Keep Oregon’s Wildlife Moving

  • The 2025 Oregon State Legislature is underway as of January 21 and will run for 160-days until June 29. 

    In the 2025 legislative session, there are two exciting, interrelated wildlife crossing initiatives that need support from Oregonians like you:

    • HB 2978, introduced by Representative Helm, would improve Oregon’s existing connectivity law by requiring:

      • The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) to update its wildlife guidance materials and crossing design standards to encourage the incorporation of wildlife-friendly infrastructure into our roadways;

      • A mutual agreement between ODOT & ODFW to spur collaboration and resource sharing amongst agencies, Tribes, NGOs, academic institutions & other community partners statewide;

      • Creation of a training program designed to educate ODOT staff and other stakeholders on the efficacy of transportation solutions for improving wildlife and human safety; and,

      • ODOT to consult with ODFW to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts to wildlife connectivity from the construction, improvement, operation and maintenance of transportation infrastructure throughout this state.

    • A directly-related funding bill to provide the $5 million per year needed for implementation of ODOT's wildlife-vehicle collision reduction program.

    These two bills, both introduced by long-time wildlife champion Rep. Ken Helm, will build upon unanimously supported wildlife and motorist safe passage legislation and funding from previous years and will further improve outcomes to Oregon's current wildlife corridor and crossings laws. Both measures are already attracting broad-based, bipartisan support not only from Oregon legislators co-sponsoring the legislation, but from a whole host of organizations representing environmental and conservation groups, hunting and angling advocates, outfitters and many more. 

    Please contact your elected officials today to ask them to support the passage of HB 2978’s policy advancements and related funding measures to keep Oregon’s wildlife moving and improve motorist safety on our state roadways!

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Every year, some of Oregon’s most iconic wildlife — including elk, deer, and pronghorn— migrate across the landscape to find food and reproduce. As new research deepens our understanding of these magnificent journeys, one thing has become clear — our roads are fragmenting the habitats that Oregon wildlife rely on. The result? Between 2017-2021, the ODOT recorded roughly 30,000 deer-vehicle collisions alone. With roughly 6,000 deer-vehicle collisions per year, Oregon has a $114 million per year deer-vehicle collision problem, and elk collisions have cost Oregonians an estimated $26 million over the past several years. It’s time to connect critical wildlife habitats and make our roads safer for both people and animals.

Oregon’s wildlife need our help. HB 2978 & emerging funding solutions are wildlife conservation bills that provide momentum for making our roads safer for wildlife and motorists alike. @GovTinaKotek @RobForOregon @RepFahey #KeepOregonsWildlifeMoving