A history of road ecology in NSW and QLD: Understanding and Mitigating Impacts of Linear Infrastructure on Biodiversity

Road ecology studies the impacts of roads and other linear infrastructure (e.g. rail and pipelines) on the natural environment and what measures can be undertaken to reduce those impacts. On the Gold Coast, this includes assessing impacts like wildlife vehicle-collisions, vegetation loss, and habitat fragmentation caused by expanding linear infrastructure and implementing evidence-based solutions to mitigate these impacts.

Our June Gecko Talk by Josie Stokes, Senior Road Ecologist (City of Gold Coast) will provide a history of restoring wildlife habitat connectivity in NSW and QLD, including examples of “Australian firsts” for wildlife habitat mitigation. It will also introduce the Council-endorsed Wildlife Vehicle-Collision Mitigation Program (WVCMP) and highlight what the City has implemented from the Program to date to improve wildlife habitat connectivity. It will also provide an opportunity to showcase our strategic partnerships with the City’s Priority Species Conservation and Environmental Offsets teams and Healthy Land and Water (HL&W) where we aim to balance development with ecological responsibility.

Join us to learn how road ecology is shaping a more sustainable and wildlife-friendly future on the Gold Coast—and how local communities can be part of the solution.

Presenter Bio: Josie Stokes – Senior Road Ecologist, City of Gold Coast

Josie Stokes is a leading road ecologist with over 25 years of experience in ecological impact assessment, biodiversity conservation, and linear infrastructure planning and mitigation across Australia. As the City of Gold Coast Senior Road Ecologist, Josie is responsible for implementing the Council-endorsed Wildlife Vehicle-Collision Mitigation Program, developing innovative, evidence-based solutions to reduce vehicle strikes on endangered species—including the koala.

Prior to joining the City of Gold Coast, Josie served as the Senior Biodiversity Specialist at Transport for NSW, where she developed and implemented operational environmental policy, guidelines and procedures that assisted TfNSW and the construction industry in minimising impacts on biodiversity. Josie was recognised with a TfNSW Staff Award for Innovation for developing and promoting long-term roosting and breeding habitat solutions for threatened microbats and she also published a chapter on 'Best Practice Environmental Impact Assessment' in the International Handbook of Road Ecology (Van der Ree et al 2015).

Josie curates the @frog_friday account on Instagram to raise awareness of global amphibian declines.

LinkedIn profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/josie-stokes-710424182