Best practice guide: Solutions for mitigating the impacts of roads on animal communities

Abstract

This guide presents a set of interventions that were implemented and tested in the framework of the LIFE LINES project (LIFE14 NAT/PT/001081), coordinated by Universidade of Évora, in close partnership with authorities responsible for the management and maintenance of road infrastructures: IP – Infraestruturas de Portugal S.A., and the municipalities of Évora and Montemor-o-Novo. Due to the nature of the project and of its geographic framework, these actions are based on demonstrative and innovating solutions at the national level, primarily targeting animal communities, and whose effectiveness is evaluated in terms of success and cost of implementation and maintenance, aiming at their replication in future infrastructure contracts and other geographic contexts and species. This guide is meant to convey the implemented solutions, namely their characteristics, technical requirements, and cost-benefit evaluations, supporting the analysis of alternative solutions to prevent impacts on animal communities when planning new roads, requalifying existing road infrastructures, or mitigating localized roadkill. Concomitantly, this guide also aims at promoting road safety by reducing the risk of collisions with medium- to large-size animals. This information is directed to those who must evaluate environmental impacts (environmental agencies and nature conservation institutes), authorities in charge of road management (concession holders, municipalities), as well as project-designers, environmental consultants, road building and maintenance companies, and other agents concerned with the implementation of good environmental practices. This guide is applicable to the areas of land use planning, infrastructure’s project or management, and environmental sciences.