Ecological models and other tools available to decision makers can vastly reduce the environmental impacts of new roads, according to Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Virginia Dale, one of the authors of two recently released books. In the past, environmental impacts of new roads were often considered too late in the road siting and construction process. Now, however, with highly detailed geographic information systems and computer modeling readily available, decisions can be made that minimize the effects of new roads or at least accurately reflect impacts to the environment. The books, "Road Ecology" and "Ecological Modeling for Resource Management," are about taking the long view and doing a better job of ensuring that ecological effects are fully understood and considered when building new roads or managing ecological resources.
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