Free Zoom lecture with Dr. Fraser Shilling

Click here for the recording of the presentation: Wildlife Crossings Zoom Lecture with Dr. Fraser Shilling

This Zoom lecture occurred on March 9, 2022, and included a live presentation followed by a Q & A.

Wildlife-Vehicle-Collisions (WVC) or “roadkill” can result in death of the animal and vehicle damage and injury to the driver and passengers with significant ecological and economic impacts.  According to analyses of the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis, California has incurred 1 to 2 billion dollars in costs related to WVC over the last 5 years.  Collisions recorded by the CHP numbered over 44,000 during that same period.  Dr. Shilling will discussed the history of crossings in California, including where they are and what they do.  He presented what we know and what we don’t know about developing wildlife crossings and the decision process for their location and funding.  There are many opportunities for the public to influence development of a wildlife crossing system in the state in what can be called a “win-win” opportunity.

Dr. Fraser Shilling is the director of the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis.  He received his PhD from USC. Dr. Shilling has three main research areas in transportation ecology: 1) environmental disruption (e.g., climate change, pandemics) impacts on transportation and other systems, 2) impacts of traffic noise and light on wildlife use of habitat and wildlife crossing structures, and 3) interaction of transportation systems with natural processes.  He also studies equity and justice in water sustainability and climate change.