New Wildlife Crossings in Nova Scotia

Above: Photo 1 - White-tailed deer using a large box culvert (4.2 x 3.2 m) in Falmouth, NS.

Below: Photo 2 - Replacement of multicell box culvert bridge with wildlife trails on both sides of watercourse as part of a highway twinning project.

Photo credit: Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables

Below: Photo 3 - Small to medium sized mammal ledge

Expansion of urban centers in recent years and a rapidly increasing commuter population has increased the urgency of establishing wildlife crossings throughout Nova Scotia.

Since 2020, fifteen wildlife underpasses have been constructed under four of the major highways, with nine of these large enough to accommodate passage of large mammals, including white-tailed deer, black bear and moose, which is listed as an endangered species in mainland Nova Scotia. Thirty-four km of fencing has been installed to direct animals to these structures.

Crossing structures have taken various forms, such as the installation of large, dry box culverts to accommodate passage of white-tailed deer (Photo 1), replacement of multicell box culverts with bridges and 3 m wide dry wildlife trails on either side of watercourses (Photo 2), and the addition of ledges to bridges and large culverts to improve passage for small to medium-sized mammals (Photo 3).

The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables continues to work closely with Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change and the Nova Scotia Department of Public Works to secure land for ecological corridors and build wildlife crossing structures to maintain connectivity. 

Reauthorized U.S. Highlands Conservation Act Yields New Opportunities and Conservation Wins

Above: Trails at Hudson Highlands State Park allow visitors to enjoy scenic vistas that include the Hudson River and the New York City skyline.

Photo credit: John Rozell/New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

The Highlands Conservation Act (HCA) is a significant piece of federal legislation created to protect the ecologically vital Highlands region, which extends across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Originally enacted in 2004, the HCA recognizes the importance of natural resources and biodiversity in this 3.5 million-acre area. By partnering with state agencies and providing grants for land acquisition, the HCA is a valuable tool for creating and permanently protecting wildlife corridors.

Reauthorized in 2022, the updated HCA created new opportunities for land conservation by allowing the grant funds to be used by municipalities within the Region while also creating an opportunity to expand the borders of the federally recognized Highlands region and allow more municipalities to be added to the region if supported by science.

In New York State, the Hudson Highlands Land Trust (HHLT) is working in partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and several other conservation partners to add cities, towns, and villages to the New York Highlands Region. 

HHLT also coordinates the New York Highlands Network (NYHN), a coalition of conservation organizations and state agency partners working together to protect habitat connectivity in the Highlands region. This region is a key part of the Staying Connected Initiative’s Hudson Highlands to Green Mountains (aka Berkshire Wildlife Linkage) focal area, which connects the Central and Northern Appalachian Mountains to maintain a critical, continental-scale wildlife corridor.

Complementing the efforts underway in the New York portion of the Highlands Region, Governor Ned Lamont along with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Housatonic Valley Association recently announced the successful protection of 1,364 acres of watershed lands in the Town of Winchester, CT. This is the largest conservation project to leverage federal funding from the Highlands Conservation Act in its 20-year history. Read more about this significant win for connectivity conservation here.

2025 updates to State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs) are currently underway! State wildlife agencies must complete SWAPs to qualify for funding from the State Wildlife Grants program (SWG), established in 2000 to support the conservation of at-risk species and their habitat. SWAPs have become recognized as “conservation blueprints” that compile the best available science, identify threats and actions, and promote coordination across various partners. SWAPs also serve as important vehicles for connectivity and landscape conservation.

The Center for Large Landscape Conservation recently authored a report to provide SWAP planners and partners with a comprehensive “menu” of existing connectivity actions and recommendations that can advance connectivity conservation in the face of specific threats.

You can access and download the report here.

A Productive Year for the Algonquin to Adirondack (A2A) Collaborative

Above: The Right to Roam report focuses on three major roads in Ontario that fragment critical wildlife habitat in the Frontenac Arch.

Below: Partners gather at the Thousand Islands Land Trust in Clayton, NY to review and provide input on A2A's recently completed wildlife corridor maps. A similar collaborative process is planned for the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network area in Ontario.

This has been a productive year for the A2A Collaborative, with a second year of road ecology studies on the US side, completion of the Wildlife Corridor Mapping Project, an Online Mapping Tool for the entire A2A linkage, collaborative work with dozens of partners, and more.

A2A’s Road Ecology report, The Right to Roam, offers bold solutions that help restore connectivity, reduce roadkill and improve motorist safety.

Research over 7 years, covering an area from Gananoque to Brockville, identified priority mitigation areas and recommends the installation of wildlife overpasses and underpasses designed to facilitate animal movement.

A2A was honored to be awarded the Network for Landscape Conservation's Catalyst Grant, which provides peer learning with other landscape projects across the US, and funding to help coordinate work in the A2A linkage. 

The A2A Collaborative has just hired a new full-time Executive Director, Jessica (Jess) Lax, to lead the organization and focus on the critical ecological Algonquin to Adirondack corridor. One of her responsibilities will be to build collaborative capacity with partners in the US and Canada. Jess brings with her an extensive background in leading non-profits. She is passionate about wildlife and the ecological health of this region.

Sightings of Rare Canada Lynx Confirmed in Vermont

Vermont wildlife officials said in early October that they continue to receive verifiable photos and videos of a rare Canada Lynx first spotted in Rutland and Addison counties in August.

Biologists with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) say it’s the first time in years they have seen the cat, which is listed as a federally threatened and state endangered species. Its presence is believed to indicate high quality habitat and good prey densities, especially of snowshoe hare.

Vermont has made considerable efforts to maintain and enhance connectivity over the years, including through the installation of wildlife crossings in Shrewsbury where the lynx was first spotted. VFWD Conservation Planner Jens Hawkins-Hilke said that the lynx has been a big deal for the community, and he considers it a sign of success.

“I think this is absolutely a success story. It speaks to connected habitats across Vermont. That this lynx is able to survive and move between forest blocks looking for mates, new habitat, and new opportunity is a tremendous success story. It speaks to the fact that what we have here in Vermont is something special. We are still enjoying connected habitat. Let’s maintain what we have got,” Hawkins-Hilke said.

Find the original news story by Vermont WCAX here.