“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

Questions and Discussion

Website: www.deercrash.com