Hydrological processes and pathways affected by forest roads: what do we still need to learn?

Abstract

Forest roads are an important environmental issue. While many scientists interested in hydrology recognize climate-altering processes as an important global issue, there are problems that are similar in scope and magnitude because human industriousness has brought them to so many parts of the world. Almost everywhere people live and work they build and use unimproved roads, and wherever the roads go, a range of environmental issues follows. Among the environmental effects of unimproved roads, those on water quality and aquatic ecology are some of the most critical. Increased chronic sedimentation, in particular, can dramatically change the food web in affected streams, lakes, and oceans and reduces the effectiveness of drinking water treatment, which compounds problems of access to safe drinking water in developing regions. Low-standard roads accessing agricultural and forest lands comprise much of the extent of roads and probably affect the greatest area.

Citation

Luce, Charles H. 2002. Hydrological processes and pathways affected by forest roads: what do we still need to learn?. Hydrological processes. 16(1): 2901-2904