Posted: | February 25, 2021 04:50 PM |
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From: | Senator Katie J. Muth |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Conservation Corridors |
In the near future, I will be introducing a companion resolution to that of Representative Daley and Representative Kaufer that directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of conservation corridors in Pennsylvania. A conservation corridor is defined as habitat linkage that joins two or more areas of wildlife habitat, allowing for fish passage or the movement of plant or animal wildlife from one area to another. This would include corridors currently owned and maintained by state departments, agencies, non-profits and private owners. The goal of the study is to assist these entities in managing wildlife habitat, limiting forest fragmentation, planning connectivity, and planning crossings to limit the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions in Pennsylvania as well as maintaining and enhancing Pennsylvania as one of the nation’s top destinations for outdoor recreation tourism. Recommendations from the study would be directed to government agencies and departments and, as appropriate, shared with non-profits and private owners. Conservation corridors generally encompass high quality habitat for priority species and ecosystem health and migration routes of native game and migratory species. Wildlife corridors would address the need to either avoid or resolve problem areas with a high risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions and lands containing a high prevalence of existing human barriers, including roads, dams, power lines, pipelines, windmills and other projects which may negatively impact wildlife movement and migration. Understanding of the Commonwealth’s habitat connectivity status and potential would benefit from consideration of all relevant data, including from federal and state agencies, including surrounding states, nonprofit organizations, universities, and private landowners. Please consider joining me in support of this important measure. |
Introduced as SR70