Wildlands Network

Wildlands Network's mission is to reconnect, restore and rewild North America so that life-in all its diversity-can thrive. We know that sustaining biodiversity requires a big-picture vision. Our projects are strategically positioned across Canada, the United States and Mexico to connect and preserve nature at a continental scale.

Using the principles of conservation biology, our founders identified the core native wildlife habitat areas and the corridors that connect them - we call them Wildways. This innovative concept has fundamentally shaped conservation projects across North America.

Here in Utah, we have had a couple HUGE wins for wildlife! Both HB 412 - Energy Development Planning Amendments and HB 431 - Wildlife Crossings Amendments have officially passed the Legislature and have been signed by Governor Cox. 

• HB 412 requires owners and operators of utility-scale solar and wind projects to consult with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) as a part of the permitting process. 

• HB 431 creates the Wildlife Crossing Account within the Transportation Investment Fund, directs the Transportation Commission to deposit $2 million annually into the Account for wildlife crossing and connectivity projects, and allows for voluntary contributions through opt-ins on vehicle registration and renewals and hunting as well as fishing permits. 

HB 412 ensures wildlife considerations are incorporated early in the planning and permitting process for utility-scale solar and wind projects, when siting and design decisions are still flexible. As renewable energy rapidly expands across the West, HB 412 formalizes collaboration and coordination with UDWR, helping to inform and guide responsible renewable energy development while minimizing impacts to wildlife and their habitats.

HB 431 shifts funding for wildlife crossing projects from sporadic, one-off appropriations to a strategic and reliable source. By recognizing wildlife crossing projects as essential transportation safety infrastructure, HB 431 allows the state to plan and prioritize projects more effectively, leverage federal and other matching funds, and accelerate the construction and maintenance of projects that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, preserve migration and movement corridors, and further cement Utah as a leader in wildlife connectivity. 

Together, HB 412 and 431 tackle two major drivers of connectivity loss in Utah: energy development and transportation infrastructure - advancing a stronger, more coordinated, and more proactive approach to protecting connectivity across the state while supporting responsible development as Utah continues to grow.