Outcomes of the 1st Asia Transportation Ecology Forum

In cooperation with the China Academy of Transportation Sciences (CATS) and other partners, TWG co-sponsored the 1st Asia Transportation Ecology Forum on 16-17 December 2021. Over the course of four sessions, more than 20 speakers and nearly 200 participants gathered to share knowledge about research and other activities seeking to make transportation infrastructure more sustainable across Asia.

As many countries in the region expand their networks of roads, rails, and other modes of transportation, such development can provide vast economic and social benefits but also present challenges to nature conservation and local communities. Therefore, this forum was held to explore how such development is already impacting ecosystems—affecting species from butterflies to elephants—and how science-based solutions can be applied to conserve Asia’s rich biodiversity, lower carbon emissions, and strengthen community benefits.

During the Forum, the Vice President of CATS, Prof. Jiding Chen, provided the opening speech, closing summary, and keynote presentation on advances in road ecology in China. With speakers joining from eight Asian countries and several other countries, unique aspects of the forum included presentations covering multiple modes of infrastructure, such as roads, railways, and aviation routes, as well as highlighting the growing body of research and experiences in Asian countries. This was complemented by insights from TWG Co-chairs Rob Ament and Rodney van der Ree that are leading work to advance global networks of professionals and institutions, such as TWG and the Australasian Network for Ecology & Transportation (ANET).

Furthermore, the work presented not only included in-depth analysis on the impacts of existing transportation infrastructure on wildlife, but also exploration of technological applications for better route planning to avoid ecological and social impacts. Additional presenters focused on the role of financial institutions in development projects, the transfer of engineering practices, and addressing the impacts of project construction of the Belt and Road Initiative on economic and social development. A full session was also devoted to highlighting the work of the Asian Elephant Transport Working Group (AsETWG) and its new publication “Protecting Asian Elephants from Linear Transport Infrastructure”. More details about each session are provided below.

Overall, the forum was successful in its aims to advance interactions among experts and interested attendees, and participants look forward to maintaining regular communication to elevate Asian transportation ecology research and applications. The organizers and co-sponsors are pleased to have highlighted the growing field of transportation ecology across Asia and the leading role that CATS plays in the field in China and increasingly around the world. TWG, CATS, and other partners now anticipate holding the forum on a biannual basis to provide a platform for promoting ongoing international exchange and cooperation.

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Forum Sessions:

Among the diversity of research findings and practical case studies presented during the forum, sessions and topics included:

Session 1: Evidence-based monitoring and evaluation
- Introduction by Shuangcheng Tao, Deputy Director of CATS;
- ‘Overview: Road ecology in China’ by Prof. Jiding Chen, Vice President of CATS;
- ‘Establishing crossing options for migratory ungulates along the Trans-Mongolian Railroad’ by Enkhtuvshin Shiilegdamba, Program Director at WCS Mongolia;
- ‘Do butterflies avoid roads’ by Dr. Qilin Li from Hainan Tropical Ocean University in China;
- ‘The effectiveness of mitigation measures for reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and providing connectivity in Japan’ by Yoichi Sonoda, Chief Researcher for Regional Environment Planning Inc. in Japan;
- ‘Evaluating aircraft-wildlife collision risk in lower aerial space operation’ by Dr. Xiaoyu Wu at Griffith University in Australia; and
- ‘Impacts of linear transport infrastructure on wildlife and conservation in China’ by Dr. Yun Wan at CATS.

Session 2: Habitat, connectivity, and biodiversity conservation
- Introduction by Dr. Aili King, Strategic Engagement Director at Wildlife Conservation Society, China;
- ‘Connecting researchers and practitioners in transport ecology’ by Dr. Rodney van der Ree, Chair of ANET;
- ‘Impacts of linear transport infrastructure on wildlife habitat and population connectivity – Case studies in China’ by Dr. Abudusaimaiti Maierdiyali and Prof. Zhi Lü at Peking University;
- ‘A review of linear infrastructure impacts on biodiversity in Asia’ by Dr. Aditya Gangadharan, Land Programme Lead at Nature Conservancy India;
- ‘Sustainable linear infrastructure route planning tool for ecological, environmental, and socio-economic values’ by Dr. Binbin Li at Duke Kunshan University in China; and
- ‘Working with engineers on integrating biodiversity conservation in South Asia’ by Karma Yangzom, Principal Environment Specialist at the Asian Development Bank.

