Abstract
 The Role of Natural Areas in Water Quality Issues Track: Ecology and Conservation Author(s): Hugh Irwin Roads are widely recognized in the scientific literature as having a profound effect on the landscape and are one of the primary risks for a variety of environmental impacts. It has been recognized that unroaded areas and areas with low road density tend to have fewer and less severe impacts to their aquatic and riparian resources than heavily roaded areas. Several qualitative measures of stream and watershed health, water quality, and aquatic diversity have been used to assess stream conditions. We will compare these assessments to measures derived through GIS modeling. These GIS metrics will be used to compare low road density areas in the Southern Appalachian Mountains to areas of higher road density. We will also look at the efficacy and limitations of some of the strategies used to mitigate the effects of roads. The implications for management and preservation of unroaded and low road density areas are examined. Hugh Irwin SAFC 46 Haywood Street Asheville , NC 28801 US Phone: 828-252-9223 Fax: 828-252-9074 E-mail: hugh@safc.org |
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