August 29 – September 2, 2005
Theme: “On The Road To Stewardship”

Click for Media Kit

Abstracts: Poster Presentations

Coming Up Next: ICOET 2007 in Little Rock, AR!

The Aftermath of Hurricane Ivan: Reconstructing Roadways While Recovering Species

Mary Mittiga (Phone: 850-769-0552, Email: mary_mittiga@fws.gov), Ecologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1601 Balboa Avenue, Panama City, FL 32405, Fax: 850-763-2177; and Vicki Sharpe (Phone: 850-414-5326, Email: vicki.sharpe@dot.state.fl.us), State Transportation Ecologist, Central Environmental Management Office, Florida Department of Transportation, 605 Suwannee Street, M.S. 37, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450, Fax: 850-414-4443

Reconstructing roadways following Hurricane Ivan presented both challenges and opportunities for protected-species recovery. A major challenge was balancing the desire for rapid restoration of major transportation linkages with the regulatory need to minimize harm to rare coastal species. Animals like the Perdido Key beach mouse (PKBM) were already severely impacted by the storm and additional losses could have affected their continued survival. Lessons learned from Ivan will assist state and federal transportation agencies, state resource agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in responding to future natural disasters.

Hurricane Ivan made landfall as a Category 3 storm on September 16, 2004, passing between the cities of Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida with the eye located just west of the Alabama-Florida line. Storm surge, winds, and waves resulted in heavy damage to many miles of coastal roadway, major bridges, numerous residential and commercial structures, state and federal park facilities, and coastal habitat for federally protected species. Winds were in excess of 111 mph. The tidal surge was 12-14 feet, with a peak wave height of 53 feet. Erosion occurred inland for up to 200 feet. Road damage in Florida included the collapse of a portion of the I-10 bridge, damage to bridge approaches, and extensive pavement destruction on SR 292, SR 399, and US 98 in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties. Some of the protected species and their critical habitat that occur in the area include the Gulf sturgeon, PKBM, piping plover, and nesting beaches for sea turtles.

Road repairs began after the storm using Endangered Species Act (Act) Emergency Consultation Procedures. Recognizing that emergency road work could affect remaining beach mouse habitat, the FWS and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) distributed road-repair guidance for county, state, and federal transportation agencies. After initial contact by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for specific projects, the FWS provided recommendations to minimize effects on listed species or their critical habitat. In situations where listed species or critical habitat may have been adversely affected by the emergency response, formal consultation takes place after the emergency work is completed. Normal consultation procedures on repair work began once the emergency situation was past. In preparation for future emergencies, guidance on Emergency Consultation Procedures is provided on the FDOT Central Environmental Management Office's website at: http://dot.state.fl.us/emo/ as well as the FDOT's Permitting Handbook.

The framework of Florida's new Efficient Transportation Decisions Making (ETDM) process assists in providing a rapid response to emergencies. ETDM designates specific personnel within the natural resource agencies to coordinate transportation-project review. Having a central point of contact prevents time lost in determining consultation responsibility.

Emergency restoration funds received by counties, state agencies, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and FWS have greatly assisted in hurricane and endangered-species recovery efforts. State park facilities at Perdido Key and Big Lagoon are being rebuilt as an interagency cooperative effort between the Florida State Parks, FHWA, and FDOT. Roads are being repaired or replaced as needed. Sea oats and other dune vegetation are being planted to reestablish dunes, providing both improved habitat and protection from future storms. New fencing along park boundaries will help control parking and direct visitor access, preventing the continual "wear and tear" on dunes by pedestrian traffic. Control of predators attracted by storm-debris piles is also underway.

In states prone to fire, flood, hurricanes, and other catastrophic events, it helps to have a plan in place before a natural disaster strikes! Resource agencies should have a central point of contact for transportation projects, which often require coordinating multi-species and multi-county concerns. Rapid completion of damage assessments by state and federal biologists is needed to acquire the emergency funds critical for restoring habitat after a natural disaster. Finally, Poster Presentations 562 ICOET 2005 Proceedings a willingness to cooperate between agencies is essential to achieving multi-agency goals in emergency situations. The experience of Hurricane Ivan demonstrates that crucial transportation systems can be restored rapidly while incorporating measures to protect our invaluable natural resources.

Assessing Functional Landscape Connectivity for Songbirds in an Urban Environment

Marie Tremblay (Phone: 403-217-2420, Email: mariet@ualberta.ca), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Calgary, AB T3E 5S4, Canada

Worldwide, urbanization is recognized as a leading cause of species extinction because of its role in rapid and permanent habitat loss and fragmentation. This study investigates how habitat fragmentation caused by urbanization and transportation corridors affects the movements—and ultimately, the occurrence—of songbirds within a human-impacted landscape.

In spring and summer 2005, I used audio playbacks to measure the willingness of birds to cross small-scale features such as roads, railways, rivers, and transportation bridges over riparian corridors within the urban landscape of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Preliminary results indicate a negative correlation between the likelihood of forest-dependent birds crossing roads, rivers, and bridges over riparian corridors and the width of the gap in vegetation associated with these features. In contrast, railways appeared to be highly permeable for forest birds, probably due to their relatively narrow width.

This study is still in its earliest stages. Subsequent phases of the project include: (1) using translocations to measure the permeability of larger-scale elements of the landscape such as freeways and neighbourhoods of various ages and densities, (2) developing individual-based, spatially explicit models aimed at depicting functional landscape connectivity among the city's natural areas, and (3) exploring the relationship between landscape connectivity and bird species occurrence within these natural areas.

Bird-Protection Walls: An Innovative Way to Prevent Bird Strikes?

Csaba Varga (Phone: 00-36-30-238-5646, E-mail: varga.csaba@vnet.hu), Land Stewardship Advisory Service of BirdLife Hungary, Kolto u. 21., Budapest, H-1121 Hungary; and Akos Monoki (Phone: 00-36-56-361-505, E-mail: akos@nimfea.hu) and Bence Barsony (Phone: 00-36-56-361-505, E-mail: barsonyb@mailbox.hu), Nimfea Environment and Nature Conservation Association, P.O. Box: 33, Turkeve, H-5421 Hungary

Bird strikes have been known for a long time as a severe negative effect of vehicular traffic. While the phenomenon has been studied for a couple of decades, the prevention of road kills has not been solved yet reassuringly. Of the several methods applied to reduce the collision risk, this study examined solid bird-protection walls that are pitched to raise the flight path of the small songbirds that cross the road.

Most specifically, the study examines the effects of applying bird-protection walls on the number of bird strikes and on the behavior of birds. The research area was situated along a four-lane motorway in Eastern Hungary, Central Europe. Extensive fieldwork was carried out in order to map the local breeding and migrant avifauna and to learn their substantial reactions to the barriers in their flying path. In parallel with observing live birds, road kills were also registered during the whole period of the study. The collected data were analyzed in function of the location of walls, of the relevant bird habitats, and of the technical parameters of the examined road section.

The results? Some issues related to road kills and identified the group of the most-threatened bird species. Several causes of the high risk of bird strikes could be determined and, surprisingly, none of them seemed to be handled efficiently by building these types of physical barriers.

The final results of the study are expected to become public at the end of the year.

California Innovation With Highway Noise and Bird Issues

Robert A. James (Phone: 858-616-6618, Email: robert.a.james@dot.ca.gov), Senior Environmental Planner/Biologist, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), San Diego, CA 92186

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and environmental-resource agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been concerned for many years with highway construction and operation noise impacts to birds, especially to species listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act (FESA). Mitigation implemented to date in California is conservatively estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, without clear evidence of need or benefit. This issue frequently occurs with high-profile species such as the marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus maroratus) in Northern California, as well as the least Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) and California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica) in the southern part of the state. Other transportation agencies in the United States, such as the Oregon State Department of Transportation, have also been working to resolve the issue in their state. Our approach involves an integrated partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, federal and state resource agencies, and the scientific community that is based upon recent successful experience by Caltrans in fisheries hydroacoustics.

The 60 dB (A-weighted) Leq (1 hr) criterion is usually applied as a threshold to assess impacts without scientific justification. For many projects, mitigation (e.g., seasonal work restriction) for noise impacts to birds has been required, resulting in delays to project delivery for Caltrans and other transportation agencies in California. Other types of mitigation have included attenuation at the source, noise barriers to intercept the path, and out-of-kind compensation such as invasive exotic-vegetation removal. To ensure compliance with both the letter and spirit of applicable statutes, more information and scientifically justifiable noise thresholds are needed, particularly for FESA-listed species. These data and thresholds will facilitate coordination with our funding partners and resource agencies, provide guidance to Caltrans' staff, and better inform the public and other stakeholders.

We intend to identify existing data gaps and the research necessary to bridge them. The process is beginning with a literature synthesis by bioacoustic experts Drs. Arthur Popper and Robert Dooling of the University of Maryland, who are part of the interagency expert panel. Next, we will develop interim noise thresholds, as well as FESA consultation and compliance protocols. This will also involve the interagency working and management groups—the other two of the three integrated panels. A key role of the management panel will be to make final decisions in case of dispute. Based on our efforts, we will develop a strategic research plan to provide data needed to address key uncertainties related to bioacoustic impacts on birds, including refined effect thresholds, metrics for effect criteria, and protocols for monitoring noise sources.

We expect that our integrated partnership will develop cost-effective, scientifically credible noise thresholds, and evaluation protocols in a timely manner applicable throughout the United States and possibly elsewhere. These thresholds and protocols will provide mechanisms to avoid, minimize, and compensate for adverse effects to birds, as well as to facilitate efficient and economic implementation of highway-related activities.

Colorado Wildlife on the Move: A Wildly Successful Road Ecology Awareness Campaign

Monique DiGiorgio (Phone: 720-946-9653, Email: monique@restoretherockies.org), Executive Director, Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project, 1536 Wynkoop Suite 309, Denver, CO 80202

In Fall 2003, the Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project (SREP), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), and Colorado State University, initiated Linking Colorado's Landscapes to identify and prioritize wildlife linkages in the state of Colorado. As the education and outreach component to Linking Colorado's Landscapes, SREP launched "Colorado Wildlife on the Move," a driver-awareness campaign. The goal of the campaign was to educate the motoring public in Colorado about the hazard of wildlife moving across roads and to improve driver awareness, thereby reducing the number of collisions with animals.

To assess the magnitude of animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs) in the state of Colorado, SREP worked with CDOT to analyze data from 1993 to 2004, identifying where and when the most AVCs occurred. With the help of SREP, CDOT was also able to pull out species-specific AVC data. With this information, SREP designed a media campaign in partnership with CDOT, the Colorado State Patrol, Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The campaign was based on data that identified November as the most dangerous month for drivers and wildlife due to the extremely high number of AVCs. A media event was then timed for the beginning of November to bring greater attention to this issue during this critical time. SREP developed two outreach tools for the event: a driver safety tip sheet and an awareness poster, featuring photographs from famed Colorado wildlife photographers.

The campaign was a wild success: all five Denver TV stations were present and the story was aired 12 times on local TV over the next 36 hours. In addition, both local and national papers covered the story. Over the next two months, articles featuring information from the "Colorado Wildlife on the Move" campaign reached over three million people. To date, 58,000 driver safety tip sheets and 500 posters have been distributed in welcome centers, national parks, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car offices in 85 cities and 175 locations. The tip sheets have already been reprinted three times to meet these needs.

Because of the great success of this campaign and the obvious interest and need for additional safety tip sheets, SREP intends to continue its media events and tip sheet distribution on an ongoing basis. Press events will be held in November and June, the two most dangerous months for drivers and wildlife.

Combining Three Approaches to Quantify the Barrier Effect of Roads: Genetic Analyses

Rodney van der Ree (Phone: +61-3-8344-3661, Email: rvdr@unimelb.edu.au), Ecologist, Michael Harper (Phone: +61-03-8344-0146), and Mark Burgman Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia, Fax: +61-3-9347-9123; Silvana Cesarini (Phone: 4-2495-2486, Email: Silvana.Cesarini@sci.monash.edu), Jody Taylor, Ashley Herrod, Andrea Taylor (Phone: +61 3 9905 5623, Email: Andrea.Taylor@sci.monash.edu.au), and Paul Sunnucks (Phone: +61-3-9905-9593, Email: paul.sunnucks@sci.monash.edu.au), Australian Centre for Molecular Ecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3160 Australia; and Sharon MacDonnell and John Harvey, 3Vic Roads, Environmental Management Section, Kew, Victoria, 3101 Australia

The movement and dispersal of animals between populations is an important component of wildlife ecology and has been described as "the glue that holds local populations together." Without adequate ability to disperse, the rate of movement of individuals and DNA between populations is reduced and these populations become isolated, increasing the risk of local extinction.

