Roads are only one type of man‐made linear corridors in the landscape. Utility easements and other industrial linear corridors (hereafter ILC) provide access and energy and support economic growth. They are pervasive in many regions and can have wide‐ranging environmental and biological effects. Power lines and pipelines (i.e. ILC associated with utility easements) usually occur at low densities compared to roads. However, they can be as wide as roads, are usually kept clear of trees and woody shrubs and can cover long distances across a wide range of habitats. Other ILC, such as seismic exploration lines, can occur at densities similar to or greater than roads.
Roads are only one component of the man‐made network of linear corridors in a landscape.
Industrial linear corridors can have environmental and biological effects that are often complex and difficult to predict.
Some landscapes and species are more vulnerable than others to the effects of ILC.
Effective mitigation involves strategies that reduce the number and duration of ILC in the landscape and the impacts caused by associated structural elements.
Much remains unknown about the effect of ILC on species and ecosystems, particularly in remote wilderness areas and developing countries.
The demand for energy is increasing at an alarming pace throughout the world. Industrial linear corridors are being built to meet this demand but generally with scant knowledge of possible impacts to the environment and inadequate mitigation measures. Three types of effects need to be considered prior to the construction of ILC: impacts to the physical environment, direct biological effects and indirect biological effects. We suggest a large‐scale, integrated approach to land management and mitigation for companies involved in natural resource extraction, the provision of energy and ILC construction.
Impacts of Utility and Other Industrial Linear Corridors on Wildlife
Handbook of Road Ecology ; 228-236
2015-04-01
9 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
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