Bipartisan Bill Aims to Create a "National Wildlife Corridor System," an Entirely New Category of Protected Public Lands and Waters
Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026 offers hope for America's migratory wildlife
“From Florida panthers to pronghorn and monarch butterflies, wildlife need to move across the landscape to survive. Protecting wildlife corridors is one of the most important tools we have to address the biodiversity crisis, especially in the face of climate change. By creating a national system of wildlife corridors, this bill will safeguard biodiversity and protect some of our most endangered species.” - Susan Holmes, Executive Director of the Endangered Species Coalition.
Amid the relentless onslaught on all things public lands, waters, and wildlife coming from the White House and congressional Republicans, there are also a few glimmers of hope—a few sporadic signs that not all may be lost. In many cases, you just really, really need to look for them. They’re often unexpected, but they’re there.
Last Wednesday, April 22, 2026—Earth Day—presented two of them. Both have to do with wildlife.
For more than a century, American wildlife conservation has largely focused on protecting places within boundaries: national parks, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas. That approach has, of course, delivered enormous benefits. But it has also revealed a growing limitation: protected areas alone are not enough if the landscapes between them are no longer functional.
After all, wild animals move. They always have. Mule deer and elk migrate between summer and winter ranges. Pronghorn travel long distances across open country. Migratory birds fly from north to south, and vice versa, every year. Large predators like wolves, lynx, and grizzly bears disperse to establish new territories. Fish move through river systems to spawn.
These movements are absolutely fundamental to the species’ survival. They allow for access to food, mating and nesting, genetic exchange, and adaptation to changing conditions, which is crucial in this age of climate change, drought, floods, and wildfire.
Across much of the United States, however, those movements are becoming increasingly difficult. In many areas, they’ve become impossible.
Roads, energy development, suburban expansion, agriculture, fencing, and other forms of infrastructure have fragmented once-connected landscapes. In many cases, habitat still exists, but it no longer functions as a connected system. Migration routes narrow or disappear altogether, creating isolated populations—a patchwork of separated islands of wildlife. Mortality increases, particularly from vehicle collisions. Over time, the long-term viability of species declines dramatically.
This week, on Wednesday—Earth Day—a new bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to address that problem at a national scale by establishing an entirely new category and system of protected public lands and waters.
The bill is called the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026 (H.R. 8438) and was introduced by representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
It proposes the creation of a National Wildlife Corridor System on federal public lands and waters, along with a supporting framework for mapping, research, coordination, and funding.
At its core, the legislation is built around a straightforward concept: conservation efforts need to account not just for where wildlife lives, but how it moves.
“Biodiversity loss has a major impact on our planet’s resilience and affects our lives as humans. Wildlife corridors are one of the simplest yet most effective solutions to mitigate that loss by supporting habitat connectivity,” said Democratic Representative Don Beyer from Virginia. “By connecting different habitat areas, we can help animals access necessary food and resources, support genetic diversity, and give species the space they need to thrive.”
One of the first steps outlined in the bill is the development of a comprehensive mapping and science program overseen by the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The goal is to compile and expand existing data on wildlife movement and habitat connectivity, drawing from federal agencies, states, Tribes, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
The program would produce publicly available maps and databases identifying corridors and areas of connectivity, while also highlighting gaps in current knowledge.
This type of information is critical for land-use planning. In many cases, conflicts between wildlife movement and development occur because decision-makers lack clear, standardized data on where animals are traveling and what barriers they face. By improving access to that information, the bill aims to support more informed planning and management decisions before conflicts intensify.
The legislation also establishes a formal process for officially designating National Wildlife Corridors on federal land and water.
These corridors could be identified through legislation, agency rulemaking, or revisions to existing land-use plans. Nominations could come from states, Tribal governments, local entities, or conservation organizations, while a federal coordinating committee would also play a role in identifying priority areas.
Designation would be based on scientific criteria, including the extent to which an area supports wildlife movement, its potential to benefit multiple species, and its importance for species that are threatened or endangered. This structured approach is intended to ensure that corridor designations are grounded in measurable ecological value.
