SODA SPRINGS — The Idaho Conservation League and Environment America announced last week that they have reached an agreement with P4 Production LLC, a phosphate mining and processing company located in Soda Springs, to fund improvements to a crucial migratory corridor for the Soda Hills mule deer herd in Southeastern Idaho. Specialists at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will carry out this $50,000 project.

“Migrating mule deer in Southeast Idaho face a gauntlet of obstacles as they move seasonally between their summer and winter ranges,” said Josh Johnson, Central Idaho director with the Idaho Conservation League. “Anything we can do to make these arduous journeys easier for our native ungulates is money well spent.”

Mule deer follow migration routes that have been passed down through generations. These routes are vital for survival, and mule deer struggle to adapt when habitat changes or human infrastructure disrupts these routes.

“Large tracts of land with high perimeter fences, traffic along Highway 34, and ongoing residential and industrial development on the north side of Soda Springs all pose significant challenges and increase deer mortality,” said Becky Johnson, technical assistance manager for IDFG’s Southeast Region.

IDFG will be developing a plan for how to best use P4’s funding to make it safer and easier for the Soda Hills herd to move between its summer and winter ranges. These efforts may include working with willing landowners to remove high fences where appropriate, installing wildlife-friendly fencing or securing conservation easements to protect critical landscapes.

"Wildlife corridors are a pragmatic, yet vital way to save wildlife. The Soda Springs mule deer population needs room to roam and migrate, and this project will help them do just that," said Steve Blackledge, senior director of conservation campaigns at Environment America.