Session 3: Mitigating impacts of linear infrastructure on Asian elephants
- ‘Collaboration in Asia and the role of the Asian Elephant Transport Working Group’ by Rob Ament, Co-chair of the IUCN WCPA-CCSG Transport Working Group;
- ‘Importance of addressing threats of transport infrastructure to Asian elephant corridors’ by Dr. Sandeep Tiwari, Program Manager of the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group;
- ‘Case study from China’ by Shu Chen at the Zoological Society of London and Dr. Yun Wang;
- ‘Case study from Malaysia’ by Dr. Wong Ee Phin, Principal Investigator at Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME); and
- ‘Case study from India’ by Dr. Dipankar Ghose, Director of the Wildlife & Habitats Division at WWF-India.

Session 4: Policy, finance, and practice
- Introduction by Dr. Yun Wang;
- ‘Transportation infrastructure and green finance policy’ by Xia Li, Director of the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center at the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment;
- ‘Case studies on design and management of transportation corridors around or within national parks in Indonesia’ by Dr. Titiek Setyawati, Ministry of Forestry and Environment, Indonesia;
- ‘Practice of ecological protection on the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, Kenya’ by Prof. Qijun Jia, Director of the China Road & Bridge Corporation; and
- ‘Achievements and experience of the Belt and Road Initiative in Pakistan’ by Neshmiya A. Khan, Coordinator of Policy & Safeguards at WWF-Pakistan.

Co-sponsors of the 1st Asia Transportation Ecology Forum included the IUCN WCPA Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group’s Transport Working Group (TWG); Australasian Network for Ecology and Transportation (ANET); World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), China; Zoological Society of London (ZSL); Center for Large Landscape Conservation (CLLC); and Environmental and Sustainability Division, China Highway & Transportation Society (CHTS’S ESD).

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Hampshire	2026	SB592	Enables regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors
New Hampshire	2019	SB200	Requires the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to consider fish and wildlife crossings and mitigation measures in all future road and culvert projects
New Hampshire	2016	SB376	Requires the fish and game department to identify existing and needed wildlife corridors connecting wildlife habitats in the state and to make recommendations for legislative changes

State	Year	Policy	Description
Maine	2023	LD258	Appropriates $7.5 million to Department of Transportation to improve roadways with potential adaptations for wildlife
Maine	2023	LD1881	Establishes compensation fee program relating to fish and wildlife habitats and associated corridors, including compensation paid by solar energy development
Maine	2023	LD508	Requires Department of Environmental Protection to review its permitting laws concerning climate change, habitat connectivity, ecological resilience, and coastal environments

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Jersey	2025	S3618	Directs state agencies to develop a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Jersey	2024	S3916/A5486	Expands eligibility for existing wildlife fencing programs by including farmers leasing farmland
New Jersey	2007	NJAC7:13	Requires the state to incorporate wildlife crossings or a natural bank for terrestrial threatened and endangered species and/or species of concern when a new bridge or culvert project would cause habitat fragmentation

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Mexico	2023	SB72	Appropriates money to new Wildlife Corridors Fund for implementation of wildlife crossing projects under New Mexico Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Mexico	2022	HB 2	Allocates funding for projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and allows the Department of Transportation and Department of Game to implement their Wildlife Corridors Action Plan
New Mexico	2019	SB 228	Requires the creation of a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that includes comprehensive guidance to agencies for identifying, prioritizing and maintaining important areas for wildlife movement

State	Year	Policy	Description
Washington	2023	HB1216/SB5196	Requires Department of Ecology to prepare environmental impact statements for clean energy projects that consider impacts to habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors
Washington	2022	SB5689	Provides funding for US 97 Wildlife Crossing Improvements project
Washington	2019	SEO 1031.02	Recognizes the effect of roadways in creating barriers to wildlife movement, breeding, and migrations; the Washington State Department of Transportation will promote and support Practical Solutions and Planning and Environmental Linkages to integrate habitat connectivity and biodiversity plans; will make use of the highway prioritization map known as Habitat Connectivity Investment Priorities; and will corporate and coordinate with other agencies involved in wildlife habitat protection, specifically along highways

Connecting Science to Conservation

Outcomes of the 1st Asia Transportation Ecology Forum

About the Author: IUCN CCSG

State	Year	Policy	Description
Vermont	2023	Act59	Vermont's 30x30 law that commits to conserving and maintaining an ecologically functional landscape that sustains biodiversity and maintains landscape connectivity
Vermont	2016	Act 171	Primarily focuses on timber harvesting regulations, but calls for a study of necessary revisions to planning statutes that protect contiguous areas of forestland from fragmentation and promote habitat connectivity between forestlands

