OCRF seeks letters of interest for Wildlife Passage Infrastructure Projects - ODFW release - SALEM, Ore. – ODFW’s Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund (OCRF) is now accepting letters of interest for its summer 2025 Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Grant Opportunity, supporting capital construction projects that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and restore critical movement and migration pathways across Oregon.  Letters of Interest must be submitted before 11:59 p.m., on Sept. 19, 2025.  Letter of Interest – Word document. Letter of Interest – PDF version.  The grant opportunity seeks to identify shovel-ready projects that include the construction or significant improvement of wildlife crossing infrastructure – such as bridges, culverts, overpasses, or tunnels – on Oregon roadways.  Proposals should be prepared for quick implementation, and funds must be expended by April 30, 2028.  Eligible projects:  Wildlife passage infrastructure capital construction or improvement projects.  Projects MUST include construction or significant improvement of a wildlife crossing infrastructure (e.g., bridge, culvert, overpass, tunnel) on a roadway. Related expenses such as engineering design and permitting are allowable.  Monitoring and maintenance activities must be excluded from proposals or supported using other sources.  No standalone projects for feasibility studies, site selection, or design are allowed.  OCRF has funded three major wildlife crossing projects so far; the Palensky Wildlife Underpass which was designed for northern red-legged frogs and other native amphibians, the Cackler Marsh bridge to aid beaver and northwestern pond turtle, and the wildlife pathway at the Mt. Ashland I-5 exit to benefit black-tailed deer and increase the diversity of species able to safely pass under the interstate.  Construction of the Palensky Wildlife Underpass was completed in late 2024, and the first seven months of monitoring shows the structure is already being used by dozens of small wildlife species, including salamanders, treefrogs, voles, shrews, snakes, lizards, and hundreds of individual northern red-legged frogs.  “These wildlife crossing structures are critical to reducing wildlife mortality from vehicle strikes,” said Rachel Wheat, ODFW Wildlife Connectivity Coordinator. “The fact that so many species are using the Palensky crossing so quickly following construction illustrates how effective and needed these projects are.”  For any questions on this grant opportunity, please email [email protected] or call 541-961-8421.