Goosem, Miriam, Wilson, Robyn, Weston, Nigel, and Cohen, Martin (2008) Highway overpass evaluation of effectiveness: Kuranda range road upgrade project. Report. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Cairns, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

This report explains the three components of Project 4.9.3's highway overpasses study, and summarises research to date on the movements of some of North Queensland's rainforest arboreal mammals in the face of human impacts such as habitat fragmentation.

Section 1 - Ringtail possum home range evaluation and monitoring in habitats adjacent to the canopy bridges over the Palmerston Highway Section 1 of the Highway Overpass project was designed firstly to evaluate the road-frontage of rainforest ringtail possum home ranges to assist management in determining the optimum distance between overpasses in rainforest habitat along the Palmerston Highway. A second objective was to evaluate the potential of a highway to isolate populations of arboreal species. The third objective was to determine whether any collared possums crossed the road and examine the behaviour of these individuals with respect to the newly erected canopy bridges.

Section 2 - Erection of canopy bridges over the Palmerston Highway This section of the project aimed to:

Construct as many canopy bridges as possible in the funding available over the Palmerston Highway at the point where it reaches its highest elevation in continuous forest;

Erect bridges at spacings that take into account the road frontage of the target rainforest ringtail species and designed with consideration both for safety of road and wildlife users; and

Comparison of long rope ladder and rope tunnel designs.

Section 3 - Monitoring of canopy bridges over the Palmerston Highway The objective of Section 3 was to monitor the canopy bridges for use by arboreal mammals using a variety of techniques:

Regular spotlighting of the bridges and surrounding rainforest habitat for arboreal mammals;

Regular searches under the bridges for arboreal mammal scats; and

Infrared-triggered digital camera monitoring of the rope tunnel canopy bridge.

Item ID:	29252
Item Type:	Report (Report)
ISBN:	978-1-921359-08-8
Additional Information:	Project 4.9.3 Impacts of urbanisation on North Queensland environments: managements and remediation
Funders:	Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF), Rainforest CRC, Queensland Department of Main Roads
Projects and Grants:	MTSRF Project 4.9.3 - Impacts of urbanisation on North Queensland environment: management and remediation
Date Deposited:	07 Feb 2017 03:15
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity @ 100%
SEO Codes:	88 TRANSPORT > 8898 Environmentally Sustainable Transport > 889899 Environmentally Sustainable Transport not elsewhere classified @ 50% 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960806 Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 50%
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