Penn State Misses Trees for Forest Fragmentation
In a recent Penn State study, partially funded by the anti-drilling Heinz Foundation, researchers claim pipelines cause forest fragmentation.
Researchers from the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Penn State have just published a new study/paper in the Journal of Environmental Management titled, “Linear infrastructure drives habitat conversion and forest fragmentation associated with Marcellus shale gas development in a forested landscape” (abstract below).
Their thesis: “Fragmentation of ecologically important core forests within the northern Appalachians — driven by pipeline and access road construction — is the major threat posed by shale-gas development, according to researchers, who recommend a change in infrastructure-siting policies to head off loss of this critical habitat.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the hazards of so-called forest fragmentation. Back in 2013 the U.S. Geological Survey published a meme on it too. The Penn State researchers maintain clearing pathways for pipelines, and keeping them cleared of trees, is damaging the habitat of some species. The study mentions a lot of other studies, but nowhere (that we could find) does it identify a single, specific species that has supposedly been harmed by such “fragmentation” in forests.
Read more:
https://naturalgasnow.org/penn-state-misses-trees-forest-fragmentation/
Principal/Ecologist at Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
7 年Not only does it not mention the benefits of shale gas, but many animals actually benefit from the creation of ROWs such as deer and bats. Thick forests often have sparse ground cover, so the grasses and other herbaceous plants that grow in ROWs are important food sources for animals including deer. ROWs provide flyways for bats as well as escape routes for smaller mammals.
Civil and Environmental Engineer
7 年Funded by the Heinz Foundation. Senator John Heinz was pro industry.
Civil and Environmental Engineer
7 年This study is half baked
Senior Environmental Professional/Executive
7 年Get back to me when they make the same fuss over power line right-of-ways. Of course, they should probably do a study of the number of species that selectively inhabit the ROWs before they leap off that bridge.
Area Vice President, Global Head of AWS Business
7 年It does create a large overpopulation of deer ??.