Lesson 6:
Human Impacts, Wildlife Crossings Case Study
Big Idea: Human activities and technologies can impact and change ecosystems.
Learning Goal: To understand through real-life examples how human actions can have benefits and costs for the environment.
Learning Goal: To understand through real-life examples how human actions can have benefits and costs for the environment.
Humans activities and technologies impact the environment in many ways.
One technology that has forever changed our environment is cars and other motor vehicles.
One technology that has forever changed our environment is cars and other motor vehicles.
To protect animals from traffic and to reduce the costs (both of property and lives) being incurred by wildlife-related car accidents, humans started building wildlife fences along roads and highways. These fences are designed to protect both humans and animals, and were constructed in many areas of Canada.
Wildlife fences have both benefits and costs.
Wildlife fences have both benefits and costs.
BENEFITS:
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COSTS:
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We needed to come up with another solution. Introducing: wildlife crossings.
Wildlife crossings can be overpasses, like bridges, or can underpasses, like tunnels. They allow animals to safely travel across roads without risking injury, and maintain connections between animal populations and communities. They can be very expensive to build, but drastically reduce loss of life, habitats, and property.
Wildlife crossings can be overpasses, like bridges, or can underpasses, like tunnels. They allow animals to safely travel across roads without risking injury, and maintain connections between animal populations and communities. They can be very expensive to build, but drastically reduce loss of life, habitats, and property.
Action Item:
In groups of 2-3, create a one-page proposal for a wildlife crossing in our community. Make sure your proposal includes:
- a description of what a wildlife crossing is, and why it is important for our community. Make sure to include the types of animals that will use it
- a list of benefits and possible costs of building a wildlife crossing
- a detailed drawing of what your wildlife crossing will look like. Be creative!