Park resource managers responded that over half of the NPS units’ existing transportation systems were at or above capacity, with traffic volumes currently high or very high in one quarter of them and traffic expected to increase in the majority of units. A total of 196 national park management units (NPS units) were contacted and 106 responded to our questionnaire. The results characterize current conditions and help identify wildlife-transportation conflicts. Researchers at the Western Transportation Institute synthesized information obtained from a system-wide survey of resource managers to assess the magnitude of their concerns on the impacts of roads on park wildlife. Other than isolated reports on the incidence of road-related mortality, there is little knowledge of how roads might affect wildlife populations throughout the national park system. Wildlife populations in national parks are increasingly vulnerable to road impacts. Current United States National Park Service (NPS) management is challenged to balance visitor use with the environmental and social consequences of automobile use.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |