Federal Lands Wildlife-Vehicle Collision Data Coordination

The National Park Service (NPS), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and other federal land management agencies (FLMAs) lack sufficient information regarding the location, rate, and severity of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) along roadways within agency management units ⿿ parks and refuges ⿿ and on roads in surrounding public lands. Currently, there is no systematic collection and sharing of this information. Without these data, it is difficult for FLMAs to adequately analyze WVCs, develop priorities, fund and implement the most effective mitigation solutions that resolve WVC issues and its negative compounding effects on safety and resource protection. Although each FLMA manages roads within its own jurisdiction, the surrounding transportation network is managed by other transportation, or land management agencies, such as state Departments of Transportation (DOTs), city or county road departments, or state departments of parks or natural resources. These entities may also have road segments with high rates of WVCs with similar implications to human safety and natural resource protection. The lack of WVC data coordination on surrounding non-FLMA roads limit the ability of a FLMA and its adjacent partners to fully understand the negative impacts that WVCs are having in a specific area or region. The adverse effects of roads and traffic on FLMA visitors and natural resources are issues shared with other transportation and natural resource agencies across the nation, and in many other parts of the world. As a result, different technologies have been developed to gather more precise WVC data. The challenge is to sort through this variety of technologies to determine which are readily available with the least modification, and which best address the unique circumstances of NPS, FWS and other FLMAs and their information systems, cultures and environments. The goal of the project is to facilitate FLMA coordination, specifically between NPS and FWS, for collecting, storing, mapping, sharing, and analyzing WVC data, in coordination with surrounding transportation networks and entities. Utilizing the expertise of the Western Transportation Institute, this project would: ⿢ Provide for improved coordination of the FLMAs and surrounding stakeholders for capturing WVC data at a national-level. ⿢ Allow for greater public stewardship of natural resources allowing for reporting of WVCs by visitors and the general public. ⿢ Enhance the understanding of WVC incident and species factors, thus improving transportation investment identification and further promoting natural resource protection. Although the NPS and FWS do not systematically collect road-related wildlife mortality data, a 2007 NPS service-wide survey of resource managers indicates that road-caused mortality significantly affects wildlife populations (Ament et al. 2008). In addition, based on the most recent NPS vehicle crash data that is available, nationally, the NPS experiences a higher rate of crashes involving wildlife as compared to other jurisdictions⿿ public roadways. This project will facilitate coordination of FLMA and stakeholder WVC data collection by understanding existing processes and identifying data collection needs. The project will result in an assessment of existing data collection systems and the development of an Implementation and Sustainability Plan including FLMA recommendations for coordinating WVC data collection, reporting and analysis. Task 1. Project Team Involvement, Stakeholder Meeting Facilitation and Documentation ⿢ Participate in project team meetings for project development. ⿢ Facilitate two or three stakeholder meetings, documenting existing FLMA WVC data collection processes, data collection systems, and gathering FLMA data and collection needs. ⿢ Work with project team to agree upon data collection applications needed by FLMAs: type(s) of data collection devices, data fields, appearance of applications, data fields, species lists, etc. Task 2. Existing Systems Research ⿢ Research and identify other existing WVC data collection systems, determine system compatibility with FLMA needs and uses, and document best practices. Task 3. Test Phase ⿢ Develop a ⿿test⿝ WVC Data Collection, Storage, and Retrieval site based on FLMA needs identified in Task 1, in order to demonstrate an ideal collection system for use by FLMAs. ⿢ Based on Task 2 findings, identify two to three compatible existing systems to ⿿test⿝ FLMA data collection and analysis. ⿢ Work with the project team to identify two or three pilot test areas, using the ⿿test⿝ site and the identified existing sites to gather available WVC data in pilot areas. ⿢ Assess findings from each of these to address the FLMA data collection and analysis needs. ⿢ Determine local/regional coordination opportunities in these test areas, assess and report on findings. Task 4. Report and Plan Development ⿢ Based on research findings, WTI/project team expertise, and FLMA/Stakeholder involvement develop a Findings Report and an Implementation and Sustainability Plan for national WVC data collection and coordination. Task 5. Document Review and Editing ⿢ Provide for FLMA review/input of the report and plan. ⿢ Facilitate stakeholder meeting to present and discuss. ⿢ Refine the report and plan, as necessary. Task 6. Finalize Plan, Findings Report, and Deliverable ⿢ Finalize the plan and findings reports in MSWord and PDF format and provide electronic copies to the project team. Authorizing statues for this program include Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, as amended, 16 U.S.C. (742f (a)(4); Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 661.; Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978, as amended (16 U.S.C. 753), Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, as amended (16 U.S.C. 4601-4 through 11), Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543).