Forest tracks orforest roads are roads or tracks intended to carry motorised vehicles or horse-drawn wagons being used mainly or exclusively forforestry purposes, such asconservation orlogging. Forest tracks may be open to ramblers ormountain bikers depending on local rules.
Forest roads may be tarmacked, gravelled or metalled (using hard core) and often have restrictions on use. In many regions the establishment of forest roads is not only subject to approval under forest management law, but also conservation law.[1]
Inriparian forest and other especially important conservation areas, forest roads and tracks are generally signed as beingout of bounds and/or closed off withbarriers.
Inmountainous regions the situation is more complex. On the one hand, forest roads on steepmountainsides must be wider than on theplains in order to enable vehicles to safely negotiatehairpin bends. On the other hand, the widening of old tracks runs the risk of heaviererosion orlandslides.
Forest roads may be subdivided into various classes according to their capacity. For example, in Germany, the key of topographic maps distinguishes between are metalled roadways (Befestigte Fahrwegen), roadways (Fahrwegen), forest tracks (Waldwegen) and footpaths (Fußwegen), the latter not being suitable for forest vehicles.
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