Most research addressing the barrier effect of roads and traffic has focussed on the use of crossing structures by wildlife. Our study is a first for Australia and represents a unique collaboration to quantify the barrier effect in a highly fragmented landscape and (subsequently) the success of mitigation.

The aims of the project are to use genetic techniques and empirical observations to quantify the barrier effect of roads on the movement and dispersal of mammals, reptiles, birds, and invertebrates and to assess the effectiveness of structures and road designs intended to mitigate the barrier effect. Quantitative modeling will also be implemented to predict the effects of reduced movement on population viability.

A range of genetic markers is available for use in population biology to measure dispersal. Microsatellites are hypervariable and sensitive enough to be able to detect genetic differentiation in the short term and at small spatial scales, and are therefore appropriate to investigate genetic substructuring due to the presence of roads. Genetic analyses will be used at different scales of resolution. The genic approach will be employed for identifying population substructuring and patterns of gene flow at the population level. The genotypic approach will be used for finer-scale observations of dispersal of individuals.

Direct methods still provide highly reliable data on dispersal parameters, although they rely on logistically difficult field observations. Trapping and radio tracking will be used in the present project to be combined with and strengthen the results obtained from genetic analyses.

Repeated trapping will provide life history information which can aid in understanding the genetic data and contribute to the population viability models. Radio tracking will be used to collect information on daily movements of mammals in relation to foraging as well as dispersal and to assess the effectiveness of mitigation structures.

Finally, quantitative population modelling will be conducted to estimate the effects of inhibited dispersal on population viability. Data from observations and genetic studies will be used to characterise populations in terms of age and stage structures, fecundity, survival, and dispersal. Data collected over three years will be used to characterise variability in the parameters to improve population modelling.

Combining Transportation Improvements and Wildlife Connectivity on Freeway Rebuild in Washington's Cascade Mountains

Charlie Raines (Phone: 206-523-1347, Email: ccraines@comcast.net), Campaign Director, I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition, 34141/2 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103, Fax: 206-675-1007

Interstate 90 over the Cascades is a significant barrier to over 250 species of wildlife, including cougar, elk, deer, mustelids (otters, fishers, badgers, etc.), amphibians, and reptiles. In the vicinity of Snoqualmie Pass, urban development to the west and agriculture and resort development on the east has shrunk the forest connecting the north and south Cascades to less than 64.6 kilometers wide.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is proposing to expand a 24.15-kilometer stretch of Interstate 90 just east of Snoqualmie Pass through a particularly critical zone for north-south wildlife corridors. Absent effective wildlife-crossing structures, the expansion would worsen the barrier by increasing roadkill and further isolating populations, thus inhibiting genetic exchange. However, the state has made ecological connectivity a project goal, along with increasing capacity, straightening curves, and repaving.

The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition has been working with WSDOT, other public officials, transportation interests, and the public to promote high-quality wildlife-crossing structures. Such structures can also improve safety for motorists by reducing collisions that are sometimes fatal to humans, as well as wildlife.

Good data is available to inform where to build crossing structures. WSDOT and the US Forest Service collaborated on a study entitled I-90 Snoqualmie Pass Wildlife Habitat Linkage Assessment (Singleton and Lehmkuhl 2000) that used tracking and road-kill counts to map existing crossing activity. Additional relevant information comes from analysis leading to the Snoqualmie Pass Adaptive Management Area Plan and I-90 Land Exchange (US Forest Service, 1997 and 1999) and Washington State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife studies of cougar movements using radio collars.

Recent land acquisitions and national forest-management changes have dramatically improved the outlook for habitat quality near the project. In recent years, purchases, donations, and exchanges have brought more than 50,000 acres of land valued at $200 million into public ownership and protection. The Forest Service is committing to additional habitat restoration, such as road removal.

Two of the distinguishing features of the I-90 project are the prevalence of wetlands associated with the Yakima River and the variation in habitat as precipitation and elevation decline from west to east. A variety of structure types—from extended vehicle bridges, to box culverts, to overpasses specifically for wildlife—is required to allow both hydrological connectivity and connections for a diverse array of species. Preferred habitat conditions and existing movement patterns are balanced with site-specific design considerations, including cost, to establish a range of possible solutions to be presented in a draft environmental-impact statement due in spring 2005.

Given the intense competition for transportation funds, particularly big-ticket projects near urban areas, the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project will need broad-based support to obtain funding. To overcome the environmental community's general opposition to expanded freeways, the project will need to provide a high level of wildlife connectivity. Project proponents will also need to navigate anti-tax politics by joining in a diverse coalition of agencies, conservation groups, and shipping interests. The recent partnership to acquire habitat north and south of the project points the way.

The coalition has grown out of a history of grassroots activism and collaboration around the Central Cascades region. Citizen involvement has played a critical role in the management policies of this area. The I-90 project will be a greater success due to the high level of attention and input received from the public. Public involvement will have peaked in the spring of 2005 with the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement followed by five public comment hearings throughout Washington State. This input will be considered throughout the summer of 2005 and (hopefully) brought to a successful completion in the fall/winter of the same year.

Controlling White-Tailed Deer Intrusions With Electric Fence and Mat

Thomas W. Seamans (Phone: 419-625-0242, Email: thomas.w.seamans@aphis.usda.gov), Wildlife Biologist, USDA/Wildlife Services/National Wildlife Research Center-Ohio Field Station, 6100 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, OH 44870-9660, Fax: 419-625-8465; Kurt C. VerCauteren, USDA/Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154; and David A. Helon, USDA/Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Ohio Field Station, 6100 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, OH 44870-9660

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) pose a significant threat to human health and safety. During 1990-2003, the average cost of a deer/aircraft collision was $38,000. Various methods of fencing and gating exist to reduce deer intrusions onto airports. We tested one style of electric fence (ElectroBraid) and an electric mat in separate tests on freeranging deer in northern Ohio by measuring deer intrusions and corn consumption at 10 sites. The fence reduced mean daily deer intrusions by 88-99 % in each test when the fence was powered. When power was turned on and off within a four-week period, intrusions decreased 57%. Mean corn consumption differed between treated (< 2-6.4 kg/day) and control sites (15-32 kg/day). In the electric-mat test, deer intrusions at treated sites decreased 95% for the six-week treatment period. Control site intrusions initially decreased by 60%, but returned to pretreatment levels by week 3. Mean corn consumption was similar between treated (16.2 kg/day) and control sites (15.7 kg/day). Results suggest that the electric fence and electric mat, under the conditions of the tests, may significantly reduce deer intrusions.

Empowering Stewardship With Technology – The Oregon Statewide Bridge Delivery Program

Robb Kirkman (Phone: 503-587-2932, Email: robb.kirkman@hdrinc.com), GIS Services Manager; and Jason Neil (Phone: 503-587-2932, Email: jason.neil@hdrinc.com), Operations Manager, Oregon Bridge Delivery Partners, 1165 Union Street, Suite 200, Salem, OR 97301

The OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program is part of the Oregon Department of Transportation's 10-year, $3 billion Oregon Transportation Investment Act (OTIA) program. In 2003, the Oregon legislature enacted the third Oregon Transportation Investment Act, or OTIA III. The package includes $1.3 billion for bridges on the state highway system. During the next eight to 10 years, ODOT's OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program will repair or replace hundreds of aging bridges on major corridors throughout Oregon.

Oregon Bridge Delivery Partners (OBDP) is a private-sector firm that has contracted with the Oregon Department of Transportation to manage the $1.3 billion state bridge program. OBDP, a joint venture formed by HDR Engineering Inc. and Fluor Enterprises Inc., will ensure quality projects at least cost and manage engineering, environmental, financial, safety, and other aspects of the state bridge program.

Technology is a key factor in the ability to deliver over 350 bridges in eight years. Charged with seeking cost-effective delivery solutions as part of the state's Context Sensitive and Sustainable Solutions (CS3) initiative, OBDP is developing a suite of tools that will aid the program in its different disciplines. Tools include a mobile, PDA-based field reporting tool, a web-based comprehensive permitting form, and a comprehensive GIS database. Unifying these projects and the program is an electronic document management system (EDMS). This is the program's document repository. It is web accessible, extendible to agency and contractor staff, and acts as a "backbone" for other information-development projects.

Not only do such initiatives streamline standard delivery practices, but they provide a project database on which metrics can be derived to measure the impacts of the program from a number of perspectives. For example, the environmental database can be queried to measure the ecological "footprint" of one project or all.

Engineered Logjam Technology: A Self-Mitigating Means for Protecting Transportation Infrastructure and Enhancing Riverine Habitat

Tim Abbe (Phone: 206-441-9080, Email: tabbe@herrerainc.com), Director of River Science and Geomorphology, and Jennifer Black Goldsmith (Phone: 206-441-9080, Email: jgoldsmith@herrerainc.com), Herrera Environmental Consultants, Seattle, WA, 98121; Jim Park (Phone: 360-705-7415, Email: parkj@wsdot.wa.gov), Flood Specialist, Washington State Department of Transportation, Olympia, WA 98502; and Michael Spillane (Phone: 206-441-9080, Email: mspillane@herrerainc.com), Mark Ruebel (Phone: 206-441-9080, Email: mruebel@herrerainc.com), and Jose Carrasquero (Phone: 206-441-9080, Email: jcarrasquero@herrerainc.com), Herrera Environmental Consultants, Seattle, WA 98121

Transportation projects set within river valleys are susceptible to incurring economic and environmental costs when they fail to recognize and accommodate geomorphic processes. For example, overlooking natural processes such as channel migration can lead to costly protection measures that adversely impact aquatic habitat and further exasperate problems elsewhere. In situations where proposed protection measures may adversely impact endangered species, the resulting regulatory constraints can result in major delays and cost overruns. River-reach assessments and new engineering technologies can provide transportation managers with valuable tools to find sustainable solutions to develop and maintain transportation infrastructure in sensitive environments. Reach assessments provide valuable scientific information on how a river has changed through time and how it is likely to change with or without the implementation of a particular project. New "biomimicry" technologies such as engineered logjams, which emulate natural conditions, offer a self-mitigating approach that successfully achieves project goals and regulatory requirements. Since transportation corridors occupy significant portions of stream and river valleys, the cumulative affect of implementing this type of approach presents a cost-effective opportunity for sustaining and restoring ecological integrity throughout the world.

Scientific advancements in the understanding the role of woody debris in river ecology has led to increased efforts and regulations to restore natural wood function to rivers. There are numerous benefits and advantages of strategic, well-designed wood placement in rivers, such as: food-web support, increased hyporheic connectivity and exchange, creation of salmonid spawning and refuge-habitat rehabilitation, bank protection, grade control, and debris retention. Wood is often a required element in bank-protection design for obtaining environmental permits in the PNW. However, there are currently no industry standards and protocols for the re-introduction and management of wood in rivers. Wood placement for habitat enhancement has largely been done without adequate scientific and engineering design and little or no consideration of consequences such as future debris accumulation, channel change, flood inundation, and safety hazards. The lack of engineering standards and information on the structural performance and longevity of wood-debris habitat structures has hindered the development and application of wood-based structures to treat traditional river-engineering problems.

The long-term success of river restoration efforts will depend on well-designed projects and how human encroachment into fluvial domains is managed to tolerate natural processes such as channel migration and wood loading. Functional wood loading can have significant effects such as channel avulsions and increased flood frequency. While these processes have important ecologic benefits, they can adversely impact human development that is not prepared to deal with the consequences. Efforts to expand protection of riparian forests, delineate channel migration zones, and in-stream habitat restoration will all lead to more wood in rivers. Thus the hydrologic and geomorphic consequences will increase in the coming decades. We present a design protocol that includes geomorphic analysis of channel dynamics and riparian conditions, force balance (stability), hydraulics, scour, constructability, material specifications, cost projections, risk assessment, and liability. Engineered logjam technology presents a rigorous alternative for reintroducing woody debris and natural complexity to rivers, while also treating traditional problems such as bank erosion. Engineered log jam projects constructed over the last 10 years demonstrate that this technology is capable of providing sound solutions that protect highways and restore aquatic and riparian habitat.

