Interview with Diego Varela

• Tell us a little about your history with road ecology and how you got involved with the LACTWG.

My work in road ecology began in 2006 when the paving project of National Route 101 (RN 101) in the province of Misiones (Argentina) could increase wildlife mortality and affect the connectivity of the biological corridor between Urugua-í and Foerster provincial parks. In this context, I proposed a series of mitigation measures that included the construction of two under-road wildlife crossings and the first ecoduct in Latin America, completed in 2010. I conducted monitoring to assess their effectiveness for mammal passage using camera traps. In subsequent years, I expanded my research lines to other road projects in northern Argentina and began connecting with road ecology experts in the region, participating in meetings and conferences in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, until the formation of the LACTWG in 2019, where I have been involved since its creation.

• In your opinion, what are the main achievements of the LACTWG in these first years?

Since its creation, the LACTWG has contributed to forming networks, connecting professionals, and training technicians, researchers, and engineers on issues related to the impact of linear infrastructure and mitigation measures. It has strengthened the work of professionals from various countries in the region for the planning of better practices and the design of road ecology studies, actions that promote the development of more sustainable infrastructures for biodiversity in Latin America.

• How do you see the development of road ecology in Argentina, including the main advances and challenges? Has the LACTWG played any role in this?

In recent years, we have made some progress in Argentina, mainly in the construction of wildlife crossings in the province of Misiones and in the monitoring of structures in some regions of northern Argentina. The Argentine Network for Monitoring Roadkill is also being consolidated, a citizen science initiative mapping the impact of wildlife mortality on roads. For the past 10 years, workshops have been held between technicians and officials from public agencies related to road infrastructure, environmental protection, and academia. The LACTWG actively participated in 2022 in organizing an international symposium and a course on Road Infrastructure and Biodiversity, where more than 75 technicians, officials, and researchers from Argentina and the region were trained. Currently, the main advances are concentrated in the northern provinces of Argentina, and the future challenges are to deepen road ecology in other regions of the country and, mainly, for the National Road Directorate to incorporate these issues into its agenda.

• How can the group strengthen road ecology in Argentina, and what could be its role in your country? How do you compare this situation with that of other countries in the region?

By contributing to training, technical networking, and supporting public policies. Argentina still lacks best practice manuals for wildlife-friendly infrastructure. Compared to other countries in the region, Argentina has made some important advances in the construction and monitoring of mitigation measures, mainly in Misiones; but so far, there are not many research groups promoting scientific studies on road ecology in academia.

• What do you foresee as future directions and priorities for this group?

I believe it is important for the LACTWG to expand its reach to Latin American countries that are not currently represented. Although technical manuals already exist in some countries in the region, a future line of work for the group could focus on generating good practice manuals in Spanish and Portuguese, with case studies and Latin American contexts.