Ecological Effect of Roads: Science and Practice

As population and economies grow, the world is experiencing unprecedented growth in the construction of linear infrastructure including roads. Twenty largest economies pledged $60 to $70 trillion dollars into infrastructure over the next 15 years. With the infrastructure build-up, negative impacts to wildlife are also increasing—from traffic and construction noise to outright kills from road accidents and hunting. Over the years, the growth of construction footprints is seen as a cause to the decrease in wildlife population. It also leads to changes in animal behaviour, movement, and physiology, e.g., turtle hatchlings are observed to be attracted to streetlights rather than the moon over the ocean. While roads certainly lead to development, negative impacts to and losses in biodiversity and indigenous cultures must always be part of decision-making and planning.