The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

wildlife connectivity, private land developmentis compromising that management. Windpower generation projects are underwayin Bradley Creek. Increasing humandevelopment on Virginia City Hill, the onlyother natural wildlife linkage to the TobaccoRoots from the GYE, makes the preservation ofboth of these corridors even more crucial forregional wildlife connectivity. Increasing trafficon Highway 287 over Norris Hill is becoming awildlife mortality risk.Conservation OpportunitiesMFWP has identified this as a prioritylinkage for conservation. Madison County isconsidering wildlife habitat, open spaceand conservation needs in the MadisonValley including the Norris Hill area.Conservation efforts in this linkage wouldbe a logical extension of efforts by MadisonValley Ranchlands, The Nature Conservancy,Wildlife Conservation Society and otherexisting groups in the Madison Valley. Manyproperties are being purchased for recreationand conservation, rather than productionpurposes, so new landowners represent apotential source of conservation support andstewardship management. Highway signingand potential crossing projects should bepursued to reduce vehicle collisions andwildlife mortality. Additional conservationwork in this area would be an efficient use offunds, leveraging the existing areas alreadyprotected from development, such as the MSURed Mountain Agricultural Experiment Stationand Flying D ranch.141