Forest roads: regional perspectives from around the world

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper reviews the IUFRO lecture series, Forest Roads: regional perspectives from around the world. In reviewing the presentations in this series, we found that regional factors such as geology, historic climate (glaciation), current climate, topography, and ownership strongly affect forest road networks. In addition to these regional factors, it appears that historic land use affects road design and construction. We define three road classifications: pioneer, mature, and plantation. In a pioneer road network, there is an existing forest resource and no established road network. A pioneer road network strongly reflects the current regulatory environment, current harvesting systems, and regional factors. A plantation road network occurs where there is a land use change, often from agriculture to forestry, and often growing non-native species. Plantation road networks evolve from existing rudimentary roads to road networks planned specifically for a well-defined forest resource. The plantation road network does reflect the existing regulations and harvesting systems; however, it does exist in a more constrained system that is defined by the existing roads and the boundaries of the planted forest. Mature forest road networks have evolved over centuries and incorporate historic and current land use, evolving regulations and technology, and are often interconnected with public roads. Responses specific to these road classes include a pioneer road network using brush mats to help support the subgrade, a plantation road network applying an optimized design, and a mature road network using pavement as the road surface.