Highway mitigation for wildlife in northwest Montana : estimating the impacts Of exurban growth and traffic demand on grizzly bears and other key wildlife species.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Tech Report

Montana

Montana State University--Bozeman

In this report, the Center for Large Landscape Conservation (CLLC), Future West, the Sonoran Institute, and Montana State University’s Western Transportation Institute (WTI) investigated the potential impacts of future housing development on traffic to determine where increased traffic from housing development will impact habitat connectivity for large carnivores. The focus of this study was Flathead and Lincoln counties in northwestern Montana. The main goal was to maintain wildlife habitat connectivity across transportation corridors despite the likelihood of future traffic increases. This effort was unique in that it projects development into the future and identifies potential problem sites before the impacts arrive. With foresight and collaborative efforts, the impacts of future development can be mitigated to maintain habitat connectivity within the study area.

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US Transportation Collection