risky roads: Road ecology measures step in when animal instincts and urban sprawl collide n WRITTEN BY SUE HORNER

14 Niagara Escarpment Views • winter 2016–2017 encing guides animals away from dangerous roads and onto a bridge, which takes them safely over a road, or into Fculverts or underground passages that Ontario Parks likens to “a critter-sized subway tunnel passing under the road.” ▶

Ecopassage in use at Killbear Provincial Park west of Parry Sound. PHOTO COURTESY OF ONTARIO PARKS.

winter 2016–2017 • Niagara Escarpment Views 15 ature’s programming nights they favour for the trip. is strong. After In 2012, while the City WHAT IS ROAD ECOLOGY? the first rainfall of Burlington was studying Road ecology is a science about the interaction between roads and Nfollowing spring King Road improvements, the natural environment, especially effects of roads on wildlife. thaw, Jefferson’s Salamanders Conservation Halton proposed emerge from underground a radical idea. What about estimate how many salamander at work. This growing field dens, determined to migrate closing a section of road on lives have been saved by the studies the intersection of to the ponds where they the Escarpment face for a few closing. However, she says, wildlife, the environment and were born to lay their eggs. weeks to allow the endangered “Once the physical barriers roads, and looks for low-cost In Burlington, that means Jefferson Salamander a were used to close the road, but effective ways to avoid crossing King Road. Some chance to get to the breeding no amphibians have been harming wildlife. Preventing 1,500 cars a day use this road to areas? Burlington agreed, killed due to cars within the collisions with larger animals wind their way up the Niagara and the closure has been an footprint of the closure.” also improves driver safety. Escarpment. The salamanders, annual tradition ever since. Road ecology is an small enough to fit in the palm Lesley Matich, terrestrial Official Planning is Key emerging need prompted by of your hand, have little chance planning ecologist with The King Road closure is urban sprawl encroaching of being seen on the dark, rainy Conservation Halton, can’t an example of road ecology on migration and breeding

▲ On Tremaine Road in Milton, new fencing and an underground tunnel provide safe crossing for wildlife. PHOTO COURTESY OF CONSERVATION HALTON.

16 Niagara Escarpment Views • winter 2016–2017 ▲ Wildlife fencing was installed during the widening of Neyagawa Road in Oakville, to direct small animals to a safe crossing. PHOTO COURTESY OF CONSERVATION HALTON.

▲ Close up of the Tremaine wildlife crossing. PHOTO COURTESY OF CONSERVATION HALTON.

winter 2016–2017 • Niagara Escarpment Views 17 ▲A long, slow, perilous journey. A Snapping Turtle crosses a road ▲ Close up of the algae-covered Snapping Turtle. It made no attempt to cross the road through the Niagara Escarpment north of Georgetown, in the while humans approached it. Hours later, there was no sign of it, likely indicating a safe middle of a large wetland. PHOTO BY MIKE DAVIS. crossing on this dangerous road. PHOTO BY MIKE DAVIS. areas. Over the past 60 years, known wildlife movement Brampton, two ecopassages as they cross the road from roads in southern Ontario corridors are divided by a protect turtles crossing Heart the marsh to nest, and again have multiplied from 7,000 proposed road project,” she Lake Road, which bisects a when the hatchlings emerge. km to more than 35,000 km. explains, “specially designed wetland complex. Another “We rescue turtles that are Some 14,000 wildlife/vehicle culverts targeted at frogs and two in Oakville help small in danger of being killed by collisions happen every year in turtles could be considered.” mammals and amphibians traffic, helping them across Ontario. Many more collisions Sometimes referred to in the North Oakville the road,” explains Joanna with small reptiles, amphibians as “ecopassages,” wildlife Natural Heritage System get Chapman, one of the group’s and birds go unreported. fencing, bridges and culverts across Neyagawa Boulevard founders. “We also put “It’s a huge issue that’s just are best practices used in north of Dundas Street. protective netting over nests, beginning to find its way into Banff and Jasper, Alberta and keep records of every planning,” says Tys Theysmeyer, and elsewhere, but they are Citizen Action turtle seen, alive or dead.” head of natural lands for relatively new to Ontario. Turtles are ponderously slow, In 2015, that included Burlington’s Royal Botanical In Milton, Halton Region both in movement and in 93 turtles killed along the Gardens (RBG), which includes and Conservation Halton are reaching maturity. They don’t road, plus 57 amphibians and the Cootes Paradise wetlands. partnering to install fences reproduce until they are about assorted birds and snakes. “The Escarpment is a key in strategic spots and build 15 years old, if they can make The group relays the connector for animals crossing wildlife culvert crossings it that long. Seven out of eight data collected to the Royal watersheds and we have a long into the design of the road turtle species in Ontario are Botanical Gardens. Starting list of species affected,” he corridors in several locations, considered at risk, due mainly in 2014, the data also goes to adds. “Turtles, snakes, foxes, including Tremaine Road. to road deaths and habitat loss Ontario Nature, which tracks deer – if it’s an animal, it’s “Culvert sizes vary along resulting from development. the distribution of reptiles and crossing a road, and there this stretch of road, with Wetlands on either side amphibians across the province. may be no specific design to smaller ones designed to of busy Cootes Drive in account for its safe crossing.” provide passage for mammals Dundas make it a dangerous Protection Takes up to raccoon size, and larger place to be a turtle. Driven Teamwork Protection by Design ones able to accommodate by instinct, female turtles Hamilton Conservation Matich says the environmental deer,” says Matich. leave Cootes Paradise in June, Authority (HCA) is working assessment stage is the time Similar wildlife passages looking for a south-facing closely with Dundas Turtle for municipalities to build have been installed in other slope to lay their eggs in sandy Watch and RBG to make in road design that protects areas of Ontario, including soil or gravel. Volunteers change happen, including wildlife specific to the area. provincial parks like with a group called Dundas lowering speed limits and “If several wetlands within Killbear and Algonquin. In Turtle Watch protect turtles adding warning signs. RBG

18 Niagara Escarpment Views • winter 2016–2017 Halton Parks

▲ Dundas Turtle Watchers like Joanna Chapman put out this sign when they patrol the roads, hoping to save turtles. PHOTO BY SUE HORNER.

also installed silt fencing, fabric Conservation Halton, staked to the ground that Hamilton Conservation prevents animal movement Authority, City of Hamilton and soil erosion, at hot spots and McMaster University. along the Cootes Paradise side “There’s a push to take of the road in 2012. Permanent this road ecology project fencing followed in 2015. in Dundas to the larger city Lesley McDonell, terrestrial of Hamilton, and to other ecologist for HCA, says, “We’re parts of Ontario,” she says. fundraising with various It’s a start. As resilient as organizations to install a nature can be, creatures both low-profile fence along Cootes small and large need humans Drive that’s the Cadillac of to help. As Chapman says, animal exclusion fencing.” The “We’re only monitoring a small knee-high fence has a tilt on area, but the roadkill is horrific.” top that prevents turtles from getting over. Sue Horner wrote “Community McDonell adds that “a Garden Movement Growing Like whole group” is working on a Weed,” Niagara Escarpment the Cootes area, including Views, Spring 2014.

WORKING ON ROAD ECOLOGY IN ONTARIO The Ontario Road Ecology Group (roadecology.ca/) Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (ontario.ca/page/ministry-natural-resources-and-forestry) Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (cloca.ca/) Eco-Kare International (eco-kare.com/) Conservation Authorities of Ontario (conservationontario.ca/ about-us/conservation-authorities)

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