Serpentine Design on Forest Roads by the Internal Circular Curve Method： A Case Study in Serbia

The paper provides an overview of geometric solutions of marking all types of serpentine by the method of internal circular curve in designing forest roads directly in the field. The main objective of presenting this original method for marking all serpentine types in one place is to show similarities and differences in marking different types of serpentine, and identify opportunities for further research of this type. The method is based on the establishment of the minimum number of elements necessary to mark the serpentine on the forest roads and other budget elements and their design in the field. By using this method, construction errors or the number of attempts of serpentine marking are reduced, which increases the effects of design compared to the ones reached by the previous method of marking the serpentine on forest roads.

Effects of Forest Roads on Habitat Pattern for Sables in Da Hinggan Mountains, Northeasten China

The anthropogenic managements of forest have created a network of roads resulting in the loss and alternation of habitat. To better understand road′s impact on animal habitats, we assessed the habitat pattern of sables(Martes zibellina), one of rodents within national first-class protected species, when roads are considered in Huzhong area in Da Hinggan Mountains, northeastern China. Employing published literatures about behavior ecology, aerial photographs and forest stand maps, we classified the study area into three habitat types including best-suitable, suitable and unsuitable habitats based on sable habitat requirements at the landscape scale including four variables derived from forest source map with attribute database. Results indicated the loss and significant fragmentation of best-suitable habitat and home range habitat when roads, especially 150 m avoidance distance of roads, were considered. The roads reduced and fragmented highly suitable habitats more significantly during earlier development period than the later development period. Additionally, the suitable area percentage increased with increasing distance to roads. This study helped to identify the suitable area for sables and location of sable population. Also, this study suggested the passage construction and road management involving road closure and removal will reduce the fragmentation functionally and benefit the sable population.

Effects of geometric design of forest road and roadside vegetation on traffic noise reduction

Geometric design of forest roads and design of their landscapes can reduce noise pollution and its harmful effects on human health. We investigated the effects of technical and biological parameters such as geometric road design and various roadside tree stands on reducing noise pollution according to the tree density and distance from roadway in Darabkola Forests, Sari, Iran. We recorded the noise generated by a car （Land Rover） relative to changes in longitudinal slope, horizontal curve radius and type of road pavement. We also measured noise levels according to roadside tree density and stand type （coniferous and hardwood） in 40 rectangular plots of three widths （25, 100 and 300 m） and 50 m length that were randomly demar- cated along forest roads. The changes in noise level were recorded using a decibel meter with an accuracy of q-1.5 dB and resolution of 0.1 dB. Noise levels were higher alongside unpaved roads than alongside paved roads. There was an inverse relationship between the measured noise level and horizontal curve radius. The rate of noise level on horizontal curve with a radius less than 30, 30-45 m and more than 45 m were 64.8, 70.8 and 75.9 dB, respectively. The noise level increased with the increasing longitudinal slope of the road. There was a significant difference between the noise level on slopes less than 3 % （67 dB） and 3-8 % （71.2 dB） in comparison with slopes greater than 8 % （77.8 dB）, （p 〈 0.05）. Pinus brutia L. reduced the noise level more （about 6 dB） in stands of 1/3 density of mixed hardwoods within 25 m from middle of the road. Careful design of geometric properties of forest roads as well as planting coniferous trees with hardwoods is a suitable solution for reducing noise pollution.

Influence of forest road on breeding of tits in artificial nest boxes

A study was conducted to determine the influence of forest road on breeding of tits in artificial nest boxes in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests in the Gwanak Arboretum （37° 25′ 05＂ N, 126° 56′ 85＂ E） of Seoul National University, Anyang, Korea from November 2002 to June 2003. Three tits species, varied tit （Parus varius）, marsh tit （P. palustris） and great tit （P. major）, breeding in artificial t nest boxes were investigated on number of breeding pairs, cultch size, and egg measurement. Resuls showed that the breeding pairs of varied tit was more in 75-150 m area than in 0-75m area from forest road for all the three study sites, and the clutch size and egg measurements （weight, Major axis and Minor axis） of varied tit was also higher in the area of 75-150 m than in the area of 0-75 m, while no differences in number of breeding pairs and clutch size were found for marsh tit and great tit between the two areas. Egg measurement of great tit was also higher in forest interior area than in forest edge area. It is concluded that varied tit were most significantly influenced by forest road, followed by great tit, whereas marsh tit were not influenced by forest road. Artificial nest box is roved to be good for cavity nester in disturbed areas by human activities. Supply of artificial nest can help population protection and management of bird species.

Forest Road Detection Using LiDAR Data

We developed a three-step classification approach for forest road extraction utilizing LiDAR data. The first step employed the IDW method to interpolate LiDAR point data （first and last pulses） to achieve DSM, DTM and DNTM layers （at 1 m resolution）. For this interpolation RMSE was 0.19 m. In the second step, the Support Vector Machine （SVM） was employed to classify the LiDAR data into two classes, road and non-road. For this classification, SVM indicated the merged distance layer with intensity data and yielded better identification of the road position. Assessments of the obtained results showed 63% correctness, 75% completeness and 52% quality of classification. In the next step, road edges were defined in the LiDAR-extracted layers, enabling accu- rate digitizing of the centerline location. More than 95% of the Li- DAR-derived road was digitized within 1.3 m to the field surveyed nor- rnal. The proposed approach can provide thorough and accurate road inventory data to support forest management.

Effects of aggregating forests, establishing forest road networks, and mechanization on operational efficiency and costs in a mountainous region in Japan

We investigated forest road networks and forestry operations before and after mechanization on aggregated forestry operation sites. We developed equations to estimate densities of road networks with average slope angles, operational efficiency of bunching operations with road network density, and average forwarding distances with operation site areas. Subsequently, we analyzed the effects of aggregating forests, establishing forest road networks, and mechanization on operational efficiency and costs. Six ha proved to be an appropriate operation site area with minimum operation expenses. The operation site areas of the forest owners＇ cooperative in this region aggregated approximately 6 ha and the cooperative conducted forestry operations on aggregated sites. Therefore, 6 ha would be an appropriate operation site area in this region. Regarding road network density, higher-density road networks increased operational expenses due to the higher direct operational expenses of strip road establishment. Therefore, road network density should be reduced to approximately 200 m.

Effect of performed operations management on the amount of sediment production in natural forests

The present study on the sediment production in natural forests was carried out on an 13,284 ha area,ocated in Guilan Province, in the north of Iran. This area is under intensive management. We first analyzed the physi- sal factors of the area. Then, the amount of road construction, afforestation and harvested wood volume, as well as the harvesting method in the region were determined for the years between 1993 and 2010. The results show that the aver- age annual amount of sediment production in the entire region, over this 18-year period, has increased annually at a rate of 3.54 t.km-2 （R2 = 0.56） at a confidence level of 95%. Operations management and management methods used in ：his forest area has affected the amount of sediment production. Clear cutting and extensive harvesting methods in the region caused an increase in the amount of sediment production, as indicated by a coefficient of determination of 0.71, mplying that forest management may be considered effective and in harmony with the environment.

Improving cross drain systems to minimize sediment delivery using GIS

A well developed network of roads must exist as a necessary infrastructure system in modem forestry to facilitate forest op- erations. But forest roads have the potential to disrupt the drainage characteristics of watersheds and lead to negative impacts on the environment with increased erosion and sediment yields. Numerous factors affect surface erosion of roads and sediment production potential; determining and ranking them could be a guide for management decisions to erosion control. In this study, the CULSED model （as an extension of ArcGIS） was used to estimate sediment delivery and the distribution of a road network, given the exist- ing culverts. Using the model, some culverts were added to the road network around places with high sediment delivery in order to minimize it. After a correlation analysis and adjustment between sediment production and the factors, i.e., road width, road gradient, age of road and vegetation cover, the trend of changes in sediment delivery with model changes in the input was investigated with a sensitivity analysis of the model. The results show that adding new culverts to the road resulted in a significant reduction of sediment delivery. The most important factor affecting sediment delivery was road width, followed by road gradient, vegetation cover and age of road. Road width and gradient were positively correlated with sediment delivery, while vegetation cover and age of road were neg- atively correlated. The best model to show the relation between sediment delivery and road width as well as with road gradient was a linear model, for vegetation cover a cubic equation and for road age a power model. The results of sensitivity analysis showed that sediment delivery had the greatest sensitivity to changes of road width and was least sensitive to changes in the age of the road. This model can help to estimate sediment delivery with its spatial distribution, which can be used for optimization of cross drain systems and strategies of sediment control. Application of the model requires field trials to acquire the necessary input data. The reliability of our results is a function of the accuracy of inputs, especially digital elevation model.