The ultimate goal of the Committee is to ensure that future surface transportation projects are integrated into the natural environment better than their predecessors. These ecologically sensitive designs will be used to advance the state of the practice for all transportation projects.

GOAL ONE:
Identify ecology and transportation research and information needs.

STRATEGY:
Coordinate with the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation, (ICOET) and appropriate institutions, such as the UC Davis Road Ecology Center, to identify research gaps and then solicit research problem statements, which will feed into the natural resources section of TRB's publication entitled "Transportation Environmental Research Needs."

GOAL TWO:
Collect and disseminate ecology and transportation research results, solution-orient applications, and best management practices.

STRATEGY:
Exchange information, present research and identify emerging ecological issues as they relate to transportation in professional meetings, including annual and mid-year TRB meetings and the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation as well as an annual newsletter.

GOAL THREE:
Integrate ecological issues into transportation projects at the earliest state of development of each project.

STRATEGY:
Maintain a database of contemporary examples of the integration of ecological issues in early transportation development; develop a list of state and FHWA environmental managers, as well as a list of existing state conservation plans; sponsor workshops, special purpose meetings, conferences and training session focused on integration of ecological principles in transportation planning; develop and maintain a liaison with the AASHTO Center for Environmental Excellence.

GOAL FOUR:
Maintain an active, geographically and organizationally diverse Committee whose members are committed to working toward the accomplishment of the Committee mission.

STRATEGY:
Annually review Committee membership to identify gaps in expertise and / or representation and problems with membership numbers, terms, and levels of participation; assign each Committee member the responsibility of identifying highly qualified potential members and providing these names to the Committee chair; charge each Committee member with volunteering a minimum 30 hours per year towards accomplishment of the mission and goals of the Committee; encourage each Committee member to share relevant information from Committee meetings, sessions and conferences.