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Despite suffering dramatic declines due to habitat loss and overexploitation, tortoises and freshwater turtles in Southeast Asia remain understudied. Sustainable forest management offers a promising approach for advancing the conservation of threatened turtle populations. This study examines the effect of reduced impact logging (RIL), a sustainable forestry method, on 2 freshwater turtle species. We examined detectability patterns and habitat relationships for the threatened Malayan flat‐shelled turtle (Notochelys platynota) and the non‐threatened Malayan soft‐shelled turtle (Dogania subplana) in 8 streams within a commercial forest reserve between March and July 2019, in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Using single‐species occupancy models, we identified covariates associated with the detection and occupancy probabilities of these species across a post‐harvest recovery gradient (1–21 years since logging). Covariates used in the models were obtained directly from the field or from open‐source remote sensing data. Results for soft‐shelled turtles were inconclusive. In contrast, we found a negative association between monthly rainfall and flat‐shelled turtle detectability. The occupancy probability of flat‐shelled turtles was positively associated with greater distance from logging roads and higher stream flow accumulation. Occupancy probability for flat‐shelled turtles and soft‐shelled turtles was relatively high throughout the reserve (0.79 ± 0.1 [SD] and 0.57 ± 0.22, respectively). These results, suggest that appropriately managed forests, could serve as invaluable conservation areas for imperiled freshwater turtle species in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporary roads are often placed in mountainous regions for logging purposes but then never decommissioned and removed. These abandoned forest roads often have unwanted environmental consequences. They can lead to altered hydrological regimes, excess erosion, and mass wasting events. These events can affect sediment budgets in streams, with negative consequences for anadromous fish populations. Maps of these roads are frequently non-existent; therefore, methods need to be created to identify and locate these roads for decommissioning. Abandoned logging roads in the Point Reyes National Seashore in California, an area partially under heavy forest canopy, were mapped using object-based image processing in concert with machine learning. High-resolution Q1 LiDAR point clouds from 2019 were used to create a bare earth model of the region, from which a slope model was derived. This slope model was then subjected to segmentation algorithms to identify and isolate regions of differing slopes. Regions of differing slopes were then used in a convolutional neural network (CNN), and a maximum likelihood classifier was used to delineate the historic road network. The accuracy assessment was conducted using historic aerial photos of the state of the region post-logging, along with ground surveys to verify the presence of logging roads in areas of question. This method was successfully able to identify road networks with a precision of 0.991 and an accuracy of 0.992. It was also found that the CNN was able to identify areas of highest disturbance to the slope gradient. This methodology is a valuable tool for decision makers who need to identify areas of high disturbance in order to mitigate adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sustainable forestry methods such as Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) have lower impacts on biodiversity compared to conventional logging, the direct and indirect effects of RIL are poorly understood. Additionally, studies focusing on specific habitats may fail to detect cross-habitat impact variation or the effect on taxa which utilize multiple habitats, i.e. amphibians. We therefore investigated the responses of amphibians in stream and terrestrial habitats to RIL and its direct/indirect impacts. We analysed data from anuran communities sampled before and after RIL within the Deramakot forest reserve in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Using multi-species community occupancy models, we determined species and community responses to RIL and covariates representing the direct (leaf depth and canopy closure) and indirect (distance to logging roads and skid trails) effects of logging. Diversity profiles and dissimilarity indices derived from occupancy model results were used to identify shifts in diversity/evenness and community dissimilarity respectively following RIL. Indirect logging impacts (distance to logging roads/skid trails), proved a better predictor of amphibian occupancy in stream habitats compared to direct logging impacts (leaf litter depth shifts), with the opposite trend observed in terrestrial habitats. Anurans in stream and terrestrial sites exhibited greater dissimilarity and community occupancy after logging compared to control sites, with all diversity metrics (species richness, Shannon and Simpson diversity) increasing in logged stream sites. These findings, contrary to our expectations, suggest that whilst amphibian species in different habitats exhibit variable responses to direct and indirect RIL impacts, they exhibit similar community level responses to RIL across habitats.

