Southern Albemarle Mountains

Albemarle County’s Biodiversity Action Plan identified the Southern Albemarle Mountains as one of three Conservation Focus Areas. This area includes the County’s highest elevations east of the Blue Ridge and is comprised of large, well-connected forest blocks with high ecological integrity.

The Southern Albemarle Mountains are bisected by Route 29, a major highway and impediment for wildlife crossing. Police reports and anecdotal data show a high incidence of collisions in this area, including deer, bear, and bobcat.

The County’s Natural Resources Program monitored wildlife movement at four underpasses and investigated possible improvements to the crossing sites, with the goal of helping to facilitate safe passage for wildlife across the highway, reduce collisions, and ultimately improve safety for both people and wildlife. 

Click here to learn how citizen science helped to inform this project work through a monitoring study of wildlife-car collisions on Highway 29.