Podcasts about wildlands network

David Moskowitz works in the fields of photography, wildlife biology and education. He is the photographer and author of three books: Caribou Rainforest, Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest and Wolves in the Land of Salmon, co-author and photographer of Peterson's Field Guide to North American Bird Nests and photographer of Big River: Resilience and Renewal in the Columbia Basin. He has contributed his technical expertise to a wide variety of wildlife studies regionally and in the Canadian and U.S. Rocky mountains, focusing on using tracking and other non-invasive methods to study wildlife ecology and promote conservation. He helped establish the Cascades Wolverine Project, a grassroots effort to support wolverine recovery in the North Cascades using field science, visual storytelling, and building backcountry community science.Visual media of David's has appeared in numerous outlets including the New York Times, NBC, Sierra, The National Post, Outside Magazine, Science Magazine, Natural History Magazine, and High Country News. It has also been used for conservation campaigns by organizations including National Wildlife Foundation, the Endangered Species Coalition, Wildlands Network, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, Conservation Northwest, Oregon Wild, Wildsight, Selkirks Conservation Alliance, and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.David holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education from Prescott College. David is certified as a Track and Sign Specialist, Trailing Specialist, and Senior Tracker through Cybertracker Conservation and is an Evaluator for this rigorous international professional certification program.Mark and David dig into wildlife photography, the use of field science and visual story telling together as a tool, trailing, tracking, building backcountry community science, the Columbia River and its relevance to salmon and all the people in the landscapes throughout and much more.To see Davids work, you can find him at - Website: https://davidmoskowitz.netInstagram: moskowitz_davidFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidmoskowitztrackingphotographyPublisher: https://www.mountaineers.org/books Save What You Love with Mark Titus:⁣Produced: Emilie FirnEdited: Patrick Troll⁣Music: Whiskey Class⁣Instagram: @savewhatyoulovepodcastWebsite: savewhatyoulove.evaswild.comSupport wild salmon at evaswild.com

About As the United States Policy Director for Wildlands Network, Erin Sito researches, develops and promotes laws and policies geared towards supporting habitat connectivity and biodiversity at the local, state, and federal level. Erin's work also focuses on state agency reform and funding, and outreach to promote Wildlands Network's policy initiatives nationwide. Episode 129 Rewilding […] Read full article: Episode 129: Advancing Wildlife Connectivity with Erin Sito of Wildlands Network

About Myles Traphagen coordinates Wildlands Network's borderlands program, focusing on channeling collaborative efforts to maintain and restore habitat for species like jaguar, black bear, and Sonoran pronghorn. He oversees strategic partnerships, communications, and projects to advance large-landscape conservation goals in Mexico and the United States. Learn more about Myles here. Show Notes In this episode […] Read full article: Episode 126: Borderlands Connectivity – Conservation Challenges And Victories on the U.S.-Mexico Border

In this episode of "90 Miles from Needles," host Chris Clarke interviews Myles Traphagen, a conservationist and scientist working with The Wildlands Network. They discuss the impact of the border wall on wildlife and the environment, as well as the artificial humanitarian crisis at the US-Mexico border. Traphagen highlights the need for a more humane and constructive approach to immigration and emphasizes the importance of understanding the ecological consequences of border policies. Tune in to gain insight into the complex issues surrounding the border and the urgent need for change. The borderlands storymap Myles describes is here.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roads can get people where they need to go. But they often run right through wildlife habitat, creating a deadly hazard for animals on the move. Liz Hilllard, who's the Senior Wildlife Biologist for Wildlands Network, says roadkill takes a huge toll on birds and other animals every year. Wildlands Network helps transportation agencies create wildlife-friendly designs and build animal-centric bridges and tunnels for their safe crossing. The goal is to create a connected landscape that Liz and her colleagues call a wildway.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. 

