Highways, roadways, and railways isolate animals, prevent them from reaching needed food and water, cause genetic isolation, and make populations vulnerable to natural disasters. And as you’ll hear today, the impacts go much deeper, and sometimes in surprising directions. But wildlife crossings go a long way towards mitigating this damage.My guest Beth Pratt of the National Wildlife Federation and Save LA Cougars tells the astonishing story of how a Los Angeles mountain lion named P-22 triggered a cascade of support leading to one of the most ambitious wildlife crossings ever conceived. This crossing, called the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing at Liberty Canyon, is about to break ground over the 10 lane US-101 highway.Beth tells how P-22, with support from amazing people like Beth, helped the second largest city in the USA wake up to the fact that we need to find ways to coexist with nature. We also discuss some of thedetails of wildlife crossing design. For example, she discusses the pros and cons of overpass crossings vs tunnels and culverts, and how design can be used to influence animals to use the crossings. And of course, the specific wildlife protection goals influence the design, too.Beth also describes many surprising ways that wildlife crossings help improve ecosystems and the food web. Even plants need connectivity, and some bird species are negatively impacted by highways - and these crossings aim to help.Beth Pratt has over 25 years experience in environmental leadership, and is currently the Executive Director of the California Region for the National Wildlife Federation. Beth previously served as Vice President and CFO at the Yosemite Conservancy, and also serves on the board of Outdoor Afro.If that wasn’t enough, Beth authored the book “When Mountain Lions are Neighbors”, which was highly influential in my progression as a nature advocate. Beth and her work have been featured in the media, including a recent piece in the LA Times by Louis Sahagún, who coined the term The Age of Wildlife Crossings.You can find Beth online at bethpratt.com, on Twitter @bethpratt, and on Facebook @bethpratt1. And of course, you can also find P-22, the talented mountain lion that he is, on Twitter @p22ofhollywood and Facebook @p22mountainlionofhollywood.More links and photos in the FULL SHOW NOTESRelated Episodes and Content#20 Dr. Yiwei Wang#35 Ben Goldfarb#37 Dr. Stuart Weiss Dr. Merav Vonshak's newt roadkill awareness effortsBooksCougar: Ecology and Conservation by Maurice Hornocker, Sharon NegriHeart of a Lion: A Lone Cat's Walk Across America by William StolzenburgWhen Mountain Lions are Neighbors by Beth Pratt OtherAnnenberg FoundationPuma Profiles - recommended by Beth SaveLACougers.orgThe Badger and Coyote VSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/naturesarchive)