What’s the Issue?

Winter is a critical time for wildlife, and human disturbance can significantly jeopardize their survival. Stress caused by winter recreation reduces an animal’s ability to find food, conserve energy, and avoid predators. For females, this disruption can also lower their chances of successfully raising offspring in the spring.

When wildlife is disturbed on public lands, it can lead to unintended consequences. Animals may move onto private property, creating conflicts with landowners, or into transportation corridors, increasing the risk of road or train collisions.

Advances in outdoor gear and technology, combined with population growth, have made winter recreation more accessible than ever. However, this has resulted in more frequent encounters between recreationists and wildlife, making the impact of human activity on wintering animals a growing conservation concern.

The Wintering Wildlife Conservation Initiative aims to address this issue by educating winter recreation enthusiasts about the potential impacts of their activities on wildlife. The initiative provides practical tools and guidelines to help everyone make informed decisions that minimize harm to these vulnerable animals.

By working together, we can ensure that wintering wildlife thrives alongside our enjoyment of the great outdoors!