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Santa Barbara, CA — April 30 — Los Padres ForestWatch is proud to present a free virtual conversation with award-winning environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb, author of Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. The webinar will take place on Thursday, May 22 at 12:00 p.m. PT, and will explore the growing movement to protect wildlife by transforming the way we design roads and infrastructure.
In Crossings, Goldfarb sheds light on a global issue with deeply local consequences—how roads fragment natural habitats, isolate wildlife populations, and endanger animals ranging from mountain lions to salamanders. Through thoughtful storytelling and rigorous science, he shares how communities are building wildlife crossings—overpasses, underpasses, and tunnels designed to safely move animals across highways—to address these challenges.
Wildlife crossings are especially urgent along California’s Central Coast. In Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, highways like U.S. 101 and State Routes 154 and 33 dissect key wildlife corridors linking the Los Padres National Forest with the coast and inland mountain ranges.
Animals like mountain lions, black bears, and bobcats face daily barriers to movement, often with deadly consequences.
One landmark project—the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Los Angeles County—is setting a national precedent. Currently under construction over the 101 Freeway at Liberty Canyon, it will be the largest wildlife crossing in the world and a model for other regions, including the Central Coast.
“Projects like the Annenberg Crossing show what’s possible when science, public support, and political will come together,” said Melissa Bates Wilder, Wildlife Program Manager at Los Padres ForestWatch. “Now is the time to bring local solutions to Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, where we have both the ecological need and public momentum.”
That momentum includes California’s new Room to Roam Act (AB 1889), signed into law in 2024, which supports wildlife connectivity efforts statewide. The bill helps identify and prioritize wildlife corridors, fund infrastructure projects, and integrate habitat considerations into transportation planning—all critical tools in safeguarding biodiversity as development and climate pressures grow.
Event Details:
What: Crossings Webinar with Author Ben GoldfarbWhen: Thursday, May 22, 2025 | 12:00 p.m. PT
Where: Online (Zoom)
Register: http://www.lpfw.org/crossings
Ben Goldfarb is also the author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, winner of the 2019 E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. His latest work continues to inspire a new way of thinking about how humans and wildlife share space. You can purchase his books online at the Los Padres ForestWatch bookstore.
About Los Padres Forest Watch
Los Padres Forest Watch is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Los Padres National Forest and the surrounding public lands. Through a combination of education, advocacy, and hands-on conservation efforts, we work to protect wildlife, restore ecosystems, and promote sustainable land stewardship.
For more information about Los Padres Forest Watch, visit http://www.lpfw.org.
