Post on 10-Feb-2016
description
“Road Ecology: Science and Solutions”
(A General Summary)
UW-MadisonPyle Center
February 12-13, 2004
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
Committee/Board Meetingand
SymposiumQuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
Presentation Objective• Introduce a New Book
• Summarize Content
• Provide Information that May be Relevant to our Focus
The Book
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressorare needed to see this picture.
The Basics• Published 2003• About 480 Pages• Island Press• 14 Authors• Primary Author: Richard
Forman (Prof. Landscape Ecology - Harvard)
The Basics (Cont.)• Other Authors:
Daniel SperlingJohn BissonetteAnthony
ClevengerCarol CutshallVirginia DaleLenore FahrigRobert France
• Other Authors:Charles GoldmanKevin HeanueJulia JonesFredrick SwansonThomas
TurrentineThomas Winter
The Basics (Cont.)• Author’s Background
Prof. Landscape EcologyProf. Civil and Env. EngineeringResearch Scientist USGSWildlife Research EcologistEx-Director WisDOT Bureau of EnvironmentEcologistProf. of BiologyAssoc. Prof. of Design (focus on Water)Prof. of Limnology
The Basics (Cont.)• Author’s Background
Ex-FHWA Director of Environment and Planning (currently consultant in same area)
Research Ecologist with Forest ServiceAnthropology Research (clean air focus)Senior Research Hydrologist USGS
• Book Objective: “…to articulate state-of-the-science road ecology principles and present specific examples that demonstrate the application of those principles.”
The Content• 14 Chapters• 58 Page Bibliography• Part 1: Roads, Vehicles, and Ecology• Part 2: Vegetation and Wildlife• Part 3: Water, Chemicals, and
Atmosphere• Part 4: Road Systems and Further
Perspectives
Part 1: Roads, Vehicles, and Ecology• Road Ecology Defined/History• History of Roadway Systems
US/Canada Size, Growth and Patterns Roadway Infrastructure (e.g., Roadside, Bridges,
etc.)• Vehicles and Planning
Automobile Impacts Vehicles (Size, Fuel, and Technologies) Planning and Project Development Air Quality Models, etc.
Road Ecology- Definition• Road - “…an open way for the passage of
vehicles…”• Ecology - “…the study of interactions
between organisms and the environment.”• Road Ecology - “…the interaction of
organisms and the environment linked to roads and vehicles.”
• The Exploration of the Relationships between the Natural Environment and the Road System
Part 2: Vegetation and Wildlife • Roadsides and Vegetation
Reading the Roadside and Roadside Vegetation and Plants
Roadside Habitats and Animals Roadside Management
• Wildlife Populations• Road Mortality and Factors that Impact It• Changes in Amount/Quality of Habitat• Landscape Connectivity• Cumulative Effects and Road Density
Part 2 (Continued) • Mitigation for Wildlife
Measures for Mortality, Habitat Loss, and Reduced Habitat Quality
Types of Underpasses/Overpasses Factor Impacting Wildlife Passage Use Summary and Effectiveness Mitigation Case Studies
• Most Relevant Chapter and will be Used in Wildlife Crossing Summary of Toolbox
Part 3: Water, Chemicals, and Atmosphere
• Water and Sediment FlowsErosion and Sediment ControlRelationship between Roads and WaterRoad Types, Land Use, and Water
• Chemicals Along RoadsSources, Dispersion, Ecological EffectsRoadsaltBest Management Practices
Part 3 (Continued)• Aquatic Ecosystems
Habitat, Connectivity, and RoadsLakes, Wetlands, and Salt MarshesStreams/Rivers and Bridges/Culverts
• Wind and Atmospheric Effects• Microclimates, Wind, and Windbreaks• Dust and Erosion, Snow and Snowbreaks• Vehicle Disturbance/Traffic Noise• Local, Regional, and Global Impacts
Part 4: Road Sys. and Further Perspectives
• Road Systems and the Land Road Ecology and Network Theory Spatial Attributes and Changes in Networks Impacts of Road System on Adjacent Land and the
Impacts of Land on the Road System• Four Landscapes with Road Systems
Built Land Forestry Land Agricultural Land Grazing/Arid Land
Part 4 (Continued)• Roads/Vehicles in Natural
LandscapeRemote LandParklandThe Artic and the Tropics
• Further Perspective (The Future)Road Ecology and SustainabilityPotential Policy/Planning SolutionsSome Perspectives for Future Policy,
Planning, and Projects
Pre-Publishing Comments• “Road Ecology is the “Silent Spring” of
transportation. Unless we move rapidly from road engineering to road ecology, we will soon live in a world of squashed and fragmented ecosystems. Without pretension and hyperbole, this book calmly lays out both the scientific case for an ecological approach to transportation problem solving, and provides the roadmap for getting there. It is a huge contribution to the transportation and planning professions” David Burwell, President, STPP
Pre-Publishing Comments (Cont.)• “…synthesize[s] the varied ecological costs and
benefits of roads, highlighting both what we know and what we don’t. In the process, they are initiating a new, ecologically sensitive approach to planning.”John Wein, Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
• “An impressive and much needed synthesis that ‘maps a road’ forward for scientific discovery and better transportation planning and action. A must read for transportation specialists and ecologists alike.” Kathryn Freemark, Ecologist, Environment CA
Pre-Publishing Comments (Cont.)• “This book provides a roadmap for
safeguarding wildlife, vegetation and water quality while we move ahead with our goals of reducing traffic congestion, enhancing safety and improving movement of goods to every corner of our state.” Jeff Morales, Director of Caltrans
My Conclusions• My Background:
Not Completely Finished with Book Engineering/Traffic Safety Focus Animal Mortality Focus Solution/Countermeasure Focus
• Found the Mitigation for Wildlife Chapter Helpful
• Unfortunately Some Similar Countermeasure Conclusions based on Poor Research/Author Background
My Conclusions (Continued)• “Reality Check” Issue• Also Found the Roadsides and Vegetation
Chapter Interesting• Wide Range of Perspectives for Policy and
Programming of Roadways• Great Document for Discussion of the
Wide Range of Roadway Environmental Impacts (Water, Noise, Air, and Animal Mortality)
• An Interesting Read Overall