Black bear and other wildlife use of removed roads

The adverse effects of roads on wildlife are well documented in the scientific literature. Among other impacts, roads can lead to habitat loss and fragmentation. In addition, the access allowed by roads can result in increased hunting pressure and poaching risk. The U.S. Forest Service as well as other public and private land managers are removing some roads to restore wildlife habitat and increase habitat security. While more than 50,000 km of roads have been removed or decommissioned on U.S. Forest Service lands alone, few studies have examined if a significant reduction in road density is improving wildlife habitat. I examined the impact of road removal on wildlife on the Clearwater National Forest (ID) where they have recontoured almost 1000 km of forest roads. Three paired sites were monitored on open and removed roads. Each site consisted of remotely-triggered cameras and baited track plates. Remotely-triggered cameras captured a greater number of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), elk (Cervus canadensis), and moose (Alces alces) on removed roads than open roads; however, the differences were not statistically significant. Black bear (Ursus americanus), however, were found using removed roads significantly more than open roads (p=0.02). Additionally, more bears were detected on removed roads as the distance from the open road increased, corresponding with increased habitat security. While the sample size was small, this study is the first to demonstrate with statistical significance that road removal is restoring habitat for bears. More research is needed to fully understand the effects of road removal on wildlife populations.