Wildlife Passage in Snohomish County: September 2010 to April 2011

Abstract

Wildlife constitutes a vital, but often unseen, component of Western Washington ecosystems. Wildlife tracking and motion sensor cameras offer a window into the secretive life of animals as they intersect with our roads and highways. The Learn and Serve Environmental Anthropology Field (LEAF) School at Edmonds Community College, in collaboration with Snohomish County Public Works, instituted a formal wildlife-monitoring project in September 2010. This report summarizes data collected through April 2011 at four wildlife corridor sites in Snohomish County. At two sites, Granite Falls Alternative Route and Bridge 600 over Swamp Creek, students monitored newly constructed wildlife passage structures. At two other sites, Bridge 42 over Jim Creek and the 180th and 51st Ave SE Brightwater Culverts, students conducted pre-construction monitoring where wildlife passage structures have been proposed. The data collected to date clearly demonstrates that targeted species are using the newly constructed passage structures and that wildlife passage is needed at the proposed construction sites.