Chairman of Utah Wildlife Federation praises ongoing support for wildlife crossing efforts

THE HEARLD JOURNAL | Corbin Allen staff writer | Mar 10, 2026

Conservation Officer Rick Schulze, of the Division of Wildlife Resources, stands in a tunnel running under the highway in Sardine Canyon in this 2007 file photo. The tunnels were built to provide deer a safer option to cross the highway.

Pending Gov. Spencer Cox’s signature, H.B. 431 will set aside $2 million to preserve wildlife connectivity and livestock protection projects, a decision wholeheartedly supported by Utah Wildlife Federation (UWF) Chairman Shauna Hart.

Titled “Wildlife Crossing Amendments,” the bill also creates the Wildlife Crossing Account, which allows for private donations. To make the effort more visible, those applying for one of many licenses, permits, certificates of registration and tags will be offered the opportunity to designate a contribution to the account.

With Utah’s first-ever official wildlife crossing built in 1975 — a tally now in the 50s — Hart said efforts such as H.B. 431’s are ever-important in maintaining the safety of both wildlife and Utahns.

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