Teachers Translate Transportation Research into Classroom Experiences
At the West Region Transportation Workforce Center (WRTWC), the first Research Experience for Teachers in Innovative Transportation Systems (ITS-RET) program is well underway. Ten middle, high school, and community college faculty participants are conducting multidisciplinary transportation research for six weeks at Montana State University this summer. The research topic areas focus on the unique challenges […]
WTI Road Ecologist Selected as Keynote at International Conference
When the Infra Eco Network Europe (IENE) meets for its International Conference this fall, one of the keynote speakers will be WTI Research Scientist Tony Clevenger. Tony will travel to the Netherlands in September to present “Through the lens of time: Long-term research integrating behavior, landscape ecology and conservation along the Trans-Canada Highway.” He will […]
Blanketing the Roadsides: Wool Erosion Control Blankets Nurture Revegetation
MSU News is highlighting a successful collaboration between WTI and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to use blankets made of Montana wool to prevent erosion and promote plant growth along highways. For a recent feature article, Principal Investigator Rob Ament invited MSU news staff to visit the test site along Highway 287 near Three […]
New Publication: Identifying Wildlife Species from Roadkill Data
In September 2018, the journal Biological Conservation will publish an article whose lead author is Fernanda Abra, one of Marcel Huijser’s Ph.D. students at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. “How reliable are your data? Verifying species identification of road-killed mammals recorded by road maintenance personnel in São Paulo State, Brazil” was based on research […]
Teton County Approves Wildlife Crossings Plan
At a recent meeting, the county commissioners of Teton County, Wyoming approved a wildlife crossings master plan, which will now become part of the region’s Integrated Transportation Plan. The Plan was developed by WTI’s Road Ecology program, with Research Ecologist Marcel Huijser serving as the Principal Investigator. Focused on key highway segments near Jackson, Wyoming […]
Cover Stars: Graylings from Fish Technology Center Grace the Cover of MSU Magazine
Mountains and Minds is Montana State University’s premier print publication for showcasing the institution’s people, events, and accomplishments. Published only twice a year, Mountains and Minds selected some familiar young fish for the new edition’s coveted cover photo: young grayling from the Bozeman Fish Technology Center (BFTC), raised for the fish passage research conducted by […]
Postcards from the field: Brazilian adventures
A few weeks ago, we reported that WTI Research Ecologist Marcel Huijser had departed for Brazil to serve as a guest professor and researcher at the University of São Paulo for the summer. In his first update, he sent photos from a field trip with his Road Ecology students to the Cerrado ecosystem on the […]
New Paper Released: Environmental challenges for the Belt and Road Initiative
WTI Researcher Tony Clevenger was co author on a recently released paper, “Environmental challenges for the Belt and Road Initiative.” The Belt and Road Initiative will greatly influence the future of global trade. However, it may also promote permanent environmental degradation. We call for rigorous strategic environmental and social assessments, raising the bar for environmental […]
In the News: Wildlife Vehicle Crossings in California
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has begun the planning and development of a wildlife crossings bridge on Highway 17, a commuter corridor that passes through deer and wildlife habitat in the Santa Cruz Mountains. According to a recent article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Caltrans consulted with WTI’s Marcel Huijser during the planning process, and […]
New Project: Creating Safe Road Crossing Structures for Small Wildlife Species
Many wildlife crossing structures are designed to create safe passage for large animal species. However, there is also a need to reduce the impacts of roads on small animal species, including terrestrial mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. One approach is to adapt road crossing structures that are designed for other purposes (e.g., drainage structures, bridges across […]