ROADS
This video from the Nature Conservancy discusses issues with public stream crossings and their efforts to improve them.
Roads are a necessary aspect of land ownership, but as with all alterations of the landscape, they have an environmental impact. The creation of new roads requires permitting that should should help limit impact. With existing road networks, there are likely a number of areas for improvement, however.
Stewardship Specifics
Here are some specific things you can do to reduce the impact of roads on the landscape.
Established Roads
Stream crossings. Streams are interconnected networks, and brook trout and many other species depend on being able to move throughout a stream system to find appropriate habitat at a given time. Unfortunately, stream crossings often create barriers that can prevent species from reaching cold water on a hot summer day, or finding the best spawning ground.
A recently repaired section of road where double, undersized culverts caused a stream to overflow the road. Replacing the culverts with an appropriately sized crossing would not only be an ecological improvement, but would reduce maintenance costs and issues.
A good first step is for Adirondack landowners to identify problematic crossings, so when the crossing inevitably needs to be replaced a more suitable design can be chosen. The DEC has a great article, Stream Crossings: Protecting and Restoring Stream Continuity, detailing typical stream crossing issues such as:
- Undersized Crossings
- Shallow Crossings
- Perched Crossings
- Double Culverts
According to the DEC article, the best crossings are 1.25 times the width of the stream, and have an open bottom. For additional information, check out another DEC article, Stream Crossings: Guidelines and Best Management Practices.
For some of the most common problems - undersized crossings and double culverts - choosing a more appropriate sized culvert should not only help the stream, but reduce maintenance issues.
Invasive Species. Landowners should familiarize themselves with terrestrial invasive species and keep an eye out for them along their roads. Roads provide disturbed soil, higher sunlight levels conducive to the establishment of invasive species that can be brought in as seed or plant material on vehicles, or by birds drawn to the edge. In addition, gravel brought in from outside the property is a common source of infestations. Head over to the Invasive Species section of this site to see some of the most common and problematic invasive species.
Resources and references
Stream Smart Crossing Principles - SFI Maine - (PDF)
Levine, Jessica. An Economic Analysis of Improved Road‐Stream Crossings. The Nature Conservancy, Adirondack Chapter. Keene Valley, NY August 2013 (PDF)
NYS DEC Stream Crossings - Protecting and Restoring Stream Continuity (Visit)
NYS DEC Stream Crossings: Guidelines and Best Management Practices (Visit)
Academic Papers
Robinson, C., P. N. Duinker, and K. F. Beazley. "A conceptual framework for understanding, assessing, and mitigating ecological effects of forest roads." Environmental Reviews 18.NA (2010): 61-86. (PDF)
Charry, Barbara, and Jody Jones. "Traffic volume as a primary road characteristic impacting wildlife: a tool for land use and transportation planning." Road Ecology Center (2009). (PDF)