Author Fannin, R.J. & Lorbach, J.

Year of publication 2007

This guidance is written for practitioners, whose responsibilities include that of road access on steep ground, to assist with the development of improved professional practices in forest road engineering that are consistent with the basic principles of sustainable forest management. More specifically, it is written to promote the use of recommended practices in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of forest roads in mountainous terrain. The recommendations are drawn from best practices that have proven effective in minimizing the adverse impacts of forest roads. They include reference, where appropriate, to case studies describing forest operations on steep and potentially unstable ground that are used to illustrate key points. The publication is intended primarily for engineers, foresters, technicians, consultants and government regulators with experience of forest access planning. It contains guidance on both strategic and access planning, road and drainage design, equipment selection, construction techniques, protective works and maintenance. The prime intent is to refine the current standards of practice that govern activities in road engineering.