Between December and January, one of the largest remaining populations of red-legged frogs in the state of Oregon takes a round-trip road trip from their forested upland habitat to their lowland, watery winter breeding grounds. But the small, slippery city-slickers in Portland face a hurdle: a four-lane highway stands in their way. Since 2013, volunteers have helped the red-legged frog (Rana aurora), which is considered a sensitive species in Oregon, get to the other side. The volunteers, who have named themselves the Harborton Frog Shuttle, assemble near Highway 30 just after dusk wearing reflective vests that read “FROGS.” But in the future, if all goes according to plan, the frogs won’t need any helping hands. The Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF) is raising more than half a million dollars to build a wildlife underpass to allow the anurans and other wildlife to cross the highway unscathed. The plan is to insert a box culvert going under the highway and a concrete barrier to funnel frogs toward it. The project will require an estimated $4 million, though, so more fundraising efforts and collaborations with partner organizations are needed. Greseth said the largest barrier to the project is its reliance on state dollars and the Oregon Department of Transportation’s ability to help. The agency, which is facing hundreds of millions in budget gaps, has no mandate to protect wildlife. “It would be a shame to lose this species because we don’t do something we’re capable of,” said Tim Greseth, the director of OWF, in an interview with High Country News.
