For more information, please contact Ecoplan Forestry
Forest Roads and the Forest Road Grant – Ecoplan Forestry
Forest Road building is essential for the proper management of any forest. Good roads improve access, facilitate management and ensure the full realisation of any harvest value. The Forest Service Forest Roads Scheme provides Road Grants to construct your forest network. Improved access will greatly improve the value of your forest asset.
Improved access connects the most remote parts of the forest to existing public roads. As a result they provide access to forest lands for timber management, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, fire control, hunting and also a variety of recreational activities.
Harvest roads should ideally be built well in advance of the first thinning operation to allow the road to dry and so cope better with the extensive wear and tear of harvesting and timber haulage. COFORD has published a Forest Road Manual which outlines the guidelines for the design and construction and maintenance of forest roads.
Forest Road Grant basics:
- 25 linear meters of forest road per hectare of forest.
- Additional allowance for Bellmouth and Special Construction Work (SCW).
- Maximum rate of €40 per linear meter.
- Eligible forests must be within 5 years of thinning.
- Any proposed new entrance onto a public road will require local County Council permission.
- Each forest is assessed on its own merits and requirements.
- Detailed forest road specifications ensure construction is high-quality and will last.
See our Forest Management Services page for what else Ecoplan can do for you.
And visit About Us to learn more about Ecoplan Forestry
Forest Road Construction
Teagasc Forestry provide some very good information and advice regarding Forest Road Construction on their Website
The Need For Forest Roads
A well-planned access system is a sound method of reducing erosion and sedimentation in areas requiring frequent or temporary access. Proper location and construction of roads will provide for safety, longer operating periods, lower maintenance and operating costs, and minimal impacts to forest resources. Servicing as many acres of forest with as few roads as possible is a sound method of reducing impacts to forest resources from road construction.
Effective road construction techniques minimise the disturbance to the natural flow of water over the landscape and ensure the structural integrity of the road embankment. The goal is to provide a simple road structure of adequate strength to support heavy vehicle traffic and provide drainage structures to pass water at its normal level through the road corridor.
Clearing widths will vary depending on the needs of both the owner and the user of the road. Consideration should be given to the necessity for roadway drying, as well as to the safety, cost and aesthetics of narrow rights-of-way.
Ecoplan Forestry specialise in the management and construction of harvest roads, particularly in sensitive areas. We give expert advice on their type, length and position, and also on how best to secure grant-aid. For more information, please contact us.
