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Aging infrastructure creates opportunities for cost‐efficient restoration of aquatic ecosystem connectivity
Author(s) -
Neeson Thomas M.,
Moody Allison T.,
O'Hanley Jesse R.,
Diebel Matthew,
Doran Patrick J.,
Ferris Michael C.,
Colling Timothy,
McIntyre Peter B.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
ecological applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.864
H-Index - 213
eISSN - 1939-5582
pISSN - 1051-0761
DOI - 10.1002/eap.1750
Subject(s) - business , thriving , environmental resource management , ecosystem services , ecosystem , restoration ecology , environmental planning , green infrastructure , critical infrastructure , natural resource economics , ecology , environmental science , computer science , economics , social science , computer security , sociology , biology
Abstract A hallmark of industrialization is the construction of dams for water management and roads for transportation, leading to fragmentation of aquatic ecosystems. Many nations are striving to address both maintenance backlogs and mitigation of environmental impacts as their infrastructure ages. Here, we test whether accounting for road repair needs could offer opportunities to boost conservation efficiency by piggybacking connectivity restoration projects on infrastructure maintenance. Using optimization models to align fish passage restoration sites with likely road repair priorities, we find potential increases in conservation return‐on‐investment ranging from 17% to 25%. Importantly, these gains occur without compromising infrastructure or conservation priorities; simply communicating openly about objectives and candidate sites enables greater accomplishment at current funding levels. Society embraces both reliable roads and thriving fisheries, so overcoming this coordination challenge should be feasible. Given deferred maintenance crises for many types of infrastructure, there could be widespread opportunities to enhance the cost effectiveness of conservation investments by coordinating with infrastructure renewal efforts.