Defenders of Wildlife joined its partners in the Safe Passage coalition today to accept the Advocacy Organization of the Year Award at the 2026 Sweethearts of Safety Awards ceremony in Raleigh. Held by the North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation, the awards are given to individuals and groups responsible for improving road safety in the state.
“It’s an honor to have our work to make roads safer celebrated by the state I call home,” said Tracy Davids, senior southeast representative for Defenders of Wildlife. “When wildlife can pass over and under roads, everyone gets where they need to go safely — whether you’re a person or a bear.”
Safe Passage received this honor for securing state funding for wildlife crossings; securing a commitment from DOT for five wildlife crossing projects across I-40; meeting with state officials to discuss post-Helene reconstruction with Safe Passage initiatives in mind; and raising awareness at the North Carolina Hellbender Festival and several Western North Carolina Nature Center events.
Defenders of Wildlife is a founding member of Safe Passage which was formed in 2017 to create opportunities for wildlife to safely cross mountain highways in North Carolina and Tennessee. It is one of seven organizations that serve on the coalition’s steering committee.
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For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.
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