This is exciting because it would add an entirely new type of public land protections, on par with such other such designations as Wild & Scenic Rivers and National Wildlife Refuges.
The big difference, however, is that for the first time in U.S. history these National Wildlife Corridors would set aside public lands and waters solely for the benefit of wildlife. Not for recreation, not for hunting and fishing, not for resource extraction, not for scenic beauty, not for historical significance, but to give hundreds of migratory animal species a fighting chance at survival.
Once designated, these corridors would be managed with an emphasis on maintaining and improving habitat connectivity.
The bill directs federal agencies—specifically the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture, Commerce, and Transportation—to incorporate corridor conservation into their planning processes, update relevant policies and guidance, and implement strategies that support wildlife movement over the long term.
Another key provision of the legislation is its approach to development within designated corridors. The bill states that infrastructure and activities that impede wildlife movement should be severely restricted, except where and when absolutely necessary.
Importantly, it also includes provisions withdrawing all federal lands within a designated National Wildlife Corridor from disposal, new mining claims, and mineral leasing, subject to existing rights. These measures are intended to reduce further fragmentation in areas identified as critical for connectivity.
This is huge.
Additionally, the bill recognizes the importance of coordination across jurisdictions. Wildlife corridors often cross multiple land ownerships, including private property and state-managed lands.
To address this, the legislation includes a grant program to support corridor conservation efforts beyond federal boundaries. Eligible recipients include state agencies, Tribal governments, local governments, private landowners, and other partners.
“Florida is home to some of the nation’s most treasured wildlife in the country, from panthers and alligators to manatees and sea turtles,” said Republican Representative Vern Buchanan from Florida. “Safeguarding their habitats is critical for the survival of these species and the preservation of our state’s ecosystems. As Co-Chair of the Animal Protection Caucus, I am honored to help introduce this bipartisan legislation that gives states the power to protect vital wildlife corridors. Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to advance commonsense solutions that ensure the future of our nation’s wildlife.”
The Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026 also emphasizes collaboration with transportation agencies to address one of the most visible aspects of fragmentation: wildlife-vehicle collisions.
In areas where corridors intersect with roads or highways, the legislation encourages the use of mitigation measures such as overpasses, underpasses, fencing, culverts, and other infrastructure designed to improve both wildlife movement and public safety.
“When conservation is done right, the benefits reach well beyond the landscape itself. This initiative will help protect habitat, strengthen biodiversity, and improve wildlife movement, while making our roads safer and reducing property damage here at home,” said Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania. “Just as importantly, it gives state and local partners a more effective path to bring federal dollars back and invest them in practical solutions tailored to local needs. This is exactly the kind of commonsense, community-focused stewardship our communities deserve.”
The need for this type of approach is already evident in several regions of the country.
In the Golden Triangle of western Wyoming, particularly—arguably the best example of the dire need for wildlife migration corridors in the lower 48 states—long-distance migrations of mule deer and pronghorn intersect with highways and expanding energy development, especially oil and gas drilling.
In Colorado, the I-25 corridor between Denver and Colorado Springs has required significant investment in wildlife crossing structures to reduce collisions and reconnect habitat.
In south Florida, ongoing development continues to fragment habitat used by panthers, while in south Texas, ocelots face similar challenges, with roads contributing to both habitat fragmentation and direct mortality.
And in southern California, the Santa Monica Mountains have become increasingly isolated by major freeways and urban development, affecting species such as mountain lions.
“This Earth Day, I'm proud to help lead this bipartisan bill that would have a profound and positive impact on America's biodiversity,” said Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren from California. “Especially in my home state of California, wildlife corridors have proven to be a key solution to help species that are moving across habitats due to climate change. Not only will this bill help to reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife, but it will allow America’s many ecosystems to flourish.”
These examples illustrate a broader pattern. Wildlife movement is still occurring in many parts of the country, but often under increasing—unsustainable—pressure from human activity.