Evaluating Hydrodynamic Separators

Henry L. Barbaro (Phone: 617-973-7419, Email: henry.barbaro@state.ma.us), Wetlands Unit Supervisor, Massachusetts Highway Department, 10 Park Plaza, Room 4260, Boston, MA 02116, Fax: 617-973-8879; and Clay Kurison (Email: kurison.c@neu.edu), Northeastern University, Civil and Environmental Engineering Dept., 400 Snell Engineering, Boston, MA 02115

With the advent of both federal and state storm water management regulations, state and municipal highway departments must consider a broad array of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for meeting storm water treatment objectives for both new road construction and roadway-improvement projects. In recent years, a number of manufacturers have entered the marketplace with a variety of proprietary devices for treating storm water. One of the most common types of devices is the hydrodynamic separator (also referred to as innovative water-quality inlet, particle separator, or swirl concentrator). Evaluating these technologies for application in the highway setting requires consideration of a number of factors relative to these devices' treatment performance, inspection and maintenance requirements, and installation and operating costs.

The Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway), under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey, recently conducted a detailed field study of water-quality inlets (WQIs) located on the Southeast Expressway in Boston. That study provided valuable lessons regarding storm water sampling protocols and data analyses used to evaluate hydrodynamic separators. (These products generally consist of refinements in the design of the standard WQI.) This paper discusses the lessons learned and offers recommendations for evaluating the performance of proprietary designs within this class of BMP.

A variety of findings came out of the Southeast Expressway (SEE) Study that should be considered when evaluating "hydrodynamic separators." The study evaluated two separate WQIs, each of which received storm water discharges from deep-sump (four-foot) catch basins. It was found that the one continuously monitored deep-sump catch basin had an annual suspended sediment removal efficiency (SSRE) of 39%, whereas the annual average SSRE for two WQIs was 32% (based on the remaining load after flow through the catch basins).

Captured sediments were comprised predominantly of sand-sized particles. Residence time was the primary factor controlling the SSRE. To a lesser degree, antecedent conditions and volume of rain also affected the SSRE. Other findings were that metals and nutrients tend to concentrate on particles smaller than sand and that sediment resuspension occurred in both the catch basin and the WQIs.

In addition to the limited suspended sediment removal efficiency of the WQIs, the SEE Study found that the WQIs were ineffective at removing soluble pollutants, fine particles, floatable solids (debris and litter), and oils and grease. Prior to installing hydrodynamic separators, the operators of drainage systems and environmental regulators should obtain scientifically supportable data on the field performance of hydrodynamic separators. Based on the findings and experience obtained over the course of the SEE Study, MassHighway recommends the following key elements for validating the field performance of hydrodynamic separators:

• Collect field data that is both representative of the range of rainfall events and that is applicable to the conditions (e.g., ambient particle-size distributions) under which the BMP likely will be installed;
• When sampling, differentiate between the effects of "supernatant displacement" and active-particle removal by the separator (i.e., "hydrostatic" versus "hydrodynamic" separation). This requires flow-proportional sampling throughout each storm event;
• Account for antecedent conditions, bypass flows, and resuspension when calculating the SSRE;
• Sample a sufficient number of storms not only to obtain statistically significant data, but to include the full range of operating conditions to which the device will be subject;
• Analyze treatment performance by "Summation of Loads," which is the preferable method for accuracy and quality control;
• Sample storms sequentially, to allow for a mass-balance calculation;
• Include measurements of particle-size distribution in the sampling and analysis program to assess the removal efficiency of Total Suspended Solids (or, preferably, Suspended Sediment Concentration), as well as that of other contaminants associated with various particle-size fractions.

Hydrodynamic separators should also be evaluated relative to other potential limitations. For example, if these underground structures function to contain fuel spills, then they have the potential to create an explosion hazard. In addition, according to the literature, hydrodynamic separators also may create conditions suitable for breeding mosquitoes and bacteria or conditions that result in liberating nutrients and metals from captured sediments.

Based on its evaluation of WQIs and on the literature MassHighway has reviewed to date, further scientifically sound evaluation is necessary to demonstrate the effectiveness of hydrodynamic separators as primary-treatment devices. Although MassHighway has documented the limitations of the WQIs used along the Southeast Expressway (e.g., low overall removal of suspended sediment, particularly fine particles), hydrodynamic separators may be appropriate for pre-treatment and retrofit applications where sand is the target contaminant and where the operator has adequate maintenance capabilities.

Habitat Restoration Plan and Programmatic Biological Assessment for Potamilus Capax (Green 1832) in Arkansas

Andrew Peck (Phone: 870-972-3082, Email: andrew.peck@smail.astate.edu), Environmental Sciences Program, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467; Heidi McIntyre, Jerry Farris, Alan D. Christian, Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72467; John Harris, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, Environmental Division, Little Rock, AR 72203; and Randal Looney, Federal Highway Administration, Arkansas Division, Little Rock, AR 72201

The fat pocketbook, Potamilus capax (Mollusca: Unionidae), was designated as "Endangered" in June 1976 by the USFWS in the entire range of the species. The present general distribution of P. capax has been reported from the upper Mississippi River on the boarders of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, the Ohio River System on the borders of Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, especially its tributary the Wabash River in Indiana and Illinois, the White River of Missouri and Arkansas, and the St. Francis River system in Arkansas. Relocation of freshwater mussels prior to large-scale bridge construction, repair, or replacement has been broadly utilized for conventional management of construction impact. The success of that practice related to long-term viability of relocated specimens, however, has not been fully validated. This research was jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) in 2003 as an Environmental Streamlining Initiative to provide more information regarding the likelihood of specific impacts to mussels attributed to sediment plumes downstream of highway construction activities. The research proposes to support a programmatic Biological Opinion for P. capax, which will provide a protocol for highway projects that may impact the species. Relocation can then be assessed for its ability to minimize loss of endangered freshwater mussel species, and in particular, P. capax.

The objectives of this project are: 1) to determine the success of relocation efforts for P. capax associated with highway construction projects by investigating survival, movements, mortality, fitness (as indicated by condition factor), and fecundity of relocated and non-relocated adults and sub-adults, 2) to determine the success of propagation efforts resulting from highway construction projects by investigating the survival of juveniles returned to identified habitats and used for population enhancement (recruitment), and 3) to determine relative impacts at highway construction sites to P. capax and associated mussel assemblage by comparing pre- and post-construction abundance and composition, sediment deposition downstream of the construction, and individual mussel fitness. Data acquired will be submitted to the Fish and Wildlife Service as documentation of the likelihood of impacts for the programmatic Biological Assessment. These data will be utilized by the Fish and Wildlife Service in crafting the programmatic Biological Opinion.

Initial observations have indicated relocated P. capax and Quadrula quadrula exhibit very different movement patterns post-relocation. For example, many resident and relocated P. capax are capable of moving 10 miles or more over a 12-hour period, while resident and relocated Q. quadrula have remained stationary up to four months after relocation. A continuation of this pattern may reveal that species-specific life history characteristics potentially influence movement patterns following relocation. Fatalities have occurred in the resident, relocated, and propagation animals of both species, though time to and cause of fatality are not known.

Highway Crossing Structures for Metropolitan Portland's Wildlife

Linda K. Anderson (Phone: 503-725-4800, Email: Anderslk@pdx.edu), Department of Geography, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, Fax: 503-725-5585

The protection and restoration of the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region's wildlife biodiversity is an overarching objective of Metro Parks and Greenspaces. Metro, Portland's elected regional government, currently manages 8,000 acres of open space containing 50 mammal species. Included are roughly 50 miles of stream and river frontage as well as wetlands, riparian areas, meadows, forests, and other valuable habitat. Metro, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency, and Portland State University have embarked on a jointly funded project to promote biodiversity by encouraging the use of wildlife-crossing structures to reestablish wildlife-movement corridors within areas currently fragmented by roads.

This team project has three sequential stages. Stages 1 and 2 have been completed. Stage 3 is currently underway:

1. Examination of the extent of the deer-vehicle conflict problem in the Portland metropolitan region and identification of deer-vehicle accident (DVA) hotspots for potential crossing-structure construction. The black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus Columbianus) is the resident subspecies.
2. Production of a user-friendly manual that can be employed by transportation planners to incorporate wildlife-crossing structures into the region's transportation-planning process.
3. Development of a model that predicts DVA hotspots to facilitate the intelligent siting and design of future roads in the region. While the literature contains accounts of model development for predicting DVA hotspots for the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), there appear to be no studies (to date) for predicting DVA hotspots for the black-tailed deer.

In stage 1, we collected a total of 2,200 DVA incidents in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties for the period 1987-2002 from road-maintenance department carcass pickup reports, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) wildlife-vehicle accident reports, and wildlife-rehabilitator intake records. Because ODOT does not maintain deer carcass pickup records for state and federal highways, the most complete data available were for countymaintained roads. Incidents were geocoded and mapped. A GIS analysis, using grid cells of 1.00mi² and 0.25 mi², regressed total DVAs/cell against a suite of landscape characteristics/cell: 1) total new building permits, 2) total miles of streams and rivers, 3) total miles of roads and highways, 4) total forest vegetation, 5) total other vegetation, and 6) total wetland area. DVA hotspots were identified visually.

We determined that DVAs were nonrandomly located along roads and that they began to increase in June and peak in November. No significant correlation was established between DVA density and any of the landscape variables.

Metro is currently pursuing development of crossing structures at several of the sites identified by the data as hotspots. Students in Portland State University's Master of Urban and Regional Planning program used the results of stage 1 to produce the Metro publication "Wildlife Crossings: Rethinking Road Design to Improve Safety and Reconnect Habitat." This is a comprehensive manual for siting, designing, and funding wildlife-crossing structures in the urban/suburban/rural mix of metropolitan Portland. It is designed for transportation planners and resource agencies and is available to the general public.

In stage 3, a temporal and spatial DVA hotspot model for the black-tailed deer is under development for northwest Clackamas County using additional years of wildlife-vehicle accident reports and carcass-pickup data.

As a result of this study, we recommend that all road-maintenance agencies maintain carcass-pickup records, including carcass-pickup locations identified by GPS, date of retrieval, species, gender, and age class. This information should be consolidated in a regional database to identify wildlife-movement corridors and substantiate the need for wildlife-crossing structures at selected locations.

How to Teach a Mule Deer to Safely Cross an Interstate? Preliminary Results of a Wildlife Mortality Mitigation Strategy on Interstate 15 in Utah, USA

Silvia Rosa (Phone: 435-770-8216, Email: silviarosa@cc.usu.edu) and John A. Bissonette (Phone: 435-797-2511, Email: john.bisonnette@usu.edu), USGS Utah Coop. Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, College of Natural Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5290

This poster presents the preliminary results of an on-going study in Utah. Previously, high wildlife mortality registered in a 20-mile stretch of Interstate15 south of its confluence with Interstate 70 led to the establishment of a mitigation strategy focused on mule deer. The strategy focused on two major objectives: 1) decrease wildlife-vehicle crashes and 2) maintain and improve landscape permeability that facilitates wildlife movement across the highway. The mitigation put in place involved the construction of exclusion fencing, right-of-way escape ramps, and two underpasses designed primarily for large-mammal passage.

In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of the mitigation measures in reducing mule deer mortality and evaluated the success of the new underpasses in allowing wildlife to cross the road safely. In this poster, we compare the pre- and post-construction levels of road mortality. We also report observed problems with the mitigation structures as well as the solutions we used to solve them. We used remotely sensed cameras to record deer passage through the new underpasses during the Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 migrations and compare results with a 20-year old 'control' structure.

Early results showed a sporadic and lower use of the new underpasses. We suspect that the novel presence of the new crossing structures, coupled with historic learned-behavioral migration patterns, may be responsible for these early results. The number of animals that used the new structures, however, leaves optimistic expectations for increased use in the future. We will test the prediction of increased use during the Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 migrations.