The Road Erosion and Delivery Index (READI) is a new geographic information system–based model to assess erosion and delivery of water and sediment from unpaved road networks to streams. READI quantifies the effectiveness of existing road surfacing and drain placements in reducing road sediment delivery and guides upgrades to optimize future reductions. Roads are draped on a digital elevation model and parsed into hydrologically distinct segments. Segments are further divided by engineered drainage structures. For each segment, a kinematic wave approximation generates runoff hydrographs for specified storms, with discharge directly to streams at road–stream crossings and onto overland‐flow plumes at other discharge points. Plumes are attenuated by soil infiltration, which limits their length, with delivery occurring if plumes intersect streams. Sediment production and sediment delivery can be calculated as a relative dimensionless index. READI predicts only a small proportion of new drains and new surfacing results in the majority of sediment delivery reductions. The model illustrates how the spatial relationships between road and stream networks, controlled by topography and network geometries, influence patterns of road–stream connectivity. READI was applied in seven northern California basins. The model was also applied in a recent burn area to examine how reduced hillslope infiltration can result in increased hydrologic connectivity and sediment delivery. Research Impact Statement: A new model evaluates road network erosion and sediment delivery to streams and then prioritizes new drain and surfacing locations to optimize road–stream disconnection and reduce sediment delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages over 800,000 hectares of forested state trust lands and 20,000 kilometers of forest roads in Washington State. Forest harvest and road reconstruction decisions greatly impact the agency's cash flows and its ability to meet its fiduciary obligations. We introduce a mixed-integer programming model that integrates harvest and road scheduling decisions. We show how DNR embedded the new model in its workflows and applied it to the Upper Clearwater River Landscape in the Olympic Experimental State Forest. We find that the forest valuation of the Upper Clearwater increased by $0.5-$1 million (0.4-1.1 percent) because of the new method, which allowed the DNR to concentrate capital expenditures in support of harvest and road operations in both time and space. This led to a 14.5 percent reduction in the size of the active road network. DNR is now in the process of scaling the new approach to the entire forest estate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiDAR-derived slope models may be used to detect abandoned logging roads in steep forested terrain. An object-based classification approach of abandoned logging road detection was employed in this study. First, a slope model of the study site in Marin County, California was created from a LiDAR derived DEM. Multiresolution segmentation was applied to the slope model and road seed objects were iteratively grown into candidate objects. A road classification accuracy of 86% was achieved using this fully automated procedure and post processing increased this accuracy to 90%. In order to assess the sensitivity of the road classification to LiDAR ground point spacing, the LiDAR ground point cloud was repeatedly thinned by a fraction of 0.5 and the classification procedure was reapplied. The producer’s accuracy of the road classification declined from 79% with a ground point spacing of 0.91 to below 50% with a ground point spacing of 2, indicating the importance of high point density for accurate classification of abandoned logging roads.

Road building in Congo Basin forests has increased due to expansion of commercial logging, with potential to expose intact forests to greater establishment of agriculture. We developed new knowledge of agriculture clearing sizes, spatial patterns, and relationships with roads in seven case study sites comprising 7,529 km2. Using very high spatial resolution satellite imagery, we mapped roads and rivers, plus clearings for agriculture, settlements, and logging. Mapped clearings (N= 1,781) ranged in size from 0.008 ha to more than 300 ha; most were smallholder agriculture, with 64 percent ≤ 1 ha. Statistical tests of spatial pattern confirmed that agriculture occurred in an inhomogeneous-aggregated pattern, suggesting interactions with other landscape elements. Proximity analyses showed that 76 percent of clearings were within 1 km of a road or river. Thirty-five percent of agriculture clearings were within 1 km of main public roads built before 1990, compared to 17 percent for logging roads built after 2000. Less than 6 percent of agriculture clearings were within 1 km of logging roads with overgrown canopies, suggesting transient relationships. Results based on fine-scale data provide new empirical support for understanding the interactions between agriculture and roads in one of the remaining relatively intact forest areas of the Congo Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to determine the scale and forms of logging road impacts on the natural environment and residual cultural heritage of Ruthenian Highlanders that characterise the Polish part of the north-eastern Carpathians. To this end, we used LiDAR-derived DEM to detect and map forest roads and skid trails, and to estimate road density, in 60 forest divisions sampled at random from among the 2639 km 2 of forest managed in the above region by the State Forests National Forest Holding. The determined road network was then validated by GPS ground control. Supplementary, detailed LiDAR data were used to detect features of the past cultural landscape, and to determine the interference in that due to contemporary logging roads. Overall skidder traffic was estimated