The effects of linear land uses (roads and utility rights-of-way) on forest birds should be considered in a landscape context. A continuum of effects has been documented, depending on the percent of the landscape forested, the road type and width, the maintenance needs, and other site-specific factors.
Linear corridors, such as roads and power lines, can exclude sensitive forest wildlife from the adjoining habitat for distances ranging up to 330 feet or more. Effects on sensitive forest birds are of more concern in fragmented landscapes.
In largely forested landscapes, roadsides and power line corridors can provide important habitat for some grassland and early successional bird species with less concern required for the negative effects often attributed to fragmentation.
Linear corridors act as barriers to the movement of some wildlife species, fragmenting populations. Examples include road effects on woodland mice, interstate highway effects on black bears, and power line effects on some neotropical migrants. Negative impacts documented for neotropical migrants as a result of fragmentation (such as reduced reproductive success in small forest patches) are of greater concern in heavily fragmented landscapes, however.
Linear corridors act as travel lanes for other wildlife, such as grassland or scrub-shrub birds in largely forested landscapes, connecting isolated areas of habitat.
Roadsides and power line corridors facilitate the spread of exotic plants and animals. Many exotics have been slower to gain a foothold in predominately forested landscapes.
Road mortality has been well documented for many wildlife species, but the extent of the problem varies with a number of parameters, including traffic speed and volume, road type, extent of cleared rights-of-way, wildlife species present, and season. Road-related mortality is a serious problem for some rare species, such as the endangered Florida panther and the endangered Key deer.
Sensitive forest plant species can be negatively impacted by human use of forest trails. “Collectable” wildlife may become rare along trails.