In this poster, we also address the use of bait to encourage passage, and report on the occurrence of startle behavior in response to heavy traffic, suggesting that it may be fruitful to explore the effects of noise and the visual barriers to encourage underpass passage by wildlife.

Inferring White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Population Dynamics From Wildlife Collisions in the City of Ottawa

Kerri Widenmaier (Phone: 613-355-1254, Email: widenmkj@gmail.com), Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Laboratory, Carleton University, 84A Fulton Ave., Ottawa, ON K1S 4Y8, Canada; Lenore Fahrig (Phone: 613-520-2600, ext. 3856, Email: lenore_fahrig@carleton.ca), Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada, Fax: 613-520-3569

Concerns associated with growing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) numbers in Ottawa, Ontario have motivated several studies related to the distribution and ecology of deer in the Ottawa-Carleton region. This project infers deer-population trends from deer-vehicle collisions in Ottawa, Ontario, and considers the influence of traffic volume on estimates of population dynamics from deer-vehicle collision data. Traffic volume and collision data for various road segments across suburban Ottawa were analyzed to answer questions related to the characteristics and spatial distribution of deer collisions and traffic volume in the city.

Deer-vehicle collisions are increasing at a faster rate than traffic volume, suggesting that the deer population is increasing. The distribution of collisions supports the boundaries previously suggested for the location of one deerherd summer range, but not the other. Deer-collision numbers east and west of the Rideau River, a likely barrier to deer movement, were very similar, even though research and concern related to deer numbers has been concentrated west of the Rideau. More collisions occurred on 400-series highways than on other roads, suggesting that highways are a higher risk for deer collisions than other roads. The number of deer-vehicle collisions is much higher on recently constructed 400-series highways than on older 400-series highways, indicating that new highways represent high-risk areas for collisions.

This research suggests that deer-vehicle collisions could be a very useful data source for inferring deer population dynamics of suburban deer, but it is imperative that significant factors affecting the number and distribution of collisions, such as category of road and traffic volume, are considered during any analyses.

Integrated Training Course for Engineers and Wildlife Biologists

Sandra L. Jacobson (Phone: 707-825-2900, Email: sjacobson@fs.fed.us), Wildlife Biologist, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, 1700 Bayview Dr., Arcata, CA 95521, Fax: 707-825-2901; Terry Brennan (Phone: 602-225-5375, Email: tbrennan@fs.fed.us), Transportation Development Engineer, Tonto National Forest, 2324 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85006

The need for a comprehensive (yet concise) training course on the basics of highway and wildlife interactions has become more apparent as more transportation engineers and wildlife biologists are faced with demands to consider wildlife mortality and connectivity issues and to incorporate wildlife crossing structures in highway projects.

The USDA Forest Service has developed an interagency, interdisciplinary two-day training session that walks engineers and biologists through the basics of habitat connectivity, impacts to wildlife from highways, effective mitigation measures, funding sources, and law and policy related to highway projects. This course, Innovative Approaches to Wildlife and Highway Interactions, has been designed to be taught by a wildlife biologist and a transportation engineer, with a target audience of mixed, mid-level professionals who are planning highway projects of various types.

The course was designed to integrate disciplines so that the challenging situations we face in highway projects can be innovatively solved and networking between agencies and disciplines is facilitated. The course is modular and based on the Wildlife Crossings Toolkit (http://www.wildlifecrossings.info), also developed by the USDA Forest Service, and current scientific works.

Eight sessions across the country have been completed since course development, with participants from eight state DOT's, FHWA, NGO's, state fish and wildlife agencies, FWS, and three federal resource agencies. Departments of transportation and resource agencies are welcome to host training sessions across the country with these training materials and instructors.

Funding for the course development was provided by the Coordinated Transportation Improvement Project fund, an interagency pooled fund.

Integrating Transportation and Resource Conservation Planning

Stephen Eastwood (Phone: 858-674-2969, Email: seastwood@fs.fed.us) and Kirsten Winter (Phone: 858-674-2956, Email: kwinter@fs.fed.us), Cleveland National Forest, San Diego, CA 92127

The arroyo toad was federally listed as an endangered species in 1994. For the last 10 years, the Cleveland National Forest in southern California has been evaluating and mitigating the effects of roads and road crossings on this species. To date, we have closed five miles of roads within toad habitat and have constructed seven crossings to reduce or eliminate the effect of the crossings on toads.

Prior to this effort, most of the stream crossings in toad habitat were unimproved and vehicles drove directly through the stream. This caused several problems for toads:

1. While crossing the stream, vehicles would often proceed to drive up and down the stream, causing considerable disturbance of the stream bed and increasing turbidity in the stream.
2. Vehicles would often become stuck in the stream or hit a rock while attempting to cross the stream, which could result in spillage of oil or other toxic substances into the stream.
3. Tadpoles present in the stream could be crushed by vehicles driving through the crossing.

Two different types of stream crossings were constructed to separate vehicle traffic from contact with the streams. The first type was an "Arizona" crossing, which is a raised concrete ford with culverts. This type of crossing was constructed with adjacent partially buried k-rail or fencing to ensure that vehicles stayed on the road surface. The second type of crossing was a precast concrete 93 feet span designed to accommodate a 50-year flood and to eliminate vehicles from driving 400 feet up of the stream. Our poster will illustrate these two types of crossings. Since 1999, the Cleveland National Forest has been monitoring Forest roads/road crossings after rainfall events and we have not observed any arroyo toads killed or injured by vehicle traffic.

The Invasive Common Reed (Phragmites Australis) Along Roads in Québec (Canada): A Genetic and Biogeographical Analysis

Benjamin Lelong (Phone: 418-656-7558, Email: benjamin.lelong@crad.ulaval.ca), Yvon Jodoin and Claude Lavoie, Centre de recherche en aménagement et développement, and François Belzile, Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, Canada, G1S 7P4

During the last century, common reed (Phragmites australis) colonies expanded in marshes of north-eastern North America. This species is highly problematical because it has a strong impact on plant and animal diversity. In the province of Québec (Canada), the spread of common reed coincided with the expansion of the highway network from 1963 to 1984. We hypothesized that highways contributed to the spread of the common reed by creating dispersal corridors and favorable habitats for the growth of the species. To test this hypothesis, in 2003 we mapped the spatial distribution of common reed colonies along all Québec's highways (2800 km). We also sampled 260 populations to determine whether common reed found along highways is native or exotic. Furthermore, in 2004 we mapped the spatial distribution of colonies along secondary roads in three large areas (485-810 km²), more specifically in regions where common reed colonies were particularly abundant. Globally, 24% of roadsides were invaded by common reed. Highest common reed densities were registered near the city of Montréal, in the south-western part of the province. In this region, the common reed formed hedges several kilometres long. The roadsides of secondary roads where also highly invaded, which suggests that the entire road network contributed to the spread of common reed. Genetic analyses indicated that 99% of common reed colonies found along highways were exotic (haplotype M from Eurasia). Only three out of 260 colonies were dominated by a North American genotype. The spread of common reed in Québec probably resulted from the introduction of an exotic genotype in the first part of the 20th century. This genotype likely benefited from the expansion of the highway network to establish new colonies in most regions of southern Québec. The maintenance of the highway network (ditch digging, roadside mowing) also probably contributed to the spread of common reed and to the improvement of growth conditions for the species.

Landscape Ecology in Transportation Planning

Patricia L. McQueary (Phone: 360-570-6645, Email: McQueaP@wsdot.wa.gov), Biology Program Coordinator, Washington State Department of Transportation, South Central Region, Point Plaza, P.O. Box 47332, 6639 Capital Blvd., Tumwater, WA 98501, Fax: 360-570-6633

There has been a recent emergence of "road ecology" as a science that looks at the overall impacts of roadway systems on ecological communities in general. The evidence indicates that roadway impacts may extend beyond the operating right of way. To date, few projects have incorporated the idea of landscape ecology in the planning process.

The I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East project is breaking new ground in integrating landscape ecology and ecosystem processes into the design of a proposed expansion of the existing highway from four to six lanes for a 15-mile stretch. The project crosses/bisects an area that has been identified as the narrowest band of publicly owned land in the Washington Cascades. To better accommodate the project's identified ecological connectivity need, the project team has focused on sites called "Connectivity Restoration Areas." These areas have the highest likelihood of linking aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial habitat of relatively high quality north and south of the highway.

Although high-visibility wildlife (such as elk and deer) have been the major focus of most connectivity structures, there is a greater need to restore and enhance ecological processes (such as the regulation of hydrologic flows and soil retention) that often drive the ecosystem in general. This is most evident along the I-90 corridor during periods of snowmelt when water is a dominant feature on the landscape. The I-90 corridor contains numerous high-quality wetlands, some of which have been separated hydrologically by the existing highway. In some cases, the highway has created wetland areas by acting as a dike, interfering with natural-surface and subsurface flow paths. Many stream crossings have constriction points that impact the floodplain connectivity and do not allow for channel meander.

Via a collaborative, interdisciplinary process, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), South Central Region has developed guidance for recommending a preferred alternative that will integrate the needs of aquatic, riparian, wetland, and terrestrial ecosystems and the needs of the associated organisms into the design of the new highway expansion. This incorporates not only the area adjacent to the highway and within the operating right-of-way, but expands to look at proper functioning of hydrologic processes at a broader scale. WSDOT also incorporated the work of Singleton and Lehmkuhl (2000) that identified areas of animal movement and landscape permeability within the I-90 corridor. The placement of the structures should provide opportunities for movement of organisms between populations and reduce the risks associated with demographic isolation. Increasing the permeability of the highway should also reduce direct mortality of individuals and increase the likelihood of persistence of local and regional populations that may be genetically distinct.

The desired, long-term conditions associated with the highway expansion are a functioning ecosystem with late successional reserve forests, properly functioning streams, and wetlands that provide additional opportunities for species diversity.

Ledges to Nowhere – Structure to Habitat Transitions

Stephen D. Tonjes (Phone: 386-943-5394, Email: stephen.tonjes@dot.state.fl.us), Florida Department of Transportation, Environmental Management Office, 719 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL 32720, Fax 386-736-5456

The purpose of this poster is to call attention to problems that are being encountered in the design and construction of wildlife crossing structures that significantly undermine their usefulness to wildlife.

The problem: Three roadway projects nearing completion in Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 5 (east central Florida) include modifications to existing bridges and culverts that add ledges for the passage of small wildlife. In all three projects, the ledges ended abruptly at the ends of the structures, with no transition and even significant obstacles between the ledges and the surrounding habitat. Each of the roadway projects was designed independently by a different engineering firm, so the lack of awareness was not limited to one individual designer or firm.

(Expensive) solutions: The design engineers for each project have produced corrected drawings. Modifications are completed or underway, except at one structure, for which the roadway contractor declined to bid on the changes. A second project to correct the problem will be needed.

Recommendations: Small oversights during design and construction can virtually eliminate the usefulness of wildlife passages included in structures. Engineers and biologists should collaborate throughout the design process. Biologists should monitor these accommodations during and after construction.

Monitoring of Wildlife Crossing Structures on Irish National Road Schemes

Lisa Dolan (Phone: 00 353 87 95783, Email: l.dolan@student.ucc.ie), Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, University College, Cork, Ireland

Ireland is currently undergoing the largest extension to the National road network in recent years. For this reason, the number of crossing structures for wildlife on the Irish National road network has increased markedly within the last few years.

In Ireland, the structures are targeted at protected species whose habitat is directly disturbed by road construction. In general, the target species are otters (Lutra lutra) and badgers (Meles meles). However, structures have been put in place for red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris); i.e., rope ladders linking trees on opposite sides of a motorway and the first structures for pine martens (Martes martes) and bats will be put in place in the coming year. Bat boxes and bird boxes have also been fitted on the tunnel ceilings of oversized arched culverts with mammal ledges.

Underpasses and overpasses (potential green bridges) have been constructed where farms have been bisected by new road schemes. These structures allow for the safe passage of domestic cattle over the road carriageway, but may also be utilized by wildlife, for example, red deer (Cervus elaphus) and other smaller wildlife species.

