Environmental-assessment-framework-for-identifying-and-mitigating-the-effects-of-linear-development

LandscapeandUrbanPlanning99(2011)133–140ContentslistsavailableatScienceDirectLandscapeandUrbanPlanningjournalhomepage:www.elsevier.com/locate/landurbplanEnvironmentalassessmentframeworkforidentifyingandmitigatingtheeffectsoflineardevelopmenttowetlandsBramNoblea,∗,MichaelHillb,JesseNielsencaDepartmentofGeographyandPlanning,UniversityofSaskatchewan,117SciencePlace,Saskatoon,SK,CanadaS7N5C8bWetlandRestoration,DucksUnlimitedCanada,603-45StreetWest,Saskatoon,SK,CanadaS7L5W5c292ndAve.North,Yorkton,Saskatchewan,CanadaS3N1G1articleinfoArticlehistory:Received5July2010Receivedinrevisedform1September2010Accepted25September2010Availableonline23October2010Keywords:WetlandsMitigationEnvironmentalassessmentNonetlossLineardevelopmentabstractNotwithstandingvariousenvironmentalassessmentlegislationsandpoliciesforwetlandconservationinCanada,wetlandhabitatcontinuestobelosttothecumulativeeffectsofdevelopmentonthelandscape.Ensuringnonetlossofwetlandsrequiresconsiderationofthedirect,indirect,andpotentiallyinducedeffectsofdevelopment;however,manyprojectsthataffectwetlandsareoftendeemedinsignificantanddonottriggeranyformalenvironmentalassessmentprocess.Whensuchsmallscaleorroutineprojectsareassessed,indirectandinducedeffects,andinparticulareffectstosmallorseasonalwetlands,areoftennotincludedinimpactassessmentandsubsequentwetlandmitigation.Asaresult,mitigationofthetotalorcumulativeeffectstowetlandsisofteninsufficientorcompletelylackingindevelopmentplanningandimpactassessment.Partoftheproblemisthattherecurrentlyexistsonlylimitedguidanceastohowtoidentifyeffectstowetlandsinprojectplanningandenvironmentalassessmentforrelativelyroutine,small-scaleprojects.Inresponse,thispaperpresentsamethodologicalframeworkfortheintegrationofeffectstowetlandsinprojectplanningandenvironmentalassessmentapplication.Focusedoneffectstowetlandsfromlineardevelopments,inparticulartransportationcorridors,afour-phase,nine-stepassessmentframeworkisdevelopedtoprovideguidancetoeffectsassessmentforwetlandsduringtheearlystagesof