Continuing our exploration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) at its 50th anniversary, we'll look at how it has helped protect a group of at-risk plants: orchids. Eight species of orchid are recognized as endangered under the ESA—and all of the world's approximately 30,000 species are considered threatened, and entitled to trade restrictions. Ira speaks with Dr. Matthew Pace, orchid scientist and assistant curator of the Steere Herbarium at the New York Botanical Garden, about threats to orchid conservation.And finally, Ira speaks with Dr. Ron Sutherland, chief scientist at the Wildlands Network in Durham, North Carolina. Sutherland has an extensive background in red wolf conservation in the southeastern United States.Red wolves are one of the most endangered mammals in the world, with only an estimated 20 living in the wild and 267 in captivity. They discuss the dramatic swings in federal conservation efforts for red wolves, and why Sutherland isn't ready to give up on this endangered species.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.  To stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

Jay does a two-part interview with Myles Traphagen, the Borderlands Program Coordinator for the Wildlands Network. Myles keeps tabs on the Border Wall that has been partially completed along the 1954 border with Mexico. In these two interviews, he talks about the consequences in the region of the Border Wall and its effects on wildlife and plant life all along the border – and the efforts of Wildlands Network and other allied NGOs, tribal groups and communities to reverse these effects. This is Part 1.Audio PlayerSupport the show

Jay does a two-part interview with Myles Traphagen, the Borderlands Program Coordinator for the Wildlands Network. Myles keeps tabs on the Border Wall that has been partially completed along the 1954 border with Mexico. In these two interviews, he talks about the consequences in the region of the Border Wall and its effects on wildlife and plant life all along the border – and the efforts of Wildlands Network and other allied NGOs, tribal groups and communities to reverse these effects.Support the show

Wild for Change with Nicole RojasWildlands Network's Chief Scientist, Ron Sutherland, discusses the importance of rewilding efforts and their vision of continental wildways to promote wildlife conservation in North America. Rewilding, a concept rooted in letting nature reclaim its territory, emphasizes the need to reintroduce keystone species to restore ecological balance. Ron explains how rewilding helps to manage ecosystems more efficiently and highlights the case of Yellowstone's wolf reintroduction, which led to a cascade of positive ecological effects.The concept of continental wildways involves creating extensive wildlife corridors to connect natural areas, enhancing biodiversity and promoting species migration, especially in the face of climate change. Ron Sutherland emphasizes the importance of partnerships with land trusts and conservation organizations to establish these corridors and protect critical habitats. He cites specific examples like the Eastern Wildway, Rocky Mountain Wildway, and Pacific Wildway, each tailored to the unique needs of the region and its wildlife. The wildway approach is not only beneficial for wildlife but also aids in climate change adaptation by facilitating species' movement northward as temperatures rise. Wildlands Network collaborates with various organizations to implement these corridors and make progress on the ground, marking significant strides in conservation efforts.You can learn more about Wildlands Network and support their work online at: https://wildlandsnetwork.org/ About NicoleIn a journey fueled by a profound love for animals and nature, a former physical therapist from Chicago has transformed her life into a dedicated mission to protect endangered species. Her efforts have culminated in the launch of the 'Wild For Change' initiative, including a podcast and radio shows, with a focus on raising awareness and advocating for wildlife conservation. In her own words, she is "Wild For… Animals to be treated with respect! Wild For… The Earth to be treated with reverence! Wild For… Sharing how both are interconnected to each other and us!" She is 'Wild For Change,' and her mission is to bridge the gap between humans and nature, striving to make the world a better place for all living beings. Her dedication to the welfare of animals and the preservation of the Earth serves as an inspiring example of advocacy and conservation.https://www.wildforchange.com/ #rewilding #wildlifeconservation #YellowstoneWolves #Biodiversity #HabitatProtection

Today, we are speaking with Ron Sutherland, Chief Scientist of Wildlands Network who is their in-house animal and rewilding expert.  The mission of Wildlands Network is to reconnect, restore and rewild North America so that life in all its diversity can thrive.  Ron has over 25 years of experience in wildlife research.  His extensive knowledge of wildlife and natural spaces provides us with a formidable fact-based approach towards conservation.  Rewilding is giving back to the wildlife and giving back to the land.  The more we can support wildlife and nature by reconnecting, rewilding and restoring habitats and ecosystems, the more we will see balance, biodiversity and regulation of ecosystems return and flourish.You can learn more about Wildlands Network and support their work online at www.wildlandsnetwork.org, on Instagram @wildlandsnetwork, Facebook: @Wildlands Network, X: @wildlandsnetwrk.Website: http://www.wildforchange.com Twitter: @WildForChange Facebook: /wildforchange Instagram: wildforchange

