Carl Wilson had a dream. But he also had a vision, the gumption to recruit others and the follow-through to back up his dream with real work, RMEF-style.
His dream to convert an abandoned Interstate 90 overpass in northern Idaho into a wildlife crossing became a reality when his fellow RMEF volunteers finished the work, posthumously in Carl’s memory. In the summer of 2025, volunteers—many of whom were Carl’s close friends and had been working with him on the project for years—came together again to help with the final phase of the crossing.
“You couldn’t help but want to be a part of what he was doing because you knew it was for the betterment of … everything around,” said Kirsten Voorhees, an Osburn, Idaho, resident and civil engineer who specializes in bridges and animal crossings. “Great guy, he had me right away, I was in, for whatever I had to do … I looked him dead in the eye and said you have my word, whatever it takes we’ll get it done.”
Wilson, an avid hunter and member of RMEF, passed away in late 2022. His legacy, however, is an important contribution to conservation connected to generations of both volunteers and big game. Partners involved in this project include RMEF, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho Transportation Department and Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.
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