Impact of Roads on Elk and Other Wildlife
George Tsukamoto

The proliferation of roads across the landscape has been a major concern to wildlife biologists for a long time. Besides the obvious, that roads destroy valuable wildlife habitats, scientists have been researching the relationship of roads and their impacts on elk and other wildlife. Research has overwhelmingly demonstrated those increased road densities can impact wildlife in a number of ways.

If given a choice elk will avoid roads. Their aversion to roads is associated with the vehicular traffic and human activity that occurs near them. Roads have an impact on elk security, habitat effectiveness, and vulnerability. Elk security is affected when increased road traffic occurs during seasons of high human use for outdoor recreational pursuits such as camping, hiking, sightseeing, fishing, and for logging, firewood gathering, etc. When this happens, elk may be forced into undesirable habitat or in competition with other elk.

Habitat effectiveness is damaged when roads compromise key habitat components such as water holes, foraging areas, and calving areas. A 1983 study by L. Jack Lyon showed that elk habitat effectiveness could be expected to decrease by at least 25% with a density of one mile of road per square mile of land, and by at least 50% when road density is 2 miles per square mile of land. Too many roads fragmenting the landscape particularly impact big game winter ranges. Frequent accessibility causes unnecessary stress and disturbance to elk at a critical season of the year.

Elk vulnerability is increased significantly by increased number of roads and by road improvements. Roads provide access for hunters during the hunting season and for poachers at other times. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) researchers documented a significantly higher poaching rate in the areas with the highest open road density and closest proximity to human populations. They predicted that significant reductions in poaching would result with lower densities of drivable roads in most elk ranges.

The greatest amount of hunting pressure is concentrated near the road systems and as a result, this is where the majority of the harvest occurs. Wildlife biologists have encouraged road management actions such as seasonal road closures, gated roads, road decommissioning and restoration. The WDFW cooperates with private landowners, public land management agencies in road management. The Green Dot Road Management System is a cooperative road management program that is in place to address the concerns of too many roads. Under this system, all roads in an area are closed unless posted open with a green dot. Refer to page 17 in the 2001 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules Pamphlet. Next time you see a gated road on public or private land, seasonal closure, or Cooperative Road Management Area (Green Dot System) respect the law and know the reasons why.