Fauna en infrastructuur

Conservation & management
Fauna and infrastructure

The extensive network of roads, railways and canals in the densely populated country of the Netherlands divides the natural habitat of many animal species into numerous smaller units. There is an increasing awareness of the need to arrest fragmentation and establish specialized facilities for the animals. Bureau Waardenburg has acquired an extensive expertise on this matter.

Bottleneck surveys fauna and infrastructure

In landscape analysis an insight is gained into the (actual and potential) conflict of interests of nature and traffic in certain areas. Subsequently, the places where additional facilities for animals are deemed necessary can be mapped. The decisive factors in the solutions and priorities are the existing ecological networks, type of road (trunk road, local road etc.) and the target species involved. Bureau Waardenburg’s extensive expertise in matters of ecology is a guarantee for well-balanced advice. In its proposals Bureau Waardenburg aims to strike a balance between the workability of a plan and its desired ecological effects.

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Animal victims of traffic

Roads constitute deadly barriers for many animals, because of the density of traffic. The number of animals killed in traffic in the Netherlands runs at millions each year. Research into animal victims of traffic lends a a greater insight into the vulnerability of a species and into dangerous routes. To identify the bottle-neck areas effectively, it is necessary to collect data on animal victims in traffic several years running. These monitoring studies are labour-intensive and have a strict protocol. Since 1990 Bureau Waardenburg has been actively involved in setting up and supervising large-scale monitoring studies.

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Design of facilities for passageways for animals

There is a trend to arrest fragmentation by establishing specialized facilities for the animals. Bureau Waardenburg offers practical advice based on our knowledge of the functioning of more than 100 facilities (fauna tunnels, stub walls, fauna strips along waterways, ecoducts). The ecological prerequisites of the target species form the basis of our advice. Other aspects that have to be taken into account are the possible other functions the area could have, such as recreation and water management. We investigate the possibility of combining these functions. Technical aspects, management and maintenance are carefully evaluated and incorporated into the advice.

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