Are you interested in the connection between biodiversity protection and transport infrastructure management? Then be sure to check out the latest issue of RGRA, which focuses on these topics.
You will discover an article presenting a study commissioned by Toulouse Métropole. To ensure "no net loss" of biodiversity in its territory despite significant development needs, the community has chosen to integrate the Avoid-Reduce-Compensate (ERC) sequence from the planning and design phase of its projects.
ConIn practical terms, this approach relies on an iterative method implemented using SimOïko our species life simulation software:
- an initial ecological diagnosis is conducted at the scale of the study area ;
- several routes for new infrastructure are considered, and their impacts on biodiversity are assessed, with the goal of avoiding areas of greater ecological "importance" from the start;
- Finally, a detailed analysis is performed at the level of the developments themselves to evaluate the ecological impacts of various scenarios, guide design choices to avoid and reduce impacts, and design the most effective environmental measures to compensate for residual impacts.
Another article in the journal discusses reducing collision risks between animals and vehicles through the use of sensors and data analysis via artificial intelligence.
The installation of photo or audio sensors near infrastructures enables a complete decision-support chain:
- Continuous data collection on species observations ;
- Processing of the collected data using AI (deep learning algorithms) to automate species detection and identification;
- Utilizing results to "predict" the presence and abundance of species in an area, thereby locating high-collision risk zones ;
- Implementing appropriate measures (fencing, hazing, signage, integration into autonomous vehicle alert systems, etc.) to reduce risk in identified areas.
Don’t miss the article dedicated to the online guide for biodiversity and infrastructure, stemming from the European research program Bison, which concluded last year.