To achieve resilient transport infrastructures, improve traffic safety, and promote ecological restoration, the organization Infrastructure & Ecology Network Europe (IENE) has presented the online manual ‘Biodiversity and Infrastructure. A handbook for Action’, developed within the framework of the Horizon 2020 BISON project. This guide is based on the pioneering manual ‘Wildlife and Traffic’ and is supported by decades of research and practical results. It offers solutions and best practices to address the challenges of biodiversity protection and climate change adaptation in the design and management of infrastructures. It provides prescriptions for applying impact mitigation measures and contributing to nature restoration, including actions to improve ecological connectivity and reduce risks of accidents with wildlife, such as wildlife crossings, fencing, and other innovative measures.
The document includes seven chapters covering general concepts, planning, mitigation hierarchy, landscape integration, solutions, evaluation and monitoring, and maintenance. It also includes a Glossary, produced by IENE in collaboration with the World Road Association PIARC, and the ‘Transport Ecology Guidelines portal’ that facilitates access to manuals from different countries. The information is presented concisely and is aimed at professionals working at the interface of transport infrastructures and ecology. The online format is flexible, allowing for periodic content updates.
MINUARTIA has led the drafting team of the manual within the framework of the Horizon 2020 BISON project, which has involved the participation of 50 co-authors and over 30 reviewers from transport and environmental organizations.
