“Drivers for Wildlife” highway sign

June 5th, 2008

Design:
Client: Parks Canada and the Government of Alberta
Date: 2004

photo: David Fisher

Thanks to David Fisher from Edmonton who sent us this picture of a highway sign outside of Jasper. The sign is part of Parks Canada’s, “Drivers for Wildlife” campaign, which also includes bumper stickers, information pamphlets and larger reduced speed zones. The campaign is intended to reduce the incidents of collisions between vehicles and wildlife in the park. According to Parks Canada, “In the last 25 years, drivers in Jasper have killed 13 caribou (a species at risk), 19 goats, 30 wolves, 93 bears, 178 moose, 399 sheep, 782 elk and 795 deer. The actual death toll is probably higher because many injured animals crawl away from the road and die undetected. Countless other smaller mammals, birds, amphibians and insects also die on the road each year.”

While some have questioned the effectiveness of the campaign itself, the design of these highway signs is just beautiful. The mix of bold sign graphics with larger than life photographic imagery (depicting the wildlife species that commonly use the area) is unlike anything I’ve ever seen on the road. Does anyone have pictures of the other signs in this series (wolf, deer)? We’d love to add them here.

- Michael Erdmann

Entry Filed under: Best of the CDR,Graphics,Green,Transportation