State DOTs Partner with The Nature Conservancy on Wildlife Connectivity
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Alissa Fadden – wildlife connectivity project manager for The Nature Conservancy in New York – and Chris Slesar, environmental resources coordinator at the Vermont Agency of Transportation, join The Stream by AASHTO podcast to discuss “Highways and Habitats,” a video training series that helps bridge the gap between road ecology and habitat connectivity. The pair discussed the importance of bringing transportation ecology to the forefront of state department of transportation projects and how this new training program helps teach state DOT professionals the ins-and-outs of connecting both people and wildlife safely across the northeast.Episode NotesChris Slesar and Alissa Fadden, join The Stream by AASHTO podcast to discuss “Highways and Habitats,” a video training series created by a partnership between The Nature Conservancy and eight state departments of transportation.In the Northeast, where the training is particularly focused, state DOTs have noticed a recent uptick in changing species patterns as a result of various habitat changes, including increased flooding and road construction. For those state DOTs, it became evident that a more “connected landscape” is necessary to make roads safer while simultaneously improving protections for local ecologies.In this episode, Fadden and Slesar discuss a variety of topics – including how to build cross-border state DOT relationships, the impact of Vermont’s original award-winning “Highways and Habitats” training program, regional habitat connectivity successes, and what this new training initiative could mean for state DOTs in other parts of the United States. More information about the program can be found in The Leaflet by AASHTO’s June 2026 article about the training.This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state DOTs and the infrastructure programs they oversee.