Addressing that pressure requires more than isolated projects or new parks. It requires a coordinated approach that considers connectivity as a fundamental component of public land, water, and wildlife management.
The proposed National Wildlife Corridor System represents one such approach.
Whether it ultimately becomes law remains uncertain, of course. But the issues it addresses—fragmentation, migration barriers, and the need for connected habitats—are already shaping the future of wildlife conservation in the United States.
“Rep. Beyer, Buchanan, Lofgren and Fitzpatrick’s legislation would address a key driver of the biodiversity crisis by enhancing wildlife connectivity across our public lands,” said Christian Hunt, Director of National Wildlife Refuges and Parks Program at Defenders of Wildlife. “The science is clear—where wildlife movement is restricted, local extinctions follow. This bill offers a durable, long-term solution that will be critical to reversing that trend.”
This bill, if passed, would be a giant leap forward in terms of protecting America’s amazing biodiversity for future generations.
I’ll be keeping an eye on the progress of this exciting new legislation—that really doesn’t happen very often nowadays, after all—and once it’s time to put pressure on lawmakers to get this passed, you’ll be the first to hear about it.
“From Florida panthers to pronghorn and monarch butterflies, wildlife need to move across the landscape to survive. Protecting wildlife corridors is one of the most important tools we have to address the biodiversity crisis, especially in the face of climate change,” said Susan Holmes, Executive Director of the Endangered Species Coalition. “By creating a national system of wildlife corridors, this bill will safeguard biodiversity and protect some of our most endangered species. We thank Representatives Beyer, Buchanan, Lofgren, and Fitzpatrick for their leadership in championing this critical effort.”
The second hopeful thing that happened on Earth Day involved the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The U.S. House of Representatives had scheduled a vote on Representative Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) ESA Amendment Act of 2025 on Wednesday.
Dubbed the “Extinction Act” by conservation organizations, the bill would have shifted the responsibility for protecting more than 1,500 threatened and endangered species to the states, Tribes, and local governments, among many, many other provisions that would have effectively gutted the ESA.
The good news is that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) suddenly pulled the bill on Wednesday, just hours before the vote was supposed to take place.
“Now we can really celebrate Earth Day! The public defeat of the Westerman bill is a direct result of sustained constituent pressure. Congress is finally listening to the majority of Americans who support the Endangered Species Act, rather than centering politics and money in its policy decisions,” said Mary Beth Beetham, Legislative Director of Defenders of Wildlife. “The decision to not advance the vote keeps current safeguards in place, which have protected 99% of species from extinction. While there is still much more work to secure lasting protections for wildlife, today’s outcome is a meaningful victory for conservation.”
Word is that too many Republican representatives realized how massively unpopular that bill is/was—how overwhelming public support for keeping the ESA intact actually is.
Republican pushback against overhauling the Endangered Species Act came from an unlikely corner: Florida. On Monday, April 20, Representative Anna Paulina Luna from Florida posted on X: “Don’t tread on my turtles. Protected means protected. #EndangeredSpeciesAct”
“Given the more than 58,000 emails sent to elected officials, along with hundreds—if not thousands—of calls made in just the past few days, it is clear that the American people support the Endangered Species Act, understand its value, and want its protections for threatened and endangered wildlife to remain in place. This is a welcome sign that efforts to gut protections for imperiled species are not moving forward on Earth Day,” said Jewel Tomasula, Policy Director for the Endangered Species Coalition. “We’re glad Congress is hearing their constituent’s concerns about Westerman’s harmful bill and taking pause to listen. For now, the important work to protect endangered species can continue. This Congress should leave the ESA alone.”
When the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973—at the request of Republican President Richard Nixon, mind you—it did so with nearly unanimous votes. Not a single senator or representative publicly spoke out against it. Only four Republicans cast a “nay” vote.
The ESA passed the Senate with a 92-0 vote and the House with a 355-4 vote.
Thanks for helping to protect our public lands, waters, and wildlife!
See you out there,
Bram