CDFW divides the state into six administrative Regions. CDFW staff in each Region identified linear segments of infrastructure that currently present barriers to wildlife populations in their jurisdiction. In doing so, the Regions used all available empirical information in their possession, including existing connectivity and road crossing studies, collared-animal movement data, roadkill observations, and professional expertise. This dataset represents the ten highest priority barriers identified in each Region and the twelve top priority barriers statewide.

This dataset represents CDFW's ongoing effort to identify priority wildlife movement barriers across the state. Currently, increasing attention is being directed toward wildlife habitat connectivity as a mechanism of maintaining biodiversity in the face of population growth and climate change. Listing priority wildlife barrier locations will help focus limited financial resources where the highest need has been identified to improve wildlife movement. This is complementary to CDFW’s fish passage barrier priorities that have been identified for anadromous fish. Like the fish passage priorities, the wildlife barrier priorities list will be periodically updated to reflect new information and barrier removal successes.

Most of the barriers identified are highway segments, but the list also includes a local road and two high speed rail alignments.

Additional information can be found in this report: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=204648.

Wildlife Movement Barriers - CDFW [ds2867] represents a comprehensive dataset of all barriers identified to date, including those which have been remediated since 2020.