State	Year	Policy	Description
Colorado	2026	SB141	Creates optional collision prevention fee to fund wildlife safe passage projects
Colorado	2025	HB1093	Restricts local limits on residential density unless offset elsewhere, exempts areas near wildlife crossings, and allows municipalities to seek judicial review of land use initiatives
Colorado	2023	SB 23-092	Encourages minimal impacts to wildlife migration corridors when constructing solar panel farms
Colorado	2023	SB 214	Appropriates funding to the Colorado Wildlife Safe Passages Fund for wildlife crossing projects
Colorado	2022	SB22-151	Creates a $5 million fund for measures that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and reconnect habitat fragmented by roads
Colorado	2022	HB22-1072	Expands the scope of Habitat Partnership Program to fund efforts to conserve wildlife migration
Colorado	2021	SJR 21-021	Aims to protect and enhance habitat connectivity in the state through the establishment of a working group to develop state policies on corridors, as well as the commission of a report on state corridors and voluntary policies to support willing landowners in improving connectivity
Colorado	2019	EO 11	Directs Colorado agencies to identify policy, regulatory, and legislative opportunities to ensure the ongoing conservation of seasonal big game habitat and migration corridors
Colorado	2018	SB 18-143	States explicit goals for Division of Parks and Wildlife to invest in habitat conservation and wildlife crossings

State	Year	Policy	Description
California	2026	SB1250	Requires the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to include wildlife connectivity corridors and needs into its infrastructure project planning
California	2024	AB1889	Requires counties and municipalities to conserve wildlife corridors when planning new developments
California	2023	AB1760	Calls for a statewide analysis of wildlife corridors and connectivity to support conservation planning and climate change adaptation activities.
California	2023	SB145	Outlines provisions for transportation-related environmental mitigation, including funding for wildlife corridors, property and credit purchases for mitigation, reporting requirements, and mandates for wildlife crossings along Interstate 15.
California	2023	SB101	Provides funding for wildlife corridors and open spaces, including projects to improve connectivity and reduce barriers between habitat areas.
California	2022	AB2344	Establishes a state program to address roads with high wildlife-vehicle collisions, authorizes Caltrans to develop standalone wildlife connectivity projects, mandates an inventory and prioritization system for critical areas, and requires integration of wildlife passage features into relevant road designs.
California	2022	AB1384	Requires agencies to address vulnerabilities in Safeguarding California Plans, including protecting and enhancing wildlife corridors
California	2021	SB790	Approves compensatory mitigation credits for wildlife connectivity actions
California	2021	AB1183	Establishes the California Desert Conservation Program to protect biodiversity, including the protection and enhancement of habitat connectivity
California	2021	AB128	Appropriates funding for wildlife crossing projects, including the Liberty Canyon crossing for mountain lions
California	2015	AB 498	Amends the California Fish and Game Code to encourage, wherever feasible, voluntary steps to protect the functioning of wildlife corridors
California	2014	AB1471	Provides funds to the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, in part to protect and restore aquatic, wetland, and migratory bird ecosystems including corridors.
California	2008	AB2785	Orders Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to investigate, study, and identify key wildlife corridors and linkages within the state, and to make those areas public

State	Year	Policy	Description
Florida	2024	SB1638	Dedicates annual funding to land purchases, conservation easements, and trail maintenance within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	HB1379	Creates annual appropriation to acquire lands that complete certain linkages and are under high population stress within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	SB2500 sec.146	Provides funding to buy Ocala to Osceola (“O2O”) Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2021	SB976	Tasks state agencies with maintaining wildlife connectivity and designates Florida Wildlife Corridor as an existing physical, geographically defined area
Florida	2021	SB2500	Appropriates $300 million to acquire lands to conserve Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2019	SB7068	Creates a "Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance Program" that includes protection of wildlife corridors as an intended benefit
Florida	2008	SB542	Amends Florida Forever Act statues to include goals of connecting linkage corridors
Florida	2001	SB1468	Amends Florida Forever Act to establish that land acquisitions should include complete landscape linkages and corridors
Florida	1999	S908	Creates Florida Forever Program, with increased protection of lands that protect threatened or endangered species and plans to create a statewide system of connected landscape linkages