MONITORING ROAD RESERVES FOR SUSTAINABILITY

This paper describes how the Central Highlands District of Queensland is a bio-diverse region that is undergoing significant development for grazing and cropping purposes. In many places, the most natural examples of the original biota are found in the District's road reserves. Vegetation communities and flora species that have been removed or degraded across the broader landscape, to the extent that they are now protected under State and Commonwealth legislation, are still well represented within the road reserves. The conservation value of these road reserves will continue to increase. The multiple use of road reserves within the Central Highlands for road infrastructure, utilities (i.e. electricity, gas, telecommunications) and stock-routes means that these areas are subjected to increasing pressure from development. As a result, if the ecological value of these areas is to be sustained then appropriate management strategies need to be identified and implemented. The Department of Main Roads (Central Highlands District) and consultants KBR have developed an ecological monitoring program and undertaken initial field surveys within eighteen of the District's most significant sites. This paper presents the monitoring methodology currently being used and the results obtained during these surveys. The most significant ecological values found within the road reserves will be discussed. The current and potential threats to these ecological values from existing and future road reserve infrastructure (and surrounding land uses) will be identified. Proposed changes to current road management practices will be presented. The paper illustrates the importance of a properly designed and conducted ecological monitoring program as a tool for those endeavoring to achieve sustainability.

• Record URL:
  http://arrbknowledge.com
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/087659229X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Full conference proceedings available on CD-ROM.
• Corporate Authors:

  ARRB

  Melbourne, Victoria  Australia 
• Authors:
  • Fox, S
  • Baldock, R
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the 21st ARRB and 11th REAAA Conference. Transport. Our Highway to a Sustainable Future
  • Location: Cairns, Australia
  • Date: 2003-5-18 to 2003-5-23
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 13 p.
• Serial:
  • Publication of: ARRB Transport Research, Limited
  • Publisher: ARRB
  • ISSN: 0158-0728

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crops; Ecology; Infrastructure; Management; Methodology; Monitoring; Strategic planning; Sustainable development; Telecommunications; Utility theory
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Construction; Design; Economics; Environment; Highways; I52: Construction of Pavements and Surfacings;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00964420
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 087659229X
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Oct 22 2003 12:00AM