Roads in Rainforest: Best Practice Guidelines for
planning, design and management
M. Goosem, E. K. Harding, G. Chester, N. Tucker, C. Harriss and
K. Oakley
Prepared for the Queensland Department of Transport and
Main Roads
ISBN 9781921359446 (pdf) | 9781921359460 (pbk)
These Guidelines were developed as a framework
for understanding the primary ecological issues to be addressed in
the planning, design and management of roads in rainforest
environments. The science supporting the development of these
Guidelines is detailed in Part B, Science Behind the
Guidelines (see below),
also available for download.
The objectives of these Guidelines is to
provide a set of principles and supporting guidelines for
implementing best practice planning, design and management for
ecologically sustainable roads within rainforests throughout
Queensland. The intention is to describe the particular
aspects of rainforest environments that are unique and thus require
particular consideration when designing and constructing roads in
these habitats. Importantly, these key values, which will be
further described in the Principles (Section 2, Guidelines),
require rainforest-specific planning and design strategies that
minimise and mitigate any significant impacts from road
building.
Specifically, these Guidlines have been developed to:
- Inform planners, engineers and managers about
the key ecological elements (Principles) to consider when building
roads in rainforest environments;
- Identify the most important issues to consider
when planning, designing and implementing plans for road
infrastructure so that the impacts to the primary ecological
elements of rainforests are minimised. Each major issue is
clarified within its own 'Guideline'; and
- Provide a set of steps and checklists within
each Guideline to ensure that the core Principles are maintained
throughout the different phases of planning, design and
construction.
Roads in
Rainforest: Science Behind the Guidelines
M. Goosem, E. K. Harding, G. Chester, N. Tucker and C.
Harriss
Prepared as Part B to the Best Practice
Guidelines
ISBN 9781921359453 (pdf) | 9781921359477 (pbk)
Part B, Science Behind the Guidelines,
summarises scientific findings to date which support the Principles
and Guidelines outlined in the Best Practice Guidelines (Part
A).
References to Part B are included throughout the Guidelines and
it is recommended that the two documents be read together.
In addition to a comprehensive list of References supporting
this science background document, further literature is highlighted
in the Further Reading section that is relevant to the planning,
design and management of roads in the tropical rainforest regions
of northern Australia and can provide further informations to roads
planners, designers and managers.