Non-target native species which can utilise these structures are: red deer (Cervus elaphus), the indigenous Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus), stoat (Mustela erminea hibernica), fox (Vulpes vulpes), pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) and field or wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus).

Non-native species which could potentially utilize such structures include: Sika deer (Cervus nippon), fallow deer (Cervus dama), brown hare (Lepus europaeus), rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), house mouse (Musculus domesticus), bank vole (Clethrionomys Glareolus), feral ferret (Mustela furo), American mink (Mustela vison), and domestic cats and dogs, amongst other introduced species.

This is the first study to examine the effectiveness of crossing structures in Ireland. An initial pilot study monitoring the use of crossing structures on the Watergrasshill By-Pass, County Cork, Ireland, revealed encouraging results as the following species were found to utilize oversized arched culverts with mammal ledges: otter, fox, rabbit, pygmy shrew and wood mouse. Tracking tools utilized include: ink pads, sand beds, and infrared cameras.

The initial pilot study was expanded to monitor crossing structures on a national scale in order to examine: (A) how effective are the culverts at providing passage for the target species? and (B) to what extent are cow under- and overpasses being utilised by wildlife?

More specifically, the study is also currently examining: (1) with what frequency are the various passages being utilized?; (2) what non-target species utilize these passages?; (3) does the design of the fauna pipe (dimensions) affect utilization of the passage? e.g., are shorter pipes or longer pipes or small diameter (600 mm) or large diameter pipes (900 mm) more frequently used?; (4) does the presence of hedgerow planting enhance use of passage structures? (5) what kind of pipes do smaller species have a preference for?

It is intended that the results of the study will provide valuable information which could improve the layout, design, and maintenance of future crossing structures to be put in place on national road schemes in Ireland, and indeed, in other countries.

Monitoring the Recovery of Decommissioned Roads With Citizen Scientists in the Clearwater National Forest, Idaho

Katherine Court (Phone: 406-542-8510, E-mail: kcourt@gmail.com), Environmental Studies Program, Jeannette Rankin Hall, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812; T. Adam Switalski (Phone: 406-543-9551, E-mail: adam@wildlandscpr.org), Wildlands CPR, P.O. Box 7516, Missoula, MT 59807; Len Broberg (Phone: 406-243-5209, E-mail: len.broberg@umontana.edu), Environmental Studies Program, Jeannette Rankin Hall, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812-4320; and Rebecca Lloyd (Phone: 208-942-3113, E-mail: rebeccal@nezperce.org), The Nez Perce Tribe, P.O. Box 365, Lapwai, ID 83540

Road decommissioning is an increasingly important tool for restoring watersheds on national forest lands. Wildland roads can result in a number of negative impacts leading to decreased terrestrial and aquatic habitat quality. It is believed, therefore, that road decommissioning can have significant positive effects on a watershed—cleaner water, improved fisheries, and restored habitat for terrestrial animals.

However, very little research has been conducted to quantify these benefits. In 1998, the Clearwater National Forest (CNF) and Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) began an intensive road decommissioning program after extensive flooding caused hundreds of landslides in 1995-1996. Since the program's inception, more than 500 miles of roads have been decommissioned. Neither the CNF nor the NPT can sustain the budget and personnel necessary to monitor how effectively these projects are restoring fish and wildlife habitat.

Data collected through a citizen monitoring program will fill this need. Citizen science is a popular and powerful way to monitor the long-term trends and conditions of natural systems while also encouraging a stewardship ethic for the resources being monitored. The information gathered by "citizen scientists" can help land managers make more informed decisions about how best to care for public and private land. We have created the first citizen monitoring program that focuses on the ecological recovery of decommissioned roads. We developed monitoring protocols for citizen scientists, recruited and trained volunteers, and led monitoring trips in the field every weekend during the summer and fall of 2005, engaging, thus far, some 20 volunteers.

As this project is still in progress, all conclusions and findings reported are preliminary. We can, however, make general observations on the efficacy and accuracy of employing citizen scientists to measure ecosystem recovery as a result of road decommissioning. In addition, a second year of funding has been obtained for this project. We anticipate that next year's program will be a success in forwarding our objectives for this project.

National Implications of Regional Deer-Vehicle Crash Data Collection, Migration, and Trends

Keith Knapp (Phone: 608-263-6314, Email: knapp@epd.engr.wisc.edu), Assistant Professor/Program Director, MRUTC Deer-Vehicle Crash Information Clearinghouse, Madison, WI 53706

The magnitude and trend of the deer-vehicle crash (DVC) problem in the United States can only be grossly estimated. Data that could be used to define this problem more closely are not consistently collected. However, at least two "national" surveys have attempted to estimate the number of DVCs in the United States and their results critically have been evaluated and presented. The number of fatalities and estimated non-fatal injuries in the United States due to animal-vehicle collisions will also be included.

The inability to properly define the DVC problem in the United States is primarily related to the misunderstandings produced by the collection, estimation, and combination of several data sets (with varying characteristics) that can be used to describe it. During the last four years the DVCIC staff has completed a DVC data collection and management survey and also collected (if available) 10 years of police-reported DVCs, deer-carcass numbers, and deer-population estimates for a five-state region (i.e., Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin). The survey was primarily completed to document, compare, and/or combine the state-level DVC data collected properly Representatives from the Departments of Transportation and Natural Resources from each state were surveyed and used to collect the data.

The results of the survey, and the analyses and evaluation of the data collected, will be included in this presentation and paper. Summaries of the information gained from the survey and the data collected will be used to recommend activities to improve the current understanding of the DVC problem in the United States.

Planning a Sustainable Community: Infrastructure Development and Natural Areas Management

Sherri R. Swanson (Phone: 941-650-3529, Email: sswanson@scgov.net), Project Scientist, Sarasota County Government, 2817 Cattleman Road, Sarasota, FL 34232, Fax: 941-861-6270; and Raymond C. Kurz (Phone: 941-320-5995, Email: rckurz@pbsl.com), Program Manager, West Florida Sciences, PBS&J, 2803 Fruitville Road, Suite 130, Sarasota, FL 34237, Fax: 941-951-1477

Sarasota County is a Florida gulf-coast community working to alleviate growth and development pressures and provide a balanced community of citizen amenities, economic growth, and a healthy natural environment. To meet this end, county government has been pursuing two main objectives: the acquisition and protection of ecologically significant lands and the minimization of roadway impacts in ecologically valuable areas. In 1992, a committee of citizens was appointed to evaluate the ecological value of undeveloped lands and facilitate a land-acquisition program. Subsequently in 1999, Sarasota voters approved a referendum to fund the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program (ESLPP). This program has since enabled the acquisition of over 15,000 acres of environmentally sensitive habitat for a total of nearly 105,000 acres of protected land throughout the county. In 2003, the land-acquisition agenda was expanded through the development of the Regional Environmental Mitigation Program, which was designed to facilitate the purchase and restoration of natural lands as compensation for unavoidable environmental impacts associated with county infrastructure projects. Despite protections afforded lands acquired by these landprotection programs, fragmentation continues to threaten ecologically intact landscapes in the county. To address this matter, the Board of County Commissioners initiated an investigation of the habitats and wildlife fragmented by transportation infrastructure. Field-investigation methods have involved reviews of aerial photography with local data overlays (e.g. Florida scrub-jay habitat, panther sightings, etc.), evaluation of significant habitats and protected wildlife, use of motion-sensory cameras, creation of animal-track sand pits, and incorporation of mortality surveys. Data collected continue to be used to identify and recommend promising areas for innovative design of infrastructure, land-acquisition priorities, and habitat-restoration measures. As a result of the current initiative, road projects are increasingly scrutinized for alternative alignments, sound ecological improvements, and defragmentation opportunities. Sustainable design is now a bona fide consideration of Sarasota County road-design teams.

Quantifying and Mitigating the Barrier Effect of Roads and Traffic on Australian Wildlife

Rodney van der Ree (Phone: +61-3-8344-3661, Email: rvdr@unimelb.edu.au), Ecologist, Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia, Fax: +61-3-9347-9123; Andrea Taylor (Phone: +61 3 9905 5623, Email: Andrea.Taylor@sci.monash.edu.au) and Paul Sunnucks (Phone: +61-3-9905-9593, Email: paul.sunnucks@sci.monash.edu.au), Australian Centre for Molecular Ecology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3160 Australia, Jody Simmons, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, 3121, Australia, Fax: +61-3-9905-5613; and Silvana Cesarini (Phone: 4-2495-2486, Email: Silvana.Cesarini@sci.monash.edu) and Michael Harper (Phone: +61-03-8344-0146), Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology, School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Clayton, Victoria, Australia 3010

The network of highways, freeways, and other major roads in Australia and around the world continues to expand in length and width as new roads are built and existing roads widened. The effects of roads and traffic on the survival and movement of indigenous wildlife are potentially numerous and profound. Successful mitigation of these effects relies on the detailed definition of the nature and extent of the problem and appropriate analysis of the effectiveness of amelioration.

Habitat loss across large areas of Australia has been so extensive that many landscapes currently support less than 5 to 10% of indigenous vegetation. Ironically, much of the remaining vegetation occurs adjacent to existing roads or in unused road reserves. Consequently, new roads will dissect these vegetation remnants, potentially disrupting the movement of animals along these linear corridors. Similarly, the widening of existing roads will typically result in the removal of valuable habitat for wildlife.

In our study, we investigated the effect of a new road on the movement and ecology of the Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis in southeastern Australia. The squirrel glider is an endangered species restricted to forest and woodland in eastern Australia. Its primary form of movement is by gliding between trees. We radio-tracked nine individuals for a two-month period in the vicinity of a new dual-carriageway freeway and an existing single-carriageway highway. A total of 488 radio-tracking fixes revealed that animals were resident adjacent to both roads and that the rate of road crossing varied by sex and road width. Females were never observed to cross the dual carriageway, while a single male was located on opposite sides at a ratio of 1:0.4. Both females and males crossed the single carriageway regularly. Two of the nine gliders disappeared during the study.

The results of this study are being used to design a major collaborative research project that aims to more fully quantify the negative effects of roads and traffic on Australian wildlife. At present, there is a poor understanding of the ecological effects of roads and traffic in Australian ecosystems and on Australian wildlife. In particular, we are focusing on the population-level effects in order to determine the extent that population viability has been reduced. A range of taxa with different levels of vulnerability are being studied, including arboreal marsupials, ground-dwelling mammals, geckoes, and invertebrates. We will incorporate studies of movement patterns with genetic techniques and metapopulation-viability analyses to elucidate effects at the population level. The project will then test the effectiveness of various mitigation measures by determining the extent to which population viability has been improved.

The Return of the Eastern Racer to Vermont; Successful Conservation Through Proactive Project Development and Interagency Collaboration

Chris Slesar (Phone: 802-828-5743, Email: chris.slesar@state.vt.us), Environmental Specialist, Vermont Agency of Transportation, Montpelier, VT 05633; and James S. Andrews, Research Herpetologist, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT

During fieldwork for the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas Project, a population of Eastern Racers (Coluber constrictor) was found utilizing a parcel of state land managed by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) in southeastern Vermont along Interstate 91. This species was thought to have been extirpated from Vermont for nearly 20 years. Until 2003, the last positively identified Racer in Vermont was a road-killed specimen in Putney in 1985. But the recent discovery along I-91, resulting in the species being listed as State Threatened in Vermont, proves that a few hardy individuals are making their way back to the northern fringes of their geographic range. To date, a minimum of eight individuals have been identified in Vermont, and researchers feel that this is a very encouraging sign that the Racer is making a comeback in Vermont.

Riparian Restoration and Wetland Creation at Solano Community College

Michael Galloway (Phone: 510-286-6069, Email: michael.galloway@dot.ca.gov), Biologist, and Chuck Morton (Phone: 510-286-5681, Email: chuck.morton@dot.ca.gov), District Branch Chief, Office of Biological Sciences and Permits, California Department of Transportation, 111 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94623

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) conducted mitigation work to establish and protect native wetland and riparian habitat on approximately 0.5 hectare (1.3 acres) adjacent to Dan Wilson Creek. Dan Wilson Creek is located in the Solano Community College property just off of Suisun Valley Road in Fairfield, California. This work mitigates for impacts to 0.07 hectare (0.17 acre) of wetland habitat and 0.05 hectare (0.13 acre) of riparian habitat resulting from the Solano Interstate Route 80 Widening Project located between Interstate 680 and State Route 12 East. Caltrans began construction on the I-80 Widening Project in the fall of 2003. Mitigation work coincided with the widening of Interstate 80 over Dan Wilson Creek that occurred during the summer of 2004.

