Yankee Ingenuity – Innovative, Cost Effective Approaches to Environmentally Functional Forestry Haul Road Stream Crossings in Maine

In Maine, there has been an intense focus on improving stream crossings to reduce impacts on stream function over the past decade. This was brought about by several factors, including the listing of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) under the Endangered Species Act, improved knowledge of how crossings impact stream function, regulatory efforts, and crossing surveys which showed that a large number of traditional culvert installations were likely impeding fish passage and impairing stream function. To address the need to improve crossing installations, the Maine Forest Service developed training for foresters, loggers and contractors based on key principles of stream crossing design and desired outcomes. Taking this approach, rather than dictating prescriptive solutions, has allowed for innovations in crossing design that are cost effective for the landowner and meet desired ecological outcomes.  This presentation will briefly review the training effort and highlight the innovative stream crossing designs that have been developed by contractors and foresters as a result.