This project, initiated in 2021, is part of the Long Point/Walsingham Forest Priority Place (LPWF PP) Road Ecology Working Group’s efforts, funded by Environment Canada and Climate Change, to address road mortality as a major threat to Ontario’s Species at Risk (SAR) snakes and turtles, particularly in Norfolk County. The project aims to mitigate the impact of road mortality on Eastern Foxsnakes in the Big Creek corridor and South Walsingham Forest, identified as primary road-kill hotspots. The plan involves a phased approach over six years, starting in 2023, with a pilot study at priority hotspots on County Road 60. The study will utilize innovative materials such as vinyl sheet pile and 60 cm diameter pipes to create wildlife exclusion road structures.

The primary focus is on the Eastern Foxsnake, a globally at-risk species, with 70% of its global range in Ontario. The project seeks to test cutting-edge solutions, examine crossing structure passage for various SAR snakes, evaluate habitat connectivity, leverage existing data, and implement an outreach program. The study area covers 5 km of County Road 60, west of County Road 59, bisecting the Big Creek floodplains and the Walsingham Forest. The conceptual mitigation plan involves the installation of pipes, vinyl sheet pile, and HDPE fencing at identified hotspots.

The project’s goals include testing innovative solutions, examining passage by SAR snakes, evaluating habitat connectivity, leveraging data, and implementing outreach. The monitoring plan involves road surveys, wildlife camera assessments, motorist surveys, and educating local residents. The project, in collaboration with the University of Waterloo, aims to develop a comprehensive monitoring program to track Foxsnakes in the larger watershed.

Despite a deviation from the original proposal due to funding and logistical considerations, the team plans to finalize the conceptual design in collaboration with Norfolk County and move forward with the pilot study in 2024. The project underscores the importance of mitigating road mortality to support the recovery of SAR snakes in southwestern Ontario.