Getting Up To SPEED

Habitat loss is the most significant threat to America’s biodiversity, and one of the greatest consumers of habitat is poorly planned, sprawling development.

Better transportation planning can shape future growth, thereby determining the quantity and quality of the habitat left for wildlife.

Getting Up To SPEED: A Conservationist's Guide to Wildlife and Highways, seeks to crack the code on transportation and make the process more transparent from beginning to end—everything you always wanted to know about road building, but were afraid to ask.

By demystifying the world of transportation, we hope to provide conservationists with the necessary foundation for becoming better informed, more effective stakeholders in transportation debates.

Hardcopies are available free of charge to non-profit wildlife conservation advocacy organizations. Government agencies and private companies may purchase hardcopies for $25 each. Please email all questions and inquiries to trisha.white@defenders.org

Getting Up To SPEED
Download the full guide, or use the links below to download individual sections.
Getting Up To SPEED: Introduction
Introduction, foreward and table of contents
Getting Up To SPEED: Law, Policy and Governance
Law, Policy and Governance describes the legislative and regulatory framework associated with our transportation infrastructure, including the highway bill, funding, research and management of roads on public lands.
Getting Up To SPEED: Anatomy of a Highway
Anatomy of a Highway illustrates the life cycle of a road project, from the planning process to environmental review, through construction and long-term maintenance.
Getting Up To SPEED: Natural Environment
Natural Environment provides greater detail about transportation policies and practices specifically related to wildlife, roadside vegetation and aquatic resources.
Getting Up To SPEED: Advocacy
Advocacy outlines helpful hints for conservation advocates and showcases some of the best examples of successful organizations and campaigns.
Getting Up To SPEED: Appendix
The Appendix provides conservationists with abundant additional information and tools to help work more effectively on this issue locally and nationally.