Abstract | Cover, carpet and continuity: Expanding the role of vegetation and furniture to enhance the use of crossing structures

Traditionally, fauna overpasses were primarily designed to allow the passage of large herbivores and carnivores. As a result, their design accentuated openness, allowing clear views by wary animals. As the range of target species has expanded and changed, increasingly amounts of vegetation has been incorporated onto the plantings on top of overpasses. Although few in number, Australian fauna overpasses now have among the most complex vegetation structures on crossings in the world. Long-term monitoring has demonstrated that the maturation of this vegetation has been accompanied by marked increases in numbers and species diversity of animals traversing and residing on the structures, including amphibians, reptiles, small forest birds and microbats. Far less attention has been paid to the forms of cover and wildlife furniture incorporated into the design of underpasses and their entrances. Here I explore some of the current developments associated with these issues.