Wildlife Specialist report

Federal list, Southwestern Sensitive Species list, the Gila Migratory Bird list, and/or the
Gila Management Indicator Species list.
Analysis Process
For over 80 years biologist have recognized roads as a threat to wildlife species (Gagnon
et al., 2007). Not all species are negatively impacted by motorized use (Tombulak and
Frissell 2000), but the majority of the literature does support the general conclusion that
road and motorized recreation negatively effects the biotic integrity of both terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems (Tombulak and Frissell 2000). Wisdom et al. (2000) found that of 91
species analyzed, greater than 70 percent were negatively affected by one or more factors
associated with roads.
For this analysis, motorized travel includes motorized travel on roads, motorized travel
on trails or OHV use, cross-country motorized travel (including motorized big game
retrieval), and motorized dispersed camping. The objective of this analysis is to evaluate
the potential effects of the different alternatives to different wildlife species or groups of
wildlife species known or likely to occur on the Gila National Forest within the context
of specific road and travel conditions that exist on the forest.
Potential effects of motorized travel and recreation (camping) on wildlife can be
categorized in many ways, the following road-associated factors and effects are
condensed and summarized from a review of Wisdom et al. (2000):
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation Including Negative Edge Effects – roads can
have the direct impact of converting large areas of habitat into non-habitat, while
the indirect effects of noise and exhaust can further reduce habitat quality and
create avoidance of additional habitat in the surrounding area. In addition, species
that respond negatively to openings or linear edges, such as habitat interior
species, avoid areas near roads.
Disturbance, Displacement, Avoidance, Harassment (i.e. chronic negative
interactions with humans) – Roads can directly interfere with life functions at
specific use sites (e.g., increased disturbance of nest sites, breeding leks, or
communal roost sites). This can result in spatial shifts of individuals and
populations away from a road in relation to human activities on or near a road.
Collisions – Death or injury resulting from a motorized vehicle running over or
hitting an animal on a road.
Harvest or Collection Facilitated by Motorized travel – Roads can facilitate
greater access into areas used for hunting and trapping and result in legal and
illegal over harvest/collection of wildlife resources.
Snag and Downed Log Reductions – Roads facilitate firewood collection which
can result in a loss of snags and downed logs. Larger snags are typically desired
by woodcutters and are also the most beneficial to many wildlife species such as
flammulated owls.
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