Tunnels built last summer to see first spring usage, created to support Jeffreson Salamanders
York Region has created its first-ever wildlife tunnels to protect the native endangered Jefferson salamanders.
The region completed the tunnels last summer at a crossing on Stouffville Road between Bayview Avenue and Leslie Street in Richmond Hill. After years of seasonal road closures for the endangered salamanders’ migration, the tunnels now provide a safe passage for them.
“The tunnels are the first of their kind in York Region, offering a long-term solution that protects the species while keeping the road open,” the region said in a news release.
The endangered salamanders travel back and forth each spring and fall between deciduous forests where they are over winter and the wetlands where they breed, according to the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. But the journey can be perilous when the migration route crosses roads.
The new tunnels will enable a safer crossing, with salamanders guided into them by exclusion fencing. This will be the first spring that the tunnels are operational. The project involved rebuilding a section of the road to accommodate the tunnel.
York Region environmental specialist Gerard Sullivan said salamanders choose this area for its undisturbed forest and ponds. He said the underpass will support their recovery.
“The salamanders are an excellent indicator of healthy forests and ecosystems in this community,” he said in a video. “We hope these tunnels, and the continued support from the community and our partners, will allow the Jefferson Salamanders to live long, healthy lives.”
The project was made possible through a partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and community support.