Road network designs in wood supply analysis

Abstract

A system for designing timber management strategies which considers the location, construction timing, and standards of road networks is presented. The system allows the effects of alternative road networks on economic wood supplies and timber management strategies to be assessed. A geographic information system is used to update stand attributes in response to alternative road networks, prior to analysis using a linear-programming-based forest planning model. A case study illustrating the planning system is briefly reviewed and instructions for obtaining system software are provided. -Authors