Some40millionmilesofroadwaysencircletheearth,yetwetendtoregardthemonlyasinfrastructureforhumanconvenience.Whileroadsaresoubiquitousthey’repracticallyinvisibletous,wildanimalsexperiencethemasentirelyalienforcesofdeathanddisruption.InCrossings,environmentaljournalistBenGoldfarbtravelsthroughouttheUnitedStatesandaroundtheworldtoinvestigatehowroadshavetransformedourplanet.AmillionanimalsarekilledbycarseachdayintheU.S.alone,butasthenewscienceofroadecologyshows,theharmsofhighwaysextendfarbeyondroadkill.Creaturesfromantelopetosalmonarelosingtheirabilitytomigrateinsearchoffoodandmates;invasiveplantshitchridesintiretreads;roadsaltcontaminateslakesandrivers;andtheverynoiseoftrafficchasessongbirdsfromvastswathsofhabitat.Yetroadecologistsarealsoseekingtobluntthedestructionthroughinnovativesolutions.GoldfarbmeetswithconservationistsbuildingbridgesforCalifornia’smountainlionsandtunnelsforEnglishtoads,engineersdeconstructingthelabyrinthofloggingroadsthatwebnationalforests,animalrehabberscaringforTasmania’scar-orphanedwallabies,andcommunityorganizersworkingtoundothehavochighwayshavewreakeduponAmericancities.Today,asourplanet’sroadnetworkcontinuestogrowexponentially,thescienceofroadecologyhasbecomeincreasinglyvital.Writtenwithpassionandcuriosity,Crossingsisasweeping,spirited,andtimelyinvestigationintohowhumanshavealteredthenaturalworld--andhowwecancreateabetterfutureforalllivingbeings.
