This glossary includes most relevant terms used in this handbook. First version of the glossary was created during the development of the ‘Wildlife and Traffic’ handbook (Action COST 341) and it has been expanded with contributions from partners of the project Horizon 2020 ‘BISON’. Terms definitions are provided by legal texts, reference documents or by agreement between experts from both ecology and infrastructure. The organisations IENE, PIARC, UIC, and ISO have also assisted and will contribute in future updates.
Last update: October 2023 – How to cite
There are currently 21 names in this directory beginning with the letter R.
Red list
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species provides taxonomic, conservation status and distribution information on taxa that have been evaluated using a system designed to determine the relative risk of extinction. The main purpose of the IUCN Red List is to catalogue and highlight those taxa that are facing a higher risk of global extinction (i.e. those listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable). Red lists of species also exist at the national level.
Reduction
Measures taken to reduce the duration, intensity, significance and/or extent of impacts (including direct, indirect and cumulative effects, as appropriate) that cannot be completely avoided, as far as is practically feasible. Synonym: 'Minimise'. See also: 'Mitigation hierarchy'.
Reforestation
Re-establishment of forest by the planting of trees (may have commercial or ecological functions).
Region
A geographical area (usually larger than 100 km2) embracing several landscapes or ecosystems that share some features, e.g. topography, fauna, vegetation, climate, etc. Examples include bio-geographic and socio-economic regions.
Resilience
The ability of an ecosystem to respond to a perturbation or disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly.
Restoration
Process of actively or passively assisting the recovery of an ecosystem towards or to good condition, of a habitat type to the highest level of condition attainable and to its favourable reference area, of a habitat of a species to a sufficient quality and quantity, or of species populations to satisfactory levels, as a means of conserving or enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
Restore
In the context of ecological corridors, the recovery of ecological connectivity that has been diminished, impaired or destroyed. For a generic definition of restoration as an action within the Mitigation Hierarchy see 'Restoration'.
Rewildling
The process of rebuilding, following major human disturbance, a natural ecosystem by restoring natural processes and the complete or near complete food web at all trophic levels, as a self-sustaining and resilient ecosystem with biota that would have been present had the disturbance not occurred. The ultimate goal of rewilding is the restoration of functioning native ecosystems containing the full range of species at all trophic levels whiles reducing human control and pressures.
Road corridor
Linear surface used by vehicles plus any associated verges (usually vegetated). Includes the area of land immediately influenced by the road in terms of noise, visual, hydrological and atmospheric impact (normally within 50 to 100 m of the edge of the infrastructure).