West, Rocky Mountain Power, Spire Storage and TerraPower.

Over 6,000 big game animals die each year from collisions with vehicles on Wyoming’s highways and interstates. The vast majority of reported collisions involve mule deer. At the current rate, there are 21 big game collisions every day in Wyoming, eight of which involve significant damage to vehicles and/or human injury. The total cost of wildlife-vehicle collisions in Wyoming averages about $55 million per year.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation and Wyoming Game and Fish Department have documented significant wildlife-vehicle collisions with mule deer and pronghorn along a 28-mile stretch of Highway 189 in southwest Wyoming, from mile marker 2 to 30. This project will reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and promote habitat connectivity for big game by directing animals to existing and new wildlife crossing structures. The total cost estimate of this project is over $23 million and includes replacing existing fences and the construction of five underpasses and one overpass.

“Williams is committed to the continuous improvement of the environment with a laser focus on safety for its employees and the communities where we operate. Support for the WYldlife Fund’s wildlife crossing program underscores this commitment,” said Mark Gebbia, Vice President Environmental, Regulatory and Permitting at Williams.

“We believe in building strong partnerships that make a difference, especially in communities that our projects call home, and that’s why we’re pleased to support this wildlife crossing project in Wyoming,” said Matt Raffenberg, vice president of environmental services for NextEra Energy Resources. “As an industry leader in renewable energy, we are committed to environmental protection and stewardship and believe this project is a win-win for communities and wildlife because it not only helps protect Wyoming’s migrating wildlife, but also helps keep motorists safe.”

“Project West and Ciner are deeply focused on Southwest Wyoming’s best future. For people. For wildlife. For community. We are proud to be a partner in this important effort for the safety of people on the roads and for wildlife to thrive in open spaces,” said Oguz Erkan, CEO of Ciner US.

“The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation is excited to partner with The WYldlife Fund and other Wyoming businesses and conservation organizations to support the Kemmerer wildlife road crossing project,” said James Owen, Vice President, Environmental, Fuels & Mining at Rocky Mountain Power. “This effort not only benefits and conserves wildlife such as mule deer and pronghorn, it provides safer roads for people in Wyoming, including Rocky Mountain Power’s customers and employees. We are proud to be a supporter of this project.”

“At Spire, we’re committed to using our energy to positively benefit the places we call home,” said Scott Smith, president of Spire Storage. “The WYldlife Fund is a great example of that commitment, and we support its goal to protect wildlife in Southwest Wyoming while also improving safety for drivers on Highway 189.”

“The WYldlife Fund’s crossing program will increase both wildlife and passenger safety, and TerraPower is proud to partner on this important project,” said TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque. “We are eager to continue to engage with the local community as we ramp up activities at our Natrium demonstration site and this project will have a positive impact on our employees and the community.”

“The Commission has prioritized wildlife-friendly crossings throughout Wyoming. Living in Kemmerer, I know firsthand that this particular project will have a profoundly positive impact on wildlife and members of the community who drive this stretch of highway on a regular basis,” said Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Ken Roberts. “The Commission applauds and thanks these valued partners and all those throughout Wyoming who continue to partner with Game and Fish for the benefit of our wildlife and communities.”