SOLUTIONS
10 Tips To Help Protect Biodiversity from the Threats of Roads
- Limit driving (plan efficient routes, travel less at dawn and dusk when wildlife is on the move)
- Alternate modes of transportation (walk, bike, bus, train)
- Don’t litter (especially food items that attract wildlife onto the road)
- Comment on local road projects and inquire about road ecology strategies
- Participate in litter clean ups
- Pay attention and drive with extra caution through wildlife habitat (e.g. forest/wetland)
- Watch for wildlife and wildlife crossing signs
- Obey speed limits to increase reaction time to wildlife on the road
- Move wildlife off the road IF SAFE to do so (always move turtles in the same direction they are heading)
- Report wildlife/road interaction sightings
Road Ecology Mitigation Measures
A collaborative, well-planned approach will help to create transportation networks that decrease their impacts on wildlife.
There are many mitigation options available that include:
- Road closures
- Wildlife crossing signs
- Reduced speed limits
- Rumble strips
- Speed bumps
- Exclusion fencing & ecopassages
- Route placement (i.e. avoid fragmenting wildlife habitat and bundling modes of transportation (e.g. road and rail) to maximize available habitat).
Road design elements:
- Curbs (designs that enable small amphibians and reptiles to climb off the road)
- Median permeability (to minimize trapping animals on roadways)
- Road surface (choosing road surface materials that reduce noise and vibrations to minimize disturbing surrounding wildlife)
- Line of sight (i.e. where feasible, reduce hills and curves to maximize visibility)
- Lighting (design lighting to maximize motorist visibility, but reduce light pollution)
- Vegetation (customize plant species, height, proximity to road and density to help reduce wildlife/vehicle collisions of target species).