Abstract | How did the frog cross the road? Design standards for road crossings

Growling Grass Frogs (GGF) move around the landscape. While the GGF was common and widespread across its range in south-eastern Australia they are is now uncommon and threatened with extinction.

The Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for Melbourne’s Growth Corridors identified Growling Grass Frog conservation areas that must be protected and enhanced in order to achieve the conservation outcomes for Growling Grass Frog. Long term persistence of the frogs relies on connectivity between sites at a local and regional level. Landscape barriers especially roads have been identified as a key threatening process to GGF populations. Providing standards for crossings in the conservation areas was identified as critical to ensuring success of the conservation strategy.

DELWP engaged Biosis and Alluvium Consulting to develop the Growling Grass Frog Crossing Deign Standards to provide the guidance required. The Crossing Design Standards outline how the standard is to be applied, define the principles which need to be applied to enable the natural behaviour of the GGF and the design requirements for culverts and bridges.

This paper will describe the process to developing the standards: from the initial science interpretation, stakeholder engagement and drafting of the standards. Case studies and expert input used to inform the standards will be utilised to ground the document with real life examples.

Bio | Jonathon McLean

Jonathon McLean is a qualified civil engineer with almost twenty years of experience in urban water, predominantly in the private sector. Jonathon joined Alluvium as a senior consultant in 2012 to provide strategic advice on sustainable water systems for built and natural environments.

Jonathon draws on his strong background in technical design and understanding of stakeholder expectations and objectives to deliver projects from planning through to implementation. He has worked closely with Melbourne Water, local governments and developers to identify, evaluate, plan and deliver sustainable water initiatives utilising innovative research to manage the urban water cycle.

Bio | Daniel Gilmore

Daniel Gilmore is a Senior Consultant Zoologist at the Biosis Melbourne office. He has 20 years experience as an ecologist and zoologist and specialises in the ecology, conservation and management of the vertebrate fauna of south-eastern Australia. His extensive experience in coordinating and conducting vertebrate fauna surveys and has seen him work in a range of ecological communities in Victoria, Tasmania New South Wales and Queensland. This experience has resulted in high level skills in vertebrate survey, identification and conservation.

Daniel uses these skills to provide sound ecological advice a diverse range of development proposals as well as strategic advice to government and community-based organisations on wildlife survey and management. He combines these skills with an excellent working knowledge of Australian and Victorian biodiversity legislation, particularly the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 to prepare referrals under the FFG and EPBC Acts. He has authored and/or co-authored over 200 consultant reports, including flora and fauna assessments, Environment Effects Statements (EES), targeted fauna surveys, significance assessments and species management plans.