Rethinking Roads: How innovative design can protect Canadian peatlands

What if the roads we build could move water as freely as the peatlands they cross? That question energized the session “Minimizing the Impacts of Roads Crossing Peatlands”, where researchers and restoration specialists shared practical solutions, and a vision for smarter infrastructure.

Scott Ketcheson, Assistant Professor at Athabasca University, opened the discussion by highlighting just how disruptive road crossings can be for peatlands. When roads block natural water flow, one side often floods while the other dries out, reshaping vegetation and ecosystem function. Drawing on findings from the Aspen Project, Scott showed that these hydrological shifts can alter carbon uptake, photosynthesis, and plant senescence, especially during shoulder seasons. His message was clear: peatland type, road orientation, and construction choices meaningfully shape ecological outcomes.

Building on this, Pierre‑Olivier Jean, Natural Resource Manager with Premier Tech, tackled the design challenge head‑on, peatland roads must be both durable and hydrologically sensitive while remaining affordable. He emphasized that traditional “excavate‑and‑fill” construction is costly and ecologically disruptive. Instead, innovative, low‑impact methods such as timber road bases allow water to move beneath the surface. Where timber is scarce, sticks, roots, and plant materials can offer functional alternatives. In addition, Jean demonstrated that even heavily used roads can return to a full vegetation cover within 4–5 years after reclamation, although restoring hydrological function remains complex.

Next, Kylie McLeod, Head of Boreal Conservation Programs at Ducks Unlimited Canada, presented Resource Roads and Wetlands: A Guide for Planning, Construction, and Maintenance, a practical roadmap built from industry experience, literature reviews, and six monitored field trials. The guide walks users through assessing wetlands, understanding water movement, designing water passages, and planning for decommissioning and restoration. The guide was published in 2016 and Kylie noted that while it remains a valuable resource, new research and on‑the‑ground learnings present opportunities for future updates. She also highlighted key knowledge gaps, including long‑term monitoring needs, guidance for road design and construction in permafrost regions, and improved guidance for heavy‑duty roads, which present strong opportunities for future collaboration.

To round off the engaging session, Rod Chimner, Professor at Michigan Technological University, shared U.S. case studies demonstrating how hydrologically informed road design, such as porous road bases, modified H‑culverts, and strategic road removal, can significantly improve ecosystem function. While solutions like bridging remain expensive, Chimner emphasized that even modest design improvements can yield meaningful ecological benefits.