Approximately 0.16 hectare (0.40 acre) of the land contoured, graded, and planted at the mitigation site will provide riparian habitat and 0.20 hectare (0.50 acre) will provide wetland habitat after the five-year monitoring period to meet the mitigation goals established by Caltrans, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Caltrans biologists obtained a photographic record of the mitigation site in June 2004 before it was graded and contoured. These biologists will obtain photographic records of the same location(s) annually during the five-year monitoring period to monitor the progress of the mitigation project.

Caltrans biologists will conduct spring and summer plant surveys to detect early and late-season species and will map the extent of the vegetation cover using a Global Positioning System (GPS). Caltrans biologists will use a minimum of 20 vegetation sample plots, each measuring 3 x 3 meters (10 x 10 feet), to estimate plant coverage and dominance and will collect information on wildlife observed at the mitigation site on an opportunistic basis.

The majority of plants installed at the mitigation site have been successful as of June 2005. Approximately 90% of the plants installed in the upland and upland-riparian zones of the mitigation site showed signs of growth. Approximately 488 (91%) of the 535 planted arroyo willows were found in the mitigation area, with 313 (64%) of the counted willows showing signs of growth. Some of the installed wetland plants, including common tule (Scirpus acutus var. occidentalis), have established and spread throughout the wetland zone.

Animal species identified by Caltrans biologists in the area before the mitigation work began were again observed in the area after the work. Some of the aquatic species have migrated into the newly developed wetland from Dan Wilson Creek. The number of bird species observed in the area increased after the mitigation work. Birds commonly observed in freshwater pond habitats are using the wetland.

Road Ecology of the Northern Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys Terrapin Terrapin

Stephanie Szerlag (Phone: 215-350-6827, Email: ss298823@sju.edu, sszerlag@hotmail.com), Graduate Student, and Scott P. McRobert (Phone: 610-660-1833, Email: smcrober@sju.edu), Advisor, Saint Joseph's University, Department of Biology, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131, Fax: 610-660-1832

Diamondback terrapin populations along the East Coast have suffered due to a number of factors since the early 1900's. Overexploitation from commercial harvesting, drowning in fishing gear, and loss of habitat has had a negative impact on the terrapin (Roosenburg 1991). Terrapins in several areas, specifically in New Jersey, are now threatened by an additional source of mortality, road mortality (Wood and Herlands 1997, Hoden and Able 2003), which could cause further declines in the abundance of this species.

Road mortality and ecology of the northern diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin terrapin, in the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve was examined and compared to traffic patterns during the nesting seasons (May-July) of 2004 and 2005. Traffic-measuring devices were stationed on sections of Great Bay Boulevard (GBB), an access road through salt-marsh habitat to obtain traffic-volume estimates. A total of 1201 terrapins were observed on the road with 104 road mortalities (8.66%). In 2004, a significantly greater proportion of road kills was found in the section of the road with the highest traffic volume.

However, we did not see this same pattern in 2005 as road mortalities across the sections were fairly evenly distributed. There was a positive correlation between road kills and increasing traffic volume throughout the day observed in 2004. Three hundred terrapins were tagged with passive-integrated transponder (PIT) tags over the course of the study. The tagging portion of this study indicated that some females may have been returning more than once in the season to lay multiple clutches along the roadside and demonstrated nest-site philopatry by returning to the area where they were initially tagged.

The information gathered suggests that terrapins are attracted to the roadside as it meets the requirements for a suitable nesting habitat. Future mitigation, such as drift fencing and increased patrolling of the roads, is needed to help reduce road mortalities. Fencing will be proposed to be installed in the areas of greatest road mortality and of greatest nesting activity along Great Bay Boulevard for 2006.

Road Watch in the Pass: Using Citizen Science to Identify Wildlife Crossing Locations Along Highway 3 in the Crowsnest Pass of Southwestern Alberta

Tracy Lee (Phone: 403-220-8968, Email: tracy@rockies.ca), Danah Duke (Phone: 403-220-8968, Email: danah@rockies.ca), and Mike Quinn (Phone: 403-220-8968, Email: mq@rockies.ca), Miistakis Institute for the Rockies, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4 Canada, Fax: 403-210-3859

The municipality of Crowsnest Pass is situated in a rare east-west corridor bisecting the Rocky Mountains in Southwestern Alberta and Southeastern British Columbia. Highway 3, which runs the length of the Pass, is a major transportation route supporting over 13,000 vehicles per day. Wildlife mortality, due to collisions with vehicles, has been identified as a major human-safety and wildlife-conservation issue on this stretch of highway with approximately 109 large mammal deaths per year. Another immediate threat to wildlife populations in the region is the proposed expansion and realignment of Highway 3. The expanded highway footprint and increased traffic will likely affect wildlife use in the area. It is therefore important that decision makers acquire information on where wildlife are most likely to cross the road to ensure effective mitigation measures. Currently, information pertaining to wildlife movement in the Pass is limited.

Road Watch in the Pass is an innovative, community-based research project that engages local citizenry in reporting wildlife observations along Highway 3 through the Crowsnest Pass in southwestern Alberta, Canada. Through the use of a Web-based GIS, interested citizens can participate in data collection that will be instrumental to decision makers in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and for developing mitigation measures for highway expansion. Road Watch was designed to test and profile the use of local knowledge and volunteer data collection in the Crowsnest Pass by providing land managers and the community with valuable baseline information related to wildlife highway crossings. The goals of the project are to collect, analyze, and communicate information highlighting crossing locations of wildlife along the highway based on local knowledge and observations, as well as to engage the citizenry of the pass in local issues relating to wildlife movement and safety.

The project was launched in November 2004 after considerable communication with decision makers in the Pass and the hiring of a local project coordinator. There are currently 51 active participants using the website and interactive mapping tool. The 51 participants have recorded over 581 large mammal sightings. These results are provided to the community on a regular basis through the local media, project website, and email messages. Although the project is still new in inception, preliminary results indicate that the community is successfully engaged with an average of five new volunteers joining Road Watch each month. Each volunteer has contributed an average of 12 observations, with 59 percent of the participants submitting observations on more than one occasion. The number of individual observations ranges from one to 167. Participants have recorded the full compliment of large mammals that occur in the pass, including: 243 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), 106 big horn sheep (Ovis canadensis), 66 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), 64 unidentified deer species (Odocoileus spp.), 35 elk (Cervus elaphus), 30 moose (Alces alces), 11 coyotes (Canis latrans), seven black bears (Ursus americanus), three wolves (Canis lupus), three mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), three grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and two cougars (Puma concolor), with the exception of wolverine (Gulo gulo) and lynx (Lynx canadensis).

Road Watch observations provide a valuable supplement to mortality data and have the potential to greatly enhance the existing information base. For example, the percentages of species observations from Road Watch correlate to the recorded levels of wildlife mortality, with mule deer as the highest recorded species from both data sources. From preliminary comparisons of these two data sources, we have identified zones with high Road Watch observations corresponding with low mortality records. This may indicate that there are areas where wildlife are successfully crossing, which has important implications for highway mitigation.

Road Watch is an innovative initiative that will generate a unique dataset resulting from a comparative anlysis of knowledge sources. Preliminary results demonstrate that this approach increases the knowledge base by providing new emerging knowledge that would not have been explicit from a single source. This initiative also provides the opportunity for the Crowsnest Pass community to actively engage in an important wildlife-conservation issue. This information will be important to citizens in the community and local decisionmakers in relation to human safety and wildlife conservation around Highway 3.

The Role of Transportation Corridors in Plant Migration in and Around an Arid Urban Area: Phoneix, Arizona

Kristin Gade (Phone: 480-332-4809, Email: kris.gade@asu.edu), Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85282

While the potential importance of corridors has been acknowledged for both native and non-native species, little is known about how corridors actually function in developed and fragmented landscapes. Transportation corridors, such as roads and freeways, provide fairly consistent habitat conditions traversing nearly all man-made developments, including cropland, suburbs, reserves, and cities, and connect them with undeveloped areas. The combination of the particular conditions along road and freeway verges and the characteristics of the plants that reach these corridors will ultimately determine which species, native or not, will be able to move within cities and developed areas, as well as to and from cities and surrounding undeveloped areas.

This study will advance ecological understanding of the plant species that are able to move through existing corridors in arid and semi-arid urban areas. Urban areas, including freeway corridors, are intensively managed. This study will consider human management and urban development as integral and natural parts of the ecosystem under study. Understanding the similarities and differences in traits that affect movement of plant species along corridors will provide evidence as to whether native and non-native or functional groupings of species actually move differently in corridors. It will contribute to the literature on assessing the potential for particular plant species to invade new areas. Linking local plant processes to the larger landscape scale of movement between cities and undeveloped areas will have important implications for conservation planning in both environments.

Twenty sites were selected along the four major freeways in the cardinal directions around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Beginning in March 2004, vegetation surveys have been performed seasonally at each site. In addition, seedbank samples and bulk-soil samples were collected at each site. The seed-bank samples are germinating in the greenhouse to determine the seed-bank composition; analysis of physical soil characteristics and available and total levels of soil nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) is nearly complete.

Initial soil-chemistry results show that levels of plant-extractable nitrate are significantly increased in the surface soil located directly adjacent to the asphalt (ANOVA using log surface soil concentration; F = 5.556, P = 0.005). There were also significant differences between sites located adjacent to different land uses, with the sites located in the more densely developed city areas having higher nitrate levels than those at the edges of developed areas. The urban residential sites had the highest levels, followed by croplands, then lower density "fringe" development, and desert sites had the lowest levels of extractable nitrate (ANOVA using log surface soil concentration, F = 123.67, P < 0.001; Fisher's multiple comparison, all combos P < 0.001).

The plant community composition and seed-bank composition at these sites will be compared with nutrient levels to determine whether similar patterns emerge. It is likely that in the typically nitrogen-limited Sonoran Desert, the addition of nitrogen as a result of exhaust from combustion engines is significantly impacting which plant species are most likely to grow along the roadsides. This raises the question of whether heavily traveled roadsides in naturally nutrient-limited ecosystems should be considered as potential vegetation reserves, since intense maintenance would likely be needed to maintain a native community. Perhaps these areas are best landscaped with species unlikely to move along the highway corridors, whether native or not.

The results of this research will advance ecological understanding in several ways. I will elucidate the suite of plant traits that allow effective dispersal in fragmented landscapes with well-defined corridors, clarifying whether these corridors favor plants with particular traits, rather than native or non-native species. This study will increase understanding of the connection between urban and extra-urban environments and will have important implications for conservation planning in both types of environments. Finally, this research specifically incorporates humans into ecological theory, including human management and urban development as an integral and natural part of the ecosystem under study.

The project results will also be useful to highway and road managers, particularly in arid areas. The results will illuminate potential management techniques that will enhance or prevent plant migration along transportation corridors, as well as providing information on how management of transportation verges for objectives other than plant dispersal is likely to affect plant community composition.

Software for Pocket PC to Collect Road-Kill Data

Marcel P. Huijser (Phone: 406-543-2377, Email: mhuijser@coe.montana.edu), Douglas E. Galarus and Amanda Hardy (Phone: 406-994-2322, Email: ahardy@coe.montana.edu), Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University, P.O. Box 174250, Bozeman, MT 59717-4250

Animal-vehicle collisions are an important issue in North America. Accidents are numerous and result in human injuries and fatalities, property damage, and the death or injury of the animals concerned. Some animal species may be affected at the population level and face increased risk of local or regional extinction due to the high number of road-kills and other negative effects of roads and traffic. Systematically collected road-kill data can help quantify the magnitude of this problem and potential changes in road-kill occurrences and "hot spots" over time. Such data allows for prioritization and focusing of mitigation efforts to avoid or reduce collisions.

However, not all DOT's or DOT districts record animal-vehicle collisions and the DOT's that do record road-kill data often use different methods. A national standard and tool for the recording of animal-vehicle collisions would not only stimulate DOT's and other organizations to collect animal-vehicle collision data, but would also allow for more effective analyses and use of the data.

The Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University (WTI-MSU) has developed software that allows for easy, standardized, and spatially precise collection of animal-vehicle collision data. The software runs on a Pocket PC that is linked to a Global Positioning System (GPS). The software distinguishes between "monitoring" and "incidental observation" modes and tracks the route of the observer. Road-kill data, including species name as well as optional parameters such as the sex of the animal, are stored in a separate file that can be uploaded to a PC and imported into standard spreadsheet or mapping software. Recording road-kill observations with this tool eliminates manual data entry and transcription.

Beyond the basic data-collection software, we anticipate developing data-management and analysis software that will allow for easy merging and analyses of data from numerous sources, including cluster analyses, and linking to other spatial data in a Geographic Information System (GIS). This has the potential to allow for much faster and better feedback to plan and prioritize for mitigation to address human-safety or conservation concerns.

Once mitigation measures have been put in place, the tools and procedures described above allow for proper evaluation of these measures. We expect that the tools and procedures will ultimately result in fewer animal-vehicle collisions, less work for road maintenance crews, and a reduction in the transportation and disposal costs of the carcasses. A CD-ROM that demonstrates the software is available on request. Please contact WTI-MSU if you have further questions or if your organization is interested in helping us with the testing and further development of this tool and procedures.

Spatial Patterns of Road Kills: A Case Study in Southern Portugal

Fernando Ascensão (E-mail: fernandoascensao@yahoo.com) and António Mira (E-mail: amira@uevora.pt), Unidade de Biologia da Conservação, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Évora, Núcleo da Mitra, Apartado 94, 7002-554, Évora, Portugal

Roads promote high levels of animal-vehicle collisions and have one of the most visible man-made impacts on wildlife. In Portugal, SW Europe, very few ecological studies have focused on the impacts from roads on vertebrates. Knowledge of the main factors driving the emergence of hotspots of vertebrate mortality is still scarce.

A segment of a main road 26-km long was sampled by car at an average speed of 20 km/h every two weeks for two years (54 surveys) between 1995 and 1997, collecting all road-killed specimens found. We defined road sections with high collision rates, or vertebrate-mortality hotspots (VMH), by detecting clusters of animal collision locations. The analysis was conducted by comparing the spatial pattern of road kills with that expected in a random situation. In such a condition, the likelihood of collisions for each road section would show a Poisson distribution. Differences of explanatory variables between hotspots and low-mortality sections were evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U-test. Also, a direct-gradient analysis (Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA)) was executed with the mortality rates of the 24 most-killed species and the explanatory variables considered.

A total of 2421 vertebrate road-killed specimens were collected, which corresponded to nearly 46 specimens per 0.5 km per year. Eighty non-domestic species were recorded. Several sections were defined as VMH, both for all observations and for each vertebrate class. Results suggested that some road sections should receive particular mitigation actions given that mortality hotspots may arise, particularly sections where montado is the dominant habitat and where stream and other water courses run nearby and parallel to the road.

Studies of Fish Passage Through Culverts in Montana

Matt Blank (Phone: 406-994-6651, Email: blank@montana.edu) and Joel Cahoon (Phone: 406-994-5961, Email: joelc@ce.montana.edu), Montana State University, Department of Civil Engineering, 205 Cobleigh Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717; Drake Burford (Phone: 406-585-8201, Email: drake@adc-services.com), P.O. Box 582, Livingston, MT 59047; Tom McMahon (Phone: 406-994-2492, Email: tmcmahon@montana.edu), 301 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717; and Otto Stein (Phone: 406-994-6121, Email: ottos@ce.montana.edu), Montana State University, Department of Civil Engineering, 205 Cobleigh Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717

Road crossings that utilize culverts on fish-bearing streams can impede fish passage in several ways. The most common impediments include large outlet drops, insufficient water depths, and excessive velocity. High velocities can act as passage barriers, especially for fish that migrate during high-flow periods of the year such as westslope cutthroat trout and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. We performed a basin-wide culvert study to investigate fish passage across a large basin in Montana. A second study (in progress) focused on the velocity component of fish passage.

Our basin-wide culvert study was performed in the Clearwater River drainage near Seeley Lake, Montana. Fish species included westslope cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout, and bull trout. We studied 46 culverts over a range of culvert types and characteristics. We used a tiered approach to assess fish passage: analysis with FishXing, upstream and downstream population sampling, and direct-passage assessment. Results from the FishXing model from analysis of all 46 culverts indicate 76 to 85 percent are barriers at low flow, depending on the selection of minimum water depth. The upstream and downstream population-sampling analysis of a subset of 21 culverts indicated little or no significant difference in population characteristics (upstream characteristics compared to downstream characteristics). The direct-passage analysis of a subset of 12 culverts indicated no passage restriction at four culverts, some degree of passage restriction at seven culverts, and no passage at one. Our direct-passage study results may suggest more passage is occurring at low flows than the other methods suggest.

The basin-wide study did not address passage issues during high flows. We have embarked on a second study (in progress) to assess this high flow passage with field sites at Mulherin creek, located near the north boundary of Yellowstone National Park. The site is an important spawning tributary for Yellowstone cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. We are using a combination of field studies and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling to assess highvelocity fish passage over a range of flows. Field studies include fish monitoring and detailed velocity mapping using a traditional 1-D current meter and a 3-D acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV). We have chosen to monitor direct assessment of fish passage using Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags in individual fish and fixed antennas placed at five culverts and throughout the system. Preliminary results indicate that inlet-velocity patterns can persist through the culvert barrel. Fish movement observations show use of the low-velocity region for passage even at high flows (average barrel velocities at the outlet up to 2.2 m/s) with passage restricted at times, even though areas of lower velocities exist.

Thinking Outside the Marketplace: A Biologically Based Approach to Reducing Deer-Vehicle Collisions

Gino J. D'Angelo (Phone: 706-227-6867, Email: gjd4895@owl.forestry.uga.edu), Sharon A. Valitzski and Karl V. Miller, Daniel B. Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; George R. Gallagher, Department of Animal Sciences, Berry College, Mount Berry, GA 30149; Albert R. DeChicchis, Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; and David M. Jared, Office of Materials and Research, Georgia Department of Transportation, Forest Park, GA 30297

Deer-vehicle collisions are a major concern throughout much of the World, accounting for human injury and death, damage to vehicles, and immeasurable waste of deer as a wildlife resource. Throughout the planning of our research project, we reviewed the primary literature to identify strategies with the most potential to reduce deer-vehicle collisions. Our review is available online as an annotated bibliography.

Our findings indicated that most states in the U.S. have attempted to minimize deer-vehicle collisions through a variety of techniques. However, most studies have not empirically examined the efficacy of such techniques and many deer-deterrent devices were not designed with an understanding of the sensory capabilities of deer. Many previous studies also were isolated in scope or were inadequately replicated to afford statistical validity. Hence, the questions regarding efficacy of many deer deterrent devices remain largely unanswered and there still exists a need for research on mitigation strategies based on the sensory abilities of deer.

Until these research results become available, management efforts to minimize deer-vehicle collisions should focus on (1) implementing proper deer-herd management programs; (2) controlling roadside vegetation to minimize its attraction to deer and maximize visibility for motorists; (3) increasing motorist awareness of the danger associated with deer-vehicle collisions; (4) thoroughly monitoring deer-vehicle collision rates; and (5) encouraging communication and cooperation among governments, wildlife researchers, highway managers, motorists, and others involved in the issue of deer-vehicle collisions. We are conducting a research project designed to provide a more thorough understanding of the physiological processes driving white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) roadway behavior. Our ultimate goals are to use this knowledge to develop improved strategies designed to reduce deer-vehicle collisions.

Tidal Marsh Restoration at Triangle Marsh, Marin County

Chuck Morton (Phone: 510-286-5681, Email: chuck.morton@dot.ca.gov), District Branch Chief, and Michael Galloway (Phone: 510-286-6069, Email: michael.galloway@dot.ca.gov), Biologist, Office of Biological Sciences and Permits, California Department of Transportation, 111 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94623

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) provided funding to help restore and enhance 0.48 hectare (ha) (1.19 acre (a)) of tidal marsh, 0.56 ha (1.39 a) of native wetland and upland habitat, and improve public access at Triangle Marsh in Corte Madera, Marin County, California. This restoration work mitigates for impacts to 0.015 ha (0.038 a) of wetland/tidal marsh habitat resulting from the Highway 101 widening at nearby Corte Madera Creek. The goals of this restoration are to increase the habitat for marsh-dependent species such as the California clapper rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse and to provide wildlife-viewing opportunities for the public while maintaining a suitable buffer from the restored tidal marsh.

In 2000, the Marin Audubon Society (MAS) purchased the 13 ha (31 a) Triangle Marsh, which is located along Paradise Drive in Corte Madera adjacent to San Francisco Bay. Triangle Marsh is a remnant of a larger area of historical marsh of the Marin Baylands. At some unidentified time within the past 100 years, a portion of Triangle Marsh was filled, creating large upland areas with pockets of wetlands where differential settling of fill material occurred.

This restoration occurred within three areas of the site: the eastern, middle, and western. Upland areas were excavated to tidal marsh elevations. An upland berm was constructed along the boundary between the marsh and Paradise Drive to provide a physical barrier between the public pathway and the middle restoration site. In the larger eastern section, this berm has more gradual slopes on its northern (restored marsh) side to provide wetland-upland transitional refugia habitat. The existing levee in the western section was lowered to provide additional transitional refugia habitat. Grading and contouring of the site began in January 2004 and was completed by January 2005. MAS began planting the upland areas with native species after the grading was completed.

Caltrans biologists obtained pre-restoration information on plants and wildlife and took photographic records of the Triangle Marsh in January 2004 before the site was graded and contoured. Caltrans biologists will take photographic records in the same locations annually during the five-year monitoring period to document the restoration progress. Caltrans biologists will conduct spring and summer plant surveys to detect early and late-seasonal species and will map the extent of the vegetation cover using a Global Positioning System (GPS). Surveys will include a minimum of 20 vegetation sample plots, each measuring 3 x 3 meters (m) (10 x 10 feet (ft)), to estimate plant coverage and dominance in the tidal marsh and upland areas. Caltrans biologists will measure wildlife usage of Triangle Marsh on an opportunistic basis.

During the June 2005 monitoring, biologists observed pickleweed, marsh gumplant, and California cordgrass naturally recruiting into the margins of the graded and contoured tidal marsh sections. At the end of the five-year monitoring period, Caltrans expects that the restored areas will have at least 70% coverage of native species typical of local tidal marsh habitats and native wetland and upland areas.

Use and Selection of Highway Bridges by Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bats in South Carolina

Frances M. Bennett (Phone: 513-556-9730, Email: bennetfm@email.uc.edu), University of Cincinnati, P.O. Box 210006, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0006

Rafinesque's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) occur throughout the South and into some Midwestern states. However, they are rare throughout their range and are considered to be a species of special concern in every state in which they occur. Previous studies have documented the use of bridges by Rafinesque's big-eared bats in Louisiana, Mississippi, and North Carolina, but information on bridge use across the range is lacking. Furthermore, two of the three studies on bridge use were conducted in national forests. Thus, our objective was to determine the use and selection of bridges as day roosts by Rafinesque's big-eared bats on all public roads in South Carolina.

We surveyed 1,129 bridges within all 46 counties from May to August 2002. During the summer of 2003, we monitored 236 bridges in previously occupied areas of the state one to five times to evaluate bridge-roost fidelity. Colonies (including maternal groups) and solitary big-eared bats were found beneath 38 bridges in 2002 and 55 bridges in 2003. Occupancy in both years was strongly influenced by bridge size (P < 0.001) and construction type (P < 0.001); bats selected large, concrete-girder bridges and avoided flat-bottomed, slab bridges. Rafinesque's big-eared bats occupied bridges in the Upper and Lower Coastal Plain, but were absent from bridges in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains. Big-eared bats demonstrated a high degree of roost fidelity (65.9 percent). We also found that checking bridges three times at two-week intervals ensured the detection of bats, but checking more than three times did not increase detection probabilities.