on the basis of a thorough analysis of State Forests documents, including legal acts, guidelines, management plans, detailed databases and maps of planned cuts. LiDAR data proved to be an adequate tool in the mapping of the network of logging roads present under the tree canopy, although it slightly underestimates road density in a densely vegetated, post-landslide topography. Our LiDAR-assessed density of Carpathian logging roads (at 108.5–140.7 m ha −1 , including skid trails) is nevertheless among the highest reported in the literature, and one that far exceeds recommended values. Spatial pattern analysis further revealed the unfavourable phenomenon of multiple parallel roads forming contiguous areas of disturbed soil and constituting dispersal paths for invasive plants. Many examples of cultural remains being run over and destroyed by skidders could also be reported. The observed process of log extraction is one of the least sustainable aspects to forest management in the Carpathians, and our results emphasise very clearly the need for rules to support the preservation of cultural heritage in forested areas, as well as improved tools by which skidding practices can be monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road networks are expanding in tropical countries, increasing human access to remote forests that act as refuges for biodiversity and provide globally important ecosystem services. Logging is one of the main drivers of road construction in tropical forests. We evaluated forest fragmentation and impacts of logging roads on forest resilience and wildlife, considering the full life cycle of logging roads. Through an extensive evidence review we found that for logging road construction, corridors between 3 and 66 m (median 20 m) width are cleared, leading to a loss of 0.6-8.0 percent (median 1.7%) of forest cover. More severe impacts are increased fire incidence, soil erosion, landslides, and sediment accumulation in streams. Once opened, logging roads potentially allow continued access to the forest interior, which can lead to biological invasions, increased hunting pressure, and proliferation of swidden agriculture. Some roads, initially built for logging, become converted to permanent, public roads with subsequent in-migration and conversion of forest to agriculture. Most logging roads, however, are abandoned to vegetation recovery. Given the far-reaching impacts of the roads that become conduits for human access, its control after the end of logging operations is crucial. Strategic landscape planning should design road networks that concentrate efficient forest exploitation and conserve roadless areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for timber products is facilitating the degradation and opening up of large areas of intact habitats rich in biodiversity. Logging creates an extensive network of access roads within the forest, yet these are commonly ignored or excluded when assessing impacts of logging on forest biodiversity. Here we determine the impact of these roads on the overall condition of selectively logged forests in Borneo, Southeast Asia. Focusing on dung beetles along > 40 km logging roads we determine: (i) the magnitude and extent of edge effects alongside logging roads; (ii) whether vegetation characteristics can explain patterns in dung beetle communities, and; (iii) how the inclusion of road edge forest impacts dung beetle assemblages within the overall logged landscape. We found that while vegetation structure was significantly affected up to 34 m from the road edge, impacts on dung beetle communities penetrated much further and were discernible up to 170 m into the forest interior. We found larger species and particularly tunnelling species responded more than other functional groups which were also influenced by micro-habitat variation. We provide important new insights into the long-term ecological impacts of tropical logging. We also support calls for improved logging road design both during and after timber extraction to conserve more effectively biodiversity in production forests, for instance, by considering the minimum volume of timber, per unit length of logging road needed to justify road construction. In particular, we suggest that governments and certification bodies need to highlight more clearly the biodiversity and environmental impacts of logging roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the recently launched Sentinel-2 (S2) optical satellite and the active radar Sentinel-1 (S1) satellite supported by active fire data from the MODIS sensor were used to detect and monitor forest fires in the Congo Basin. In the context of a very strong El Niño event, an unprecedented outbreak of fires was observed during the first months of 2016 in open forests formations in the north of the Republic of Congo. The anomalies of the recent fires and meteorological situation compared to historical data show the severity of the drought. Burnt areas mapped by the S1 SAR and S2 Multi Spectral Instrument (MSI) sensors highlight that the fires occurred mainly in Marantaceae forests, characterized by open tree canopy cover and an extensive tall herbaceous layer. The maps show that the origin of the fires correlates with accessibility to the forest, suggesting an anthropogenic origin. The combined use of the two independent and fundamentally different satellite systems of S2 and S1 captured an extent of 36,000 ha of burnt areas, with each sensor compensating for the weakness (cloud perturbations for S2, and sensitivity to ground moisture for S1) of the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Logging roads can trigger tropical forest degradation by reducing the integrity of the ecosystem and providing access for encroachment. Therefore, road management is crucial in reconciling selective logging and biodiversity conservation. Most logging roads are abandoned after timