News
Opinion
ENLARGE
In the management of their property, woodland owners will spend inordinate amounts of time planting trees, controlling noxious weeds, cutting firewood, hunting, recreating and harvesting timber, just to name a few.
All of these activities have a common dominator: roads. If you don’t have access, you don’t get the job done on time, or maybe even at all.
OK, we’ve mentioned some of the individual activities that occur on woodland properties. But in a larger context, here are some reasons we should care about our woodland roads. Consider them in terms of:
• Capital investment: Roads can cost as little as a few thousand dollars per mile, or upwards of $100,000 if the land is steep and rocky. The ability to prevent damage to your roads requires a routine inspection, maintenance and repair regime to reduce the money invested in roads.
• Management access: A well-constructed and properly maintained woodland road enables landowners to access their woodlands in terms of harvesting operations, reforestation, timber stand improvements, fire protection and recreation opportunities. And the list goes on.
• Operational features: The basic requirements of a planned and functional woodland road should meet the needs of the individual landowner for the intended use by incorporating a properly designed grade and curve alignment. Based on the planned usage, the requirements of a planned and functional road should include an adequate width and clearance, stable surfacing, and most important, whether a dirt or rock surface, the ability to drain and dispense water.
• Return on investment: An all-season road system will allow woodland owners to extend the operating season for harvesting activities. Historically, this has often resulted in the ability of operators to capture better log markets during the “off-season” of winter and early spring months. A growing interest and potential fee operations based on fishing, hunting and other recreational activities during wet weather is made possible by all-seasoned, durable rocked roads.
• Environmental issues: There is a connection between woodland roads, the quality of aquatic habitat, and fish. The direct physical alteration of streams from road construction and repairs can affect fish passage. The indirect physical alteration of these activities can also affect aquatic habitat. And, finally, no woodland owners are excused from complying with the Oregon Forest Practices Act.
• Social responsibility: Woodland owners need to understand the social context of owning and managing private woodlands in Oregon. Sound land stewardship and the sustainability of our woodlands are important to private landowners and to society as a whole. Managed protection of water quality and aquatic habitat on private woodlands has positive social, environmental and economic benefits.
If you would like additional information on managing your woodland roads, the Douglas County Extension Service is here to help. “Managing Woodland Roads: A Field Handbook” is available through your local Extension office. A small number of free copies will be made available as a promotion and testament to the importance of properly maintained woodland roads. Additional books will be available at $10, which reflects printing and mailing costs.
For more information, contact our office at 541-672-4461 or e-mail mary.hoffman@oregonstate.edu.
All of these activities have a common dominator: roads. If you don’t have access, you don’t get the job done on time, or maybe even at all.
OK, we’ve mentioned some of the individual activities that occur on woodland properties. But in a larger context, here are some reasons we should care about our woodland roads. Consider them in terms of:
• Capital investment: Roads can cost as little as a few thousand dollars per mile, or upwards of $100,000 if the land is steep and rocky. The ability to prevent damage to your roads requires a routine inspection, maintenance and repair regime to reduce the money invested in roads.
• Management access: A well-constructed and properly maintained woodland road enables landowners to access their woodlands in terms of harvesting operations, reforestation, timber stand improvements, fire protection and recreation opportunities. And the list goes on.
• Operational features: The basic requirements of a planned and functional woodland road should meet the needs of the individual landowner for the intended use by incorporating a properly designed grade and curve alignment. Based on the planned usage, the requirements of a planned and functional road should include an adequate width and clearance, stable surfacing, and most important, whether a dirt or rock surface, the ability to drain and dispense water.
• Return on investment: An all-season road system will allow woodland owners to extend the operating season for harvesting activities. Historically, this has often resulted in the ability of operators to capture better log markets during the “off-season” of winter and early spring months. A growing interest and potential fee operations based on fishing, hunting and other recreational activities during wet weather is made possible by all-seasoned, durable rocked roads.
• Environmental issues: There is a connection between woodland roads, the quality of aquatic habitat, and fish. The direct physical alteration of streams from road construction and repairs can affect fish passage. The indirect physical alteration of these activities can also affect aquatic habitat. And, finally, no woodland owners are excused from complying with the Oregon Forest Practices Act.
• Social responsibility: Woodland owners need to understand the social context of owning and managing private woodlands in Oregon. Sound land stewardship and the sustainability of our woodlands are important to private landowners and to society as a whole. Managed protection of water quality and aquatic habitat on private woodlands has positive social, environmental and economic benefits.
If you would like additional information on managing your woodland roads, the Douglas County Extension Service is here to help. “Managing Woodland Roads: A Field Handbook” is available through your local Extension office. A small number of free copies will be made available as a promotion and testament to the importance of properly maintained woodland roads. Additional books will be available at $10, which reflects printing and mailing costs.
For more information, contact our office at 541-672-4461 or e-mail mary.hoffman@oregonstate.edu.
Steve Bowers is an Extension Forester for OSU Extension Service in Douglas County. He can be reached by e-mail at steve.bowers@oregonstate.edu or at (541) 672-4461.