This month, Bill and Steve visit Floating Fen, although some might call it a bog, or is it a swamp? Thankfully, they're joined by Erik Danielson, Stewardship Coordinator of the Western NY Land Conservancy (WNYLC), who schools them on the difference between these wetlands. Erik and the WNYLC are trying to preserve Floating Fen, a property home to a unique wetland, extraordinary life, and a diverse forest. Erik guides Bill and Steve through the fen, discussing just what makes a bog a bog and a fen a fen, as well as what makes these peatlands such amazing habitats.The episode was recorded on June 17, 2023 at the Floating Fen near Fredonia, NY.Episode Notes Please comment below if you notice any mistakes or unanswered questions in the episode.Links to the Western NY Land ConservancyVisit the website of the Western New York Land Conservancy to find out more about their vital conservation efforts.Find out more about the Floating Fen, including the efforts to preserve it.Explore the WNY Land Conservancy's Western New York Wildway, their ambitious new initiative to create an extensive series of protected lands that connect the vast forests of northern Pennsylvania to the Great Lakes, central NY, the Adirondacks, and beyond.Other Episode-related LinksA one-page primer on Conservation EasementsThe book that Erik mentioned was A Focus on Peatlands and Peat Mosses by Howard (not Viktor) Crum.The Wildlands Network - the group responsible for initially identifying the four “Continental Wildways” traversing the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, the Canadian Boreal Forest region, and the “Spine of the Continent” between Alaska and Mexico.Bill's article about Mike Radomski, Outside Chronicles, and the WNY Hiking ChallengeSponsors and Ways to Support UsGumleaf Boots, USA (free shipping for patrons)Thank you to Always Wandering Art (Website and Etsy Shop) for providing the artwork for many of our episodes! Support us on Patreon!Check out the Field Guides merch at our Teespring store. It's really a great deal: you get to pay us to turn your body into a billboard for the podcast!References / Works CitedBenyus, Janine 1989, A Field Guide to Wildlife Habitats of the Eastern United States, Touchstone Books, Chicago.The Conversation – Peatlands keep a lout of carbon out of Earth's Atmosphere, but that could end with warming and developmentWetland types: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/documents/types_of_wetlands.pdf

Solar energy installations need to be located in places that will not interrupt wildlife habitat and movement. Michael Dax and Aaron Facka, scientists with Wildlands Network,  are working in the Four Corners area of the SW to identify locations that will not impact wildlife. Support the show

It's a problem that's been coming for quite some time, and one that really comes as no surprise. The large landscape national parks that are home to many species of wildlife have been turning into biological islands as development hems them in. You can look back to 1993 when the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative launched to begin to see the discussion around opening up these parks through migratory corridors. That initiative, which continues today, envisioned a corridor stretching from Yellowstone National Park to Canada's Yukon Territory to serve wildlife by protecting core wildlife habitat.  There have been other somewhat similar initiatives. There's the Wildlands Network, which since 1991 has been, as that organization puts it, striving to reconnect, restore, and re-wild North America. There have been efforts in Congress to pass legislation that would provide funding for such corridors. The Pew Charitable Trust this past October released a report on the need for creating migratory corridors and the challenges standing in their way.  Today we're going to zoom in on some national parks, their wildlife, and the need to establish habitat connectivity between those parks to prevent animals from being stranded on biological islands. Joining us is Dr. William Newmark, a research curator and conservation biologist in the Natural History Museum of Utah. 

This interview is with Susan Holmes, Conservation advocate who has worked for over 25 years to protect wildlife and wild places. For the last ten years, she has worked as a lobbyist in Washington, DC,  most recently for the Wildlands Network where she promoted legislation and policies to safeguard wildlife habitat and corridors, endangered species, and landscape connectivity across America. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of the Endangered Species Coalition., based in Washington, D.C. Support the show

Miachael and Arron are based in the Southwest (Santa Fe) and are beginning work on a report that will evaluate various sites proposed for solar power generation and  their impacts on wildlife, most especially Pronghorn. Michael is author of Grizzly West, a book about efforts to reintroduce Grizzlies to the Selway-Biotterroot Wilderness. Aaron is a Ph.D. in Zoology and has worked for a variety of state agnecies on diverse vertebrate species and their habitats. In this interview, they discuss their work in the Four Corners area of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona where solar generation is being proposed. Support the show

