This project is focussed on evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation measures applied to limit the impacts of infrastructure development projects on fauna, such as power transmission lines and roads that cross various biomes and a mosaic of vegetation types, including forested areas.

Existing data from monitoring carried out across Brazil and submitted to the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Natural Renewable Resources (IBAMA) will be compiled to evaluate the efficiency of using cable markers on power transmission lines and wildlife underpasses on roads. The wires of transmission lines are very thin and difficult to observe, presenting an increased collision risk to birds, and paving of roads increases velocity and vehicle flow resulting in increased collisions with wildlife, particularly when roads cross forested areas. Cable markers have been used in power transmission lines to make them more visible to birds, in order to minimize the risk of collision with wires. Wildlife crossings are installed where the risk of collisions with wildlife is higher, in order to help restore habitat connectivity and make roads safer for both animals and humans. The effectiveness of monitoring used as a basis for proposing mitigation measures for both power transmission lines and roads are poorly documented in Brazil and they are limited to monitoring reports made to meet environmental licensing process conditions.

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The information stored by IBAMA will be consolidated and combined with a critical evaluation of monitoring and mitigation efforts. To compliment this broad scale analysis, different sampling efforts will be tested in the field in two case studies in Amapá state, northern Brazil: 1) at a power transmission line, and 2) at a road that crosses the Amazon biome.

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Where?
Brazil

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Who is involved?
Vivianne Eilers (University of Aberdeen, IBAMA)
Karen Mustin (University of Aberdeen)

Steve Redpath (University of Aberdeen)