The high degree of fidelity and use by maternal groups suggest that highway bridges are important roosting sites for Rafinesque's big-eared bats in the South Carolina Coastal Plain. Our results also suggest that if repair or maintenance work is planned for girder bridges during the summer, they should be inspected three times over a four to six week period. Because other studies have shown that Rafinesque's big-eared bats rarely use bridges during winter, delaying work on occupied bridges until that time will aid in the conservation of this rare species.

Using Remote-Sensing Cameras and Track Surveys to Assess Wildlife Movement Through a Probable Wildlife Linkage Bisected by Two Major Highways

Janice Przybyl (Phone: 520-624-7080, Email: janice@skyislandalliance.org), Wildlife Monitoring Program, Sky Island Alliance, Tucson, AZ 85717; Charles Barclay, Manager, Natural Resources Management Section, Arizona Department of Transportation, 1444 W. Grant Road, MD T862, Tucson, AZ 85745-1403

The Arizona Department of Transportation, Natural Resources Management Section (NRMS), and Sky Island Alliance, a non-profit conservation organization, are collaborating on a project utilizing a combination of motion-sensing cameras and track surveys to assess wildlife activity and movement between the Dragoon and Whetstone Mountains in southeastern Arizona. The study investigates the distribution of wildlife across the landscape as it relates to wildlife utilization of different crossing structures on two major highways.

Through its Wildlife Monitoring Program, Sky Island Alliance identifies at-risk landscape-level wildlife corridors within the region and conducts long-term monitoring and data collection within those corridors. Sky Island Alliance is particularly concerned with the movement of four large, wide-ranging mammals: Ursus americanus (black bear), Puma concolor (mountain lion), Pantera onca (jaguar), and Canis lupus baileyi (Mexican gray wolf). Top predators were chosen based on their large spatial requirements and reliance on wildlife corridors connecting the region's mountain ranges. In the Sky Island region, the importance of wildlife corridors is magnified due to the numerous, relatively small mountain ranges separated by valleys varying from 16 to 40 km in width. In addition, data are collected on two smaller species: Lynx rufus (bobcat), Nasua narica (coati). The region between the Whetstone and the Dragoon Mountains was identified as containing possible critical wildlife-movement routes threatened by the increase of habitat fragmentation in the form of road expansion, subdivision of private land, and loss of open space. The area is bordered on the west by the Whetstone Mountains and on the east by the Dragoon Mountains. The San Pedro River, flowing northward out of Mexico, as well as two high-speed four-lane highways, bisects the study area. These three features, one natural and two human-made, are possible deterrents to wildlife movement across the valley.

Wildlife activity is monitored by conducting "track surveys" along pre-established transects. Tracking volunteers, trained by Sky Island Alliance, search for and document incidences of wildlife sign such as tracks, scat, scratches, scrapes, or kill sites. Occurrence of wildlife sign indicates the presence of that species on the transect. Volunteers record species, type of sign, UTM map coordinates for the location of sign and direction of travel (if applicable). Sign from any of the six species of concern are photo documented. Other species are noted, but not assigned data points or UTM coordinates. Sky Island Alliance has been conducting track surreys in the Dragoon/Whetstone corridor since 2001, concentrating efforts in the area east of State Route (SR) 80 and west of the Dragoon Mountains.

Tracking transects are located in four major drainages: Stronghold Canyon and Slavin Wash (which converge before crossing under SR 80) and Smith and Clifford Washes (which converge east of SR 80). Information gathered from tracking surveys is plotted on a map using the ArcView Geographic Information System to determine the location and distribution of wildlife activity. In addition to the tracking transects, Tucson NRMS recently installed remote cameras under two bridges and three culverts along a 10-km stretch of SR 80 in direct relation to the tracking transects. This section, which is located south of the town of St. David, has been identified as having high levels of wildlife activity and roadkill incidence. Tucson NRMS facilitates film replacement and camera maintenance and the management of collected photographic data.

To date, trackers have documented two focal species–bobcat and mountain lion–on all transects within the project area. In addition, Tucson NRMS personnel documented mountain lion tracks outside one of the culvert sites. Sky Island Alliance verified the species identification. Inspection of the first round of remote-camera photographs reveal travel through the culverts and bridges by deer, javelina, cattle, and domestic dog, as well as humans on horseback, ATVs, or foot. To further test the feasibility of using remote cameras under highways, NRMS has installed four cameras along SR90. Future research will expand tracking surveys throughout the Dragoon/Whetstone corridor, specifically in relation to the camera sites on SR 90. Using tracking data in combination with data from the remote cameras, NRMS biologists and Sky Island Alliance will examine characteristics of wildlife corridors in relation to major roadways, in addition to evaluating wildlife use of different crossing structures and how roadway dynamics influence wildlife movement.

What is "Natural?" Lessons Learned in Applying Context Sensitive Design to Stream Restoration and Mitigation Project Development

Kelley Jorgensen (Phone: 503-222-7200, Email: Kelley_Jorgensen@urscorp.com) Jeremy Sikes (Phone: 503-222-7200, Email: Jeremy_sikes@urscorp.com), and Anne MacDonald (Phone: 503-222-7200, Email: anne_macdonald@urscorp.com) URS Corporation, 111 SW Columbia, Suite 1500, Portland, OR 97201; and Doug Sovern (Phone: 206-438-2318, Email: doug_sovern@urscorp.com), URS Corporation, 1501 4th Avenue, Suite 1400, Seattle, WA 98101

Instream projects—whether for habitat enhancement, culvert and bridge replacements, mitigation for fisheries or aquatic habitat impacts, or bank protection—often occur in altered streams in altered watersheds. For this paper, we will use the term "enhancement" to include all forms of "restoration" and "rehabilitation." Infrastructure typically interrupts watershed geomorphic processes and places constraints from both physical and legal liability viewpoints. Stakeholders can bring constraints in the form of biased perceptions and interests. Raw materials that may have been historically available for habitat-forming features are likely greatly reduced or even wholly unavailable to the stream, especially lower in the watershed. As a result, these natural materials can be unavailable to sustain or construct enhancement projects, or conversely, may be available to excess. While we often recognize that watersheds are altered, we frequently do not apply that information in the context of individual project development and implementation. As a result, inappropriate project design results from a lack of consideration of the entire project context (both project and watershed scale) and from circumventing a detailed constraints analysis early in the process.

Practitioners often try to improve instream and riparian habitats with the goal of restoring "natural" functions without recognizing the larger context of the existing altered conditions in the watershed. This nearly ubiquitous state of alteration requires us to recognize that the altered state of urban, and even many wildland streams, is unlikely to support historic habitat functions without structural intervention. Elements that formed instream habitat in the undisturbed stream may not work or may require adaptation in the new urban or disturbed environment. If "natural" defines the undisturbed stream, the obvious question is how "non-natural" do our design options need to be in the new urban or disturbed environment?

Our interdisciplinary design team and project management approach mirrors most of what defines the Context Sensitive Design (CSD) approach. We find that CSD applies a balanced approach in order to maximize natural, selfsustaining, low-maintenance elements that provide more long-term habitat functions, while still realizing the immediate creation or enhancement of missing habitats to provide needed functions to keep imperiled species viable. We share a common goal to create successful, natural, and self-sustaining stream-enhancement project designs that contribute to species and ecosystem recovery. This approach is usually more acceptable to the regulatory and environmental community. We are able to apply the reliability and stability of engineered features that may best provide short-term habitat functions, while larger-scale natural processes are allowed to re-establish.

We have identified a list of project and watershed elements that define project context as it relates to CSD and stream enhancement projects. Project context goes beyond site-specific or watershed condition assessment to include:

• Regulatory drivers, expectations and requirements
• Temporal constraints and goals, (short-term and long-term functions and processes)
• Physical/spatial constraints and goals, including landowners and infrastructure
• Liability considerations
• Cost
• The scope and scale of multi-level planning processes and stakeholder involvement.

We will compare the risks and benefits of different project approaches (CSD versus traditional) relative to ecological processes and professional liability. We will discuss natural vs. engineered/non-natural adaptations and new components in terms of:

• Long-term vs. short-term habitat functions and processes
• Symptoms vs. root problems
• Techniques/methods/materials
• Perceptions of stakeholders applied to all of the above

We will present project case studies in the Lower Columbia and Willamette River basins in Washington State and Oregon. Some interesting differences will be noted that resulted from both applying CSD early on, versus applying CSD late in the design process. These projects will illustrate ways to identify and define the watershed and project Poster Presentations 678 ICOET 2005 Proceedings context, prioritize structural and non-structural project elements, and develop and choose from a toolbox that includes the maximum range of methods, techniques, materials, and approaches. We will address pre- and post-project monitoring as a critical (but often overlooked and underfunded) element in the successful adaptive management of dynamic resources. Finally, we will reaffirm the message that CSD has great applicability in the future development and prioritization of stream- and river-enhancement projects to improve the success of species and ecosystem recovery on a large scale.

Wildlife Crossings Toolkit

Sandra L. Jacobson (Phone: 707-825-2900, Email: sjacobson@fs.fed.us), Wildlife Biologist/Research and Management Liaison, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, CA 95521, Fax: 707-825-2901; and Terry Brennan (Phone: 602-225-5375, Email: tbrennan@fs.fed.us), Transportation Development Engineer, Tonto National Forest, 2324 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85006

Many highways wind their way through excellent wildlife habitat. Florida's highways slice through rare black bear habitat. Alaska struggles with moose-vehicle collisions. Grizzly bears in the northern Rockies are killed on highways or avoid crossing them, limiting them to smaller areas.

Solutions are available, but the information is widely scattered. The Wildlife Crossings Toolkit gathers information in one location on proven solutions and lessons learned.

Who can use the toolkit? Professional wildlife biologists, engineers, and transportation planners can use the toolkit to work together to create innovative solutions for wildlife-friendly highways and railways.

Features:

1. Case Histories
   • Fully searchable database of case histories
   • Highlights projects from around the world
   • Provides examples of solutions used in planning or retrofitting to prevent highway-caused impacts to wildlife
   • Demonstrates collaboration of engineers and biologists
   • Includes sections on alternative approaches and suggested modifications
   • Includes engineered drawings and photos
2. Resources
   • Summary articles by experts on wildlife habitat connectivity, highway impacts, and solutions
   • Extensive illustrated glossary to facilitate a common lexicon between engineers and biologists
   • Links to other pertinent resources including ICOET proceedings and international information
3. Training and Workshops

The USDA Forest Service has developed associated training sessions to complement the information in the Wildlife Crossings Toolkit.

Wildlife Hot Spots Along Highways in Northwestern Oregon

John Lloyd (Phone: 503-224-3445, Email: jlloyd@masonbruce.com), Biologist, and Alexis Casey (Phone: 503-224-3445), Biologist, Mason, Bruce & Girard, Inc., 707 SW Washington Street, Suite 1300, Portland, OR 97205, Fax: 503-224-6524; and Melinda Trask (Phone: 503-731-4804, Email: melinda.trask@odot.state.or.us), Biologist, Oregon Department of Transportation, 123 NW Flanders, Portland, OR 97209

Determining locations where wildlife movement and highway operation conflict is an essential first step in making highways safer for motorists and animals. Using an expert-opinion approach, we identified 86 conflict areas (hot spots) for wildlife along state-maintained roads in the Oregon Department of Transportation's Region 1. Of the 757 miles of highway analyzed, 22% were identified as wildlife hot spots by expert teams, suggesting that the scope of this problem is substantial. Most of these hot spots were locations with frequent deer-vehicle collisions, although some were crossing locations for deer and elk that did not have frequent animal-vehicle collisions. Some hot spots were identified for non-focal species, including northwestern pond turtle, western painted turtle, coyote, bobcat, black bear, and beaver. Hot spots generally were associated with topographic features that directed animals towards highways, the presence of habitat adjacent to highways, or food resources that attracted animals. Six hot spots were considered high priority. The expert-opinion approach employed for this analysis was effective in rapidly assessing many miles of state-maintained highway for the presence of wildlife hot spots and may prove useful in addressing conflicts between wildlife and highways in other locales or on a statewide basis. Not all of the hot spots warrant mitigation, although we suggest that the areas identified in this analysis be examined more carefully during development of projects that may affect wildlife passage.