Home / Environment / $92M Wildlife Crossing Reconnects Santa Monica Mountains
$92M Wildlife Crossing Reconnects Santa Monica Mountains
21 Oct
Summary
- First phase of 1-acre wildlife crossing planted with 5,000 native plants
- Crossing designed to support diverse species like mountain lions, deer, and butterflies
- Project scheduled for completion in fall 2026, part of effort to prevent local extinction
As of October 2025, the first phase of a groundbreaking $92 million wildlife crossing project in Agoura Hills is underway. Project leaders ceremoniously planted the initial 5,000 native plants on the 1-acre site, which will eventually span 10 lanes of the 101 Freeway at Liberty Canyon Road.
The wildlife crossing is a critical effort to reconnect the Santa Monica Mountains to the rest of the world for local species. It is designed to support a diverse array of animals, including mountain lions, desert cottontails, lizards, bobcats, deer, bats, monarch butterflies, and dozens of bird species. Over one million hyper-local seeds were collected within a five-mile radius, and a dedicated nursery team has been growing the plants for years to ensure the right habitat is established.
Researchers have estimated that the mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains could become extinct within 50 years due to the freeways that act as barriers to their movement. The wildlife crossing, set for completion in the fall of 2026, is a crucial step in preventing this local extinction and restoring the natural ecosystem. It is a public-private partnership that includes contributions from the Annenberg Foundation and various government agencies.
