Transportation & the Refuge System

Description

Presenters provided an overview of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Transportation Program, how it supports refuges, and why these investments matter for wildlife, visitors, staff, and surrounding communities.

Transportation investments help keep refuges and hatcheries safe, accessible, and connected. From roads, trails, and bridges to wildlife crossings, transportation planning plays an important role in visitor access, habitat connectivity, wildlife conservation, and refuge operations.

Materials (6.10.26)

• Webinar Recording
• Presentation Slides
• List of USFWS Regional Transportation Coordinators & U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Map:
  • Region 1 Pacific: Anders Kosnett alexander_kosnett@fws.org
  • Region 2 Southwest: Nate Begay nathan_begay@fws.gov
  • Region 3 Midwest: Brandon Jutz brandon_jutz@fws.gov
  • Region 4 Southeast: Tommy Egland thomas_egland@fws.gov
  • Region 5 Northeast: Hart Rorick (acting) hartman_rorick@fws.gov
  • Region 6 Mountain: Michael Smith michael_d_smith@fws.gov
  • Region 7 Alaska: Levi Wood levi_wood@fws.gov
  • Region 8 Pacific Southwest: Andrea Smith andrea_smith@fws.gov
    
    

Presenters:

• Vince Ziols, AICP serves as the Acting Federal Lands Planning Program Manager for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, where he oversees nationwide transportation planning and research programs, and manages the USFWS’s Transportation Safety Management System. In this role, he works to reduce safety ‘hot-spots’ at and near USFWS stations and lower wildlife-vehicle collisions by supporting the development of wildlife crossing infrastructure projects. Vince has a Master of Urban Planning & Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a Certified Planner with the American Planning Association. Vince specializes in advancing multimodal transportation networks, enhancing interagency coordination, improving wildlife connectivity and conservation, and developing resources for public land management. He grew up in Chicago, IL and now lives in Detroit, MI, and is an avid biker, hiker, gardener, urbanist and environmentalist.
• Eric Bergey comes from the Infrastructure Management Division, where he serves as the National Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP) and Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) Program Manager, overseeing transportation planning, funding, and disaster response efforts across the USFWS. He manages more than $55 million each year in transportation and emergency relief funding, helping regions deliver projects, respond quickly to natural disasters, and keep refuges and hatcheries safe and accessible. Much of his work focuses on long-range planning, solving budget and construction challenges, and working closely with regional staff, Federal Lands Highway, and other partners to move projects forward. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies with a focus in geology and sociology, as well as a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Eric lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and two kids, ages 7 and 11. Outside of work, they enjoy camping in the mountains with their trailer, fishing, hiking, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.