North Carolina just voted to protect animals in the Great Smokies with historic investment in wildlife crossings

The North Carolina General Assembly has just appropriated a historic $10.2 million for wildlife crossings and mitigation strategies in the state’s budget.

North Carolina first made a landmark $2 million appropriation in 2023, making the state’s first dedicated fund for wildlife crossings. Now, lawmakers have voted to establish a permanent funding source, which will funnel $10.2 million into wildlife crossing efforts every two years.

The state joins a handful of others in allocating state resources to build structures like wildlife overpasses and underpasses, including Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and more…

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