W&M’s Institute for Integrated Conservation (IIC) has been collaborating with the Virginia Dept. of Wildlife Resources (DWR) since 2023, investigating wildlife-vehicle conflict (WVC). Projects are one year long and have primarily focused on Loudoun County, Virginia’s highest at-risk county for WVC. Outcomes from three previous undergraduate researchers have revealed the top ten areas of highest risk of deer-vehicle collisions within Loudoun, enlisted citizen scientists to fill knowledge gaps in roadkill dynamics, investigated potential wildlife crossing sites, and examined policy to better understand pathways to mitigation. Last year, two students addressed two separate WVC challenges. The first examined the soundscape of noise disturbance surrounding roads, as seen from a wildlife perspective. The second further explored pathways to achieve WVC mitigation through policy and grassroots efforts. In this presentation, we will hear from IIC partner Jordan Green, a District Biologist with the DWR, and this year’s students Taylor Uem and Percy Zimering.
The collaborative efforts between the IIC and DWR have resulted in increased attention to addressing public safety concerns regarding vehicle collisions with wildlife. Student identified WVC hotspots in Loudoun are being considered for state funded wildlife mitigation fence installation. Citizen science engagement has garnered interest from volunteer groups beyond Loudoun, helping to raise awareness. Student-led policy examination and exploration of capacity building partnerships will help spread support for mitigation beyond Loudoun to the rest of the state and will help inform efforts elsewhere in the nation.
Register Here: Wildlife & Roads: Reducing Vehicle Collisions in Virginia Tickets, Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 6:30 PM | Eventbrite
Meet the speakers!
Jordan Green, DWR-
Jordan Green is a District Wildlife Biologist with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, serving terrestrial wildlife needs in six counties of Northern Virginia. His duties include response to human-wildlife conflict, wildlife disease monitoring, and addressing habitat and wildlife population management concerns.
A native of Southwestern Virginia, Jordan has worked around the country in various natural resource related roles in nine different states, working for federal and state agencies, as well as an NGO. Jordan has been with DWR for the past six years and has been working with students and staff from William and Mary’s Institute for Integrated Conservation for the past three years. Jordan is proud to be a part of this partnership which has been investigating Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict, primarily in Loudoun County.
Percy Zimering, W&M Student- Percy is a recent graduate of the College of William and Mary (26') who studied Integrative Conservation. Percy worked on the policy aspect of this research project, which explores methods of building support to motivate key actors to implement wildlife-vehicle conflict mitigation structures. He is planning to pursue a career in wildlife conservation in the future. As a resident of Loudoun County, he is interested in learning more about environmental issues that affect Virginia. In his free time, he enjoys making art and cycling.
Taylor Uem, W&M Student- Taylor is a senior at William & Mary, majoring in Environment and Sustainability Policy and Sociology. As part of the 2025 cohort of the Conservation Research Program, she studied how wildlife experience traffic noise and how sound data can help reduce Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict in Loudoun County, Virginia. Taylor is grateful for the opportunity to contribute research with DWR on long-term conservation efforts and plans to pursue a career in natural resource consulting after graduation. Outside of research, she enjoys bird watching, hiking, and running in her free time.