Kenyon Fields is a conservationist and rancher from western Colorado. His background is in conservation biology and landscape scale conservation planning. He worked for many years in Alaska for the U.S. Forest Service and as executive director of Sitka Conservation Society, before serving as western strategic director of Wildlands Network.Kenyon was one of the founding members of Western Landowners Alliance, along with Mary Conover. Now husband and wife, Kenyon and Mary own and operate Mountain Island Ranch, a generational 32,000-acre cattle ranch along the Utah-Colorado border entirely under conservation easement, with another 100,000 acres of grazing allotments on public land.We talked about Kenyon's own “Green Fire” moment, a reference to Aldo Leopold and the experience that led him toward the ideas we now celebrate. Kenyon's was a transformative summer spent working in forestry in Southeast Alaska. We also delved into Mountain Island' Ranch's current operations, their restoration projects, and their approach to public grazing allotments.I'd encourage you to visit KenyonFieldsPhoto.com for some context of the landscape we're discussing. He does a great job capturing the drastic seasonal change, the diverse wildlife, and the everyday ranching scenes out there, along with stunning landscapes across the world. And, of course, you've heard about Western Landowners Alliance by now in some of the recent episodes. I hope you'll go to their website and peruse some of their content as well.

About Dr. Liz Hillard is a Senior Wildlife Biologist for Wildlands Network and helped lead and manage the study design, implementation, analysis, and report writing for road ecology research focused on the important Pigeon River Gorge/Interstate 40 corridor near Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. In addition, she works to build partnerships […] Read full article: Episode 95: Liz Hillard On Wildlife Connectivity In The Pigeon River Gorge – Interstate 40 corridor

Juan Carlos Bravo is the Conservation Director of Wildlands Network. Until recently, he led their efforts in Mexico and the borderlands region, where he advocated for improved conservation in the Sky Islands and the northern Sierra Madre Occidental regions, which we'll talk about. He worked with landowners to advance the practice of private lands stewardship; collaborated with transportation authorities to develop wildlife crossings; and provided partners, media, and key decision-makers with information related to habitat connectivity and keystone species protection in both Mexico and the U.S. He advocates for wildlife and connectivity in regional planning, interprets conservation issues and approaches for U.S. audiences.We talked about Wildlands Network, their organizational history and areas of interest, and their focus on landscape connectivity. We discussed the impacts of the US Mexico border wall, both ecologically and socially, at length. We also covered the Sky Islands region, an incredible hub of biodiversity that spans the Southwestern US and Northwestern Mexico, and a few other things like the power of maps and the reintroduction of Mexican Gray Wolves. I'm really glad to be able to meet folks like Juan Carlos from different backgrounds and life experiences, and looking forward to continuing to expand the subject matter covered on the podcast.** New merch is up on the website! For the remainder of May, you can get 20% on extra soft tri-blend shirts and enamel coffee mugs by using code LEOPOLD20 at check out. The bugling Elk lustration is by wildlife artist Ty Hallock. Have a look!

Wild animals are in crisis everywhere. But, how can we demand other nations protect their wildlife if we are not protecting our own? So, now, environmentalists and animal lovers are working together in California to help wild animals survive and thrive by being able to get across major freeways! The Center for Biological Diversity and The Wildlands Network are sponsoring the Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act (AB 2344) in partnership with Assemblymembers Laura Friedman and Ash Kalra. The Act requires state officials to develop a Wildlife Connectivity Action Plan for wildlife crossings, establish a Wildlife Connectivity Project List that identifies priority wildlife crossing projects, and requires Caltrans to address and fix barriers to wildlife on new projects and road improvements and proactively implement 10 wildlife crossing projects at identified connectivity hotspots every year. Bold state action to ensure wildlife connectivity is critical for biodiversity resilience and climate change adaptability. Incorporating crossing infrastructure into our state highway system will give California's iconic wildlife, like mountain lions, desert tortoises, and California tiger salamanders, a fighting chance to survive and recover. Wildlife connectivity also is essential to meet the state's goals of conserving at least 30% of California's land and coastal waters by 2030 in a manner that protects and restores biodiversity and builds climate resilience. Get involved at: https://biologicaldiversity.org

