Consideration of near optimal forest road densities for Switzerland

The full use of the forest wood potential is of major concern in Switzerland. Therefore, the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the cantons provide substantial funding for an active forest management. One key element in this context is the maintenance of an adequate forest road network. This study targets at providing orientation values about the minimum amount of forest roads to classify a certain forest as opened. Thus, guaranteeing sufficient access to the targeted wood resources. This is the basis to make the linkage with construction cost values referring geological and terrain structures on-site. In the end the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) will elaborate an according funding system underpinned by the findings of the study.