Roads dominate the majority of the United States. Our omnipresent infrastructure crisscrosses through all types of ecosystems. These roads have facilitated serious economic growth by increasing transportation of energy and goods. However, these transportation corridors have also been detrimental to the beautiful ecosystems and rivers that are the lifeblood of this country. The tradeoffs between development and conservation are complex, but important.
In the United States the land has been relatively developed, but in area like the Amazon, road infrastructure undeveloped. Road building in the Amazon is a hotly debated issue. Roads can facilitate improvement of health care and basic services, but it can also lead to increased deforestation and pollution of rivers. Rivers and streams cover the Amazon and look like tree roots on a map. These rivers and streams are important parts of the ecosystem. Erosion from the headwaters brings necessary nutrients into the nutrient poor soil during the flood season. Additionally, the rivers are home to an incredible amount of fish and other aquatic species. Road building in the Amazon requires crossing an unimaginable amount of rivers and streams. In the roughly 270 kilometer proposed road I studied last summer, it would cross over 100 streams and rivers in the Purús. This means over 100 bridges or culverts. Each one of these disturbs the natural flow of the river and can cause increased erosion. Moreover, chemical pollution and nutrient runoff from roads are detrimental for nearby streams and wetlands with major pulses at the start of the wet season particularly devastating to wildlife.
Many of the impacts of roads are the same impacts roads cause here in the United States. Since roads are so commonplace here, we are see them as part of the landscape. I don’t think I can imagine Richmond or my hometown with fewer roads. Many people view roads here as solely good things that make travel easier. With better roads, I can get to work or to dinner faster and easier. However, it is important to remember the tradeoff behind that. Is the damage to the watersheds and ecosystems worth the development? By better understanding the tradeoff, we can better reconcile conservation and development.