Wild animals are in crisis everywhere. But, how can we demand other nations protect their wildlife if we are not protecting our own? So, now, environmentalists and animal lovers are working together in California to help wild animals survive and thrive by being able to get across major freeways! The Center for Biological Diversity and The Wildlands Network are sponsoring the Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act (AB 2344) in partnership with Assemblymembers Laura Friedman and Ash Kalra. The Act requires state officials to develop a Wildlife Connectivity Action Plan for wildlife crossings, establish a Wildlife Connectivity Project List that identifies priority wildlife crossing projects, and requires Caltrans to address and fix barriers to wildlife on new projects and road improvements and proactively implement 10 wildlife crossing projects at identified connectivity hotspots every year. Bold state action to ensure wildlife connectivity is critical for biodiversity resilience and climate change adaptability. Incorporating crossing infrastructure into our state highway system will give California's iconic wildlife, like mountain lions, desert tortoises, and California tiger salamanders, a fighting chance to survive and recover. Wildlife connectivity also is essential to meet the state's goals of conserving at least 30% of California's land and coastal waters by 2030 in a manner that protects and restores biodiversity and builds climate resilience. Get involved at: https://biologicaldiversity.org

Wild animals are in crisis everywhere. But, how can we demand other nations protect their wildlife if we are not protecting our own? So, now, environmentalists and animal lovers are working together in California to help wild animals survive and thrive by being able to get across major freeways! The Center for Biological Diversity and The Wildlands Network are sponsoring the Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act (AB 2344) in partnership with Assemblymembers Laura Friedman and Ash Kalra. The Act requires state officials to develop a Wildlife Connectivity Action Plan for wildlife crossings, establish a Wildlife Connectivity Project List that identifies priority wildlife crossing projects, and requires Caltrans to address and fix barriers to wildlife on new projects and road improvements and proactively implement 10 wildlife crossing projects at identified connectivity hotspots every year. Bold state action to ensure wildlife connectivity is critical for biodiversity resilience and climate change adaptability. Incorporating crossing infrastructure into our state highway system will give California's iconic wildlife, like mountain lions, desert tortoises, and California tiger salamanders, a fighting chance to survive and recover. Wildlife connectivity also is essential to meet the state's goals of conserving at least 30% of California's land and coastal waters by 2030 in a manner that protects and restores biodiversity and builds climate resilience. Get involved at: https://biologicaldiversity.org

Catch up on current conservation events and opportunities from Arizona's great conservation organizations then listen in on a conversation between Jesse Deubel of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Michael Dax of the Wildlands Network, and I where we dig into the sometimes uncomfortable and complex waters of sportsman working together and communicating with other outdoor user groups to conserve or protect our wildlife and wild places.    https://www.facebook.com/events/s/restore-the-gates-of-moqui-8/288498883191752/ https://adbss.org/ https://www.votsqf.com/current-events.html  https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2M25nPIbO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

Environment Report Laura Paskus is joined by Michael Dax, Western Program Director for Wildlands Network, to talk about a draft Wildlife Corridors Action Plan from the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. The plan comes out of the Wildlife Corridors Act of 2019 and identifies 11 priority safe passage projects to protect wildlife and drivers. These include underpasses and overpasses throughout New Mexico. In 2018, the Our Land team covered this issue in an episode about the Tijeras Canyon Safe Passage Project, from NMDGF and NMDOT. You can watch that here. More Information: Wildlife Corridors Action Plan: https://wildlifeactionplan.nmdotprojects.org/ 2019 Wildlife Corridors Act: https://wildlifeactionplan.nmdotprojects.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/2021/04/New-Mexico-Wildlife-Corridors-Act-2019.pdf Wildlands Network: https://wildlandsnetwork.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/nmif/message

Jay talks with Myles Traphagen, Borderlands Program Coordinator for the Wildlands Network. Myles works out of Tucson and has over twenty years of experience working in the borderlands, working to protect endangered species. He has previous experience working on the Ted Turner ranches in New Mexico, monitoring the rangeland. Miles is a graduate of U.C. Santa Cruz and received his masters degree in the Geology Department from the University of Arizona where he did jackrabbit research . Myles talks about the damage done to the borderlands by the Trump Administrations work to build the border wall – and what is being done to restore the landscape.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=25149153)

In today’s Patreon fueled shout-out: The Local Energy Alliance Program, your local energy nonprofit, wants to help you lower your energy bills, make your home more comfortable, and save energy. Schedule your Home Energy Check-Up to get started - now only $45 for City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County residents. You’ll receive energy-saving products and expert advice customized to your needs. Sign up today!In today’s newsletter:COVID cases are surging across VirginiaVirginia Department of Health prepares to distribute vaccinesVirginia Republicans select a method to nominate statewide candidatesA quick look at wildlife crossingsThe statewide seven-day average for new daily cases of COVID-19 is at 3,005 today. On Saturday, the Virginia Department of Health reported 3,793 new cases, but there was a caveat that that figure included backlogged numbers. No such caveats were in place yesterday and today, with daily counts of 3,880 and 3,817 respectively. The percent positivity has increased to 10.8 percent, up from 7.4 percent on Thanksgiving Day. The seven-day average for new daily cases in the Blue Ridge is now at 67, after a district record was set on Saturday with 106 followed by 102 yesterday and 92 today. Percent positivity is at 4.8 percent. *The Virginia Department of Health announced late Friday that the Commonwealth is slated to receive 480,000 vaccine doses by the end of December. These will consist of shots from both Pfizer and Moderna. “This initial distribution will ensure 480,000 health care personnel (HCP) and long-term care facility (LTCF) residents receive a first dose of the vaccine, beginning the inoculation process for nearly all members of Virginia’s two top-priority groups, if we receive this expected allotment,” reads a press release. The first vaccine to ship is expected to be from Pfizer, which requires ultracold storage down to negative 70 degrees Celsius and the 72,150 doses will be slated for health care workers who directly care for COVID-19 patients. Those in long-term care facilities will be administered shots by teams working with Walgreens and CVS through a federal partnership run by the Centers for Disease Control. “The actual amount of vaccine received in Virginia is a moving target and dependent on when and how quickly vaccination doses are manufactured,” the release continues. “VDH is coordinating future prioritization based on federal guidance.”For more information, visit the VDH’s vaccine page. *Virginia Republicans will choose their nominee for governor and other statewide offices in next year’s election through an unassembled convention, which means the party will entirely control the process rather than use the state’s electoral mechanism. In a close vote, the Republican State Central Committee opted against a primary, in which voters would have gone to the polls or voted early to choose a nominee. The motion was introduced by Michael Ginsberg, a representative from Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, who said that a primary might result in a weak Republican candidate. “I would imagine there will be four to six very strong, very competitive candidates running for Governor next year which means to me I see us heading straight for an iceberg as a party and that iceberg is that we could nominate a candidate that gets 30 to 35 percent of the vote in a primary and that means we’re going to potentially nominate a candidate for whom the Republican party has not voted for,” Ginsberg said. Ginsberg’s motion initially passed on a vote of 39 to 35. One of those in the minority was Tara Carroll, a representative from the 7th District. She said a primary would be a guaranteed event, whereas a traditional convention might need to be postponed due to COVID.“I think that it’s a waste of party financial resources and the candidate’s financial and support resources that are better spent in the General Election,” Carroll said. “Additionally I think that conventions can be a very exclusive process that prohibits those of that we need that to  have our votes in the General Election. Young parents, military, students, due to time, financial and travel constraints.”Due to uncertainty related to COVID-19, Republicans acknowledged they could not hold a convention, but did not want the state of Virginia to administer the elections. Steve Troxell is a representative from the 6th Congressional District. “I like the idea of an unassembled convention because that takes care of the issues of people with small children simply because all they have to do is come through, take care of business, and go away again,” Troxell said. “I’m also concerned about the inability of a lot of registrar’s offices to guarantee that we have a clean election without a lot of spurious or questionable votes coming in.” Two Republicans from the General Assembly have announced their candidacy. They are former Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox and Senator Amanda Chase, but Chase has announced she will now run as an independent. *One way to ensure and promote biodiversity is to reduce the number of animals that die when they’re struck by vehicles moving at high speed. A recent video of an overpass crossing Interstate-80 in Utah recently went viral, raising awareness of an infrastructure movement that’s taking hold across America. Susan Holmes is the federal policy director of the U.S. Wildlands Network. “Wildlife corridor protection is so effective that 12 states, including Virginia and New Mexico, have already taken strong action to safeguard wildlife corridors and crossings by passing legislation or creating corridor conservation programs,” Holmes said.Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed a bill introduced by Delegate David Bulova (D-Fairfax) to create a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan for the state. This plan is to “identify wildlife corridors, defined as areas connecting fragmented wildlife habitats that are separated by human activities or infrastructure, and recommend wildlife crossing projects intended to promote driver safety and wildlife connectivity.” But where should they go? Dr. Ron Sutherland is the chief scientist at the Wildlands Network and he has this explanation.“A wildlife crossing is a structure that is designed to allow wildlife to safely cross under or over a busy road,” Sutherland said. “One of the best places to put wildlife road crossings is of course where you have a wildlife corridor that gets cut off by a highway.” “As you know, roads are pretty much everywhere and roads are quite skilled at fragmenting wildlife habitat,” said Bridget Donaldson, a scientist at the Virginia Transportation Research Council at the University of Virginia. She and her colleagues installed a pilot project on Interstate 64 west of Charlottesville that used fencing to direct creatures to an underpass. Her research indicates that the intervention reduced collisions by 90 percent. “These kinds of numbers have been shown time and again with wildlife crossing research, with effectiveness of between 85 percent and as much as 97 percent,” Donaldson said. Donaldson said so far wildlife crossings are rare, but increased efforts to report carcasses has shown better data that can demonstrate their efficacy. “And because of the crash reduction that we saw of over 90 percent, and because of the relatively low cost of the fencing, there’s an estimated savings mostly from vehicle property damage at each of those sites of over $2 million over the lifetime of the fencing,” Donaldson said. Donaldson said thousands of animals now use the crossings, including black bears. Slide taken from the study Enhancing Existing Isolated Underpasses With Fencing to Decrease Wildlife Crashes and Increase Habitat ConnectivityToday in meetings:The Albemarle Architectural Review Board meets at 1 p.m. and will review a new Sheetz at Airport Road, a preliminary site plan for the Albemarle Business Campus, and a new car was near Forest Lakes. Charlottesville City Council meets at 6-30 p.m. and among other things will consider a proposal for a city in western Guatemala to become the next sister city. Check out the Week Ahead newsletter to learn more details.Thank you for reading! To pay for all of this, I have launched a new business called Town Crier Productions in order to make a living as I go about my work researching public policy in our community.  You can help me by making a contribution:Support my research by making a donation through PatreonSign for a subscription to Charlottesville Community Engagement, free or paidPay me through Venmo This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

"Humanity stands at a defining moment in history." So begins the UN's Agenda 21 document to which most of the world signed up following the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. That "defining moment" - as promulgated by the UN - was the need for a "global partnership for sustainable development" to address "disparities between and within nations... poverty, hunger, ill health... illiteracy" and "deterioration of the ecosystems on which we depend..." Well-intentioned, we might think. But joining us to warn of its dangers is Michael Shaw, President of Freedom Advocates, who identifies Agenda 21 as the globalist action plan aimed at removing our unalienable rights, reducing human population, subverting national sovereignty by dividing the world into a system of globally-administered city states, and ultimately building an authoritarian New World Order of oligarchical rule. (For show notes, please visit TheMindRenewed.com)

"Humanity stands at a defining moment in history." So begins the UN's Agenda 21 document to which most of the world signed up following the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. That "defining moment" - as promulgated by the UN - was the need for a "global partnership for sustainable development" to address "disparities between and within nations... poverty, hunger, ill health... illiteracy" and "deterioration of the ecosystems on which we depend..." Well-intentioned, we might think. But joining us to warn of its dangers is Michael Shaw, President of Freedom Advocates, who identifies Agenda 21 as the globalist action plan aimed at removing our unalienable rights, reducing human population, subverting national sovereignty by dividing the world into a system of globally-administered city states, and ultimately building an authoritarian New World Order of oligarchical rule. (For show notes, please visit TheMindRenewed.com)