Roads in Forests

* Initially adopted by the officers of the Society on February 20, 1998. This position statement was extended to July 1, 1999 and renewed by Council on June 13, 1999, with revisions. It will expire June 13, 2004 unless, after subsequent review, it is decided otherwise by Council.

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POSITION

The Society of American Foresters believes forest roads, properly constructed and maintained, are a critical part of forest management, emergency response, and recreation use, and are an increasingly important part of the rural transportation system. Roads should be constructed and maintained in an environmentally sound manner following standards, laws, and regulations. With the exception of wilderness and other protected forests, forest roads are an important asset in all forest ownerships, including both public and private forests, and should be seen as a capital investment.

The environmental laws and regulations that govern the activities of public natural resource agencies and private forest landowners are intended to protect against environmental degradation that can result from poorly planned or constructed forest roads. Decisions about roads in public forests should be made at the local level, under an overarching legal framework. The manager on the ground, with input from the public, is able to make decisions about roads based on existing laws and regulations, the values the public holds for the forest, and the needs of the individual forest. Local concerns should be carefully considered when any public agency decides to modify the use of a road; at a minimum, the public should be notified.

Impacts on private, state, county, tribal, and other ownerships adjacent to federal lands should also be considered. This is particularly true when the federal government is legally required to allow access across federal lands to other ownerships. When granting such access, the building of a road should not be linked to the forest management practices of the non-federal landowner.

ISSUE

1. The broad implications of building roads in forests: The practice of building roads in forests has generated significant controversy in recent years. This controversy involves several connected but distinct issues, including building roads in areas where there are currently no roads, the mechanisms available to pay for road construction to support forest management needs and opportunities, the maintenance of existing roads, and the environmental effects of road building.

2. Federal issues: The Forest Service is struggling to manage a road network that was largely designed to remove timber, but now serves a variety of purposes, including rural access, recreation, firefighting, and other forest management and administrative activities.

3. Access across federal lands: In certain instances the federal government is required to grant access across it lands to non-federal entities. This practice has also generated significant controversy as some see this as an opportunity to regulate the forest management practices of non-federal entities.

BACKGROUND

Benefits and Costs of Roads in Forests

Most forest roads are constructed to access timber, but often support many other purposes. Roads in forested areas allow access for the application of scientifically based forest practices designed to maintain or enhance the health of forest ecosystems. Roads provide access for recreation, rural travel, fighting forest fires, and controlling outbreaks of pests and diseases. Roads also provide people with access to commodities, such as timber, oil, natural gas, minerals, livestock grazing, and special forest products. A well-maintained network of roads is an asset for good forest management and the ability to meet management objectives.

Roads represent an environmental challenge. Drainage from roads and their associated features can cause erosion and reduce water quality. Roads can help the spread of forest diseases, exotic plants and other pests, and fragment wildlife habitat (Gorte 1997, Johnson et al. 1995). Many of the challenges roads present can be overcome through proper design, construction, use, location and maintenance. A poorly designed or inadequately maintained network of roads is a liability for good forest management.

The Condition of the Roads in the National Forest System

It is important to specifically consider roads in the National Forest System, as they have become a controversial issue in recent years. The condition of existing roads in the National Forest System is of real concern to the Society of American Foresters. Roads within the system are not of uniform quality, nor do they need to be, however, they should meet minimum standards. According to the Forest Service, three quarters of the agency's roads are more than 50 years old, and 60 percent of them are being maintained below the Forest Service standards for which they were designed. Natural resource managers and the public need to better understand the ecological impact of existing forest roads and the building of new ones, and how to minimize those impacts. The Forest Service needs to make sure these roads are safe for public and agency use and that they are not causing environmental damage due to inadequate maintenance.

The Purpose of Roads in the National Forest System

Under the National Forest Management Act, the Forest Service must develop a management plan for each unit of the National Forest System. The Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act, the Wilderness Act, the National Forest Management Act, and the agency's 1897 "Organic Act" together require that the Forest Service manage for seven separate purposes-water, wildlife, recreation, timber production, grazing, minerals, and wilderness.

To implement management plans, the Forest Service, and all forest managers, must have access to their forests through a well-maintained road system. In the case of public forests, this requires a substantial, dependable road budget for maintenance as well as reconstruction. Roads should be seen as a capital investment.

Multiple Ownerships of Road Systems

Different public agencies and organizations may maintain only a segment of a transportation system that is supported by broader jurisdictions. Oftentimes there are several entities responsible for maintaining part of the system. All such legally responsible entities should maintain their share of the roads, otherwise the poor stewardship of one can result in the breakdown of the entire system. There are also serious liability reasons to keep roads in good condition.

CONCLUSION

When it comes to roads, the Society of American Foresters' primary concern is maintaining an infrastructure to address the health of forests. There is no doubt that roads are a critical part of helping maintain healthy forests, however, the environmental implications of roads must be considered. Road construction techniques and timing are important factors when trying to design environmentally sound roads. A poorly planned road or a road in a serious state of disrepair can contribute to undesirable environmental and social conditions.

REFERENCES

The Federal Budget Consulting Group and Price-Waterhouse LLP. 1997. Financing roads on the national forests. Washington, DC.

Gorte, R.W. 1997. Forest roads: Construction and financing. CRS Report for Congress. Congressional Research Service. Washington, DC.

Johnson, K.N. et al. 1995. Forest health and timber harvest on national forests in the blue mountains of Oregon: A Report to Governor Kitzhaber. Salem, Oregon.

USDA Forest Service. 1997. Report of the Forest Service: Fiscal Year 1996. USDA Forest Service. Washington, DC.

USDA Forest Service. 1997. National forest road system and use. (draft publication.) USDA Forest Service. Washington, DC.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY The Society of American Foresters, with about 18,000 members, is the national organization that represents all segments of the forestry profession in the United States. It includes public and private practitioners, researchers, administrators, educators, and forestry students. The Society was established in 1900 by Gifford Pinchot and six other pioneer foresters. The mission of the Society of American Foresters is to advance the science, education, technology, and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish professional excellence; and to use the knowledge, skills, and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society. The Society is the accreditation authority for professional forestry education in the United States. The Society publishes the Journal of Forestry; the quarterlies, Forest Science, Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, and Western Journal of Applied Forestry; The Forestry Source and the annual Proceedings of the Society of American Foresters national convention.

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