Sacramento, CA–Governor Gavin Newsom joined the groundbreaking of the world’s largest wildlife overpass, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which will provide a vital bridge for mountain lions and other Santa Monica Mountain wildlife to roam safely between two large areas of habitat.
The state Saturday also announced the launch of strategies to achieve California’s first-in-the-nation 30×30 conservation goal and better manage their natural and working lands to combat climate change and protect the communities and ecosystems.
Newsom has put forward a historic $37.6 billion climate package – more than what most other countries are spending – to protect all Californians from the costs and impacts of climate change while accelerating efforts to reduce the dependence on big polluters and fossil fuels.
“No challenge poses a greater threat to our way of life, prosperity, and future as a state than climate change,” said Governor Newsom. “With our rich natural heritage on the front lines of this crisis, California is building on our global climate leadership with bold strategies that harness the power of nature to fight climate change and protect our communities and ecosystems. Strong partnerships across the board will be critical to these efforts, and the project we’re lifting up today is an inspiring example of the kind of creative collaborations that will help us protect our common home for generations to come.”
Underscoring the critical importance of wildlife crossings, a mountain lion was struck and killed Friday on Interstate 405 freeway. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will span 10 lanes of Highway 101 and an adjacent road, improving wildlife connectivity to support biodiverse ecosystems. The state has provided $58 million in funding for the public-private conservation project, which is being facilitated by Caltrans, while philanthropy has raised more than $34 million in funding. In partnership with the Legislature, the governor last year advanced $105 million to fund wildlife crossings and is this year proposing an additional $50 million for this priority – including $10 million in new funding for the crossing in Liberty Canyon.
Moving to protect mountain lions and other wildlife, the Governor in 2020 signed legislation prohibiting the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, which are known to cause chronic growth and reproduction issues. Earlier this week, the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency announced the award of a $3.125 million grant to study the Pacheco Pass wildlife overcrossing near the San Jose to Merced high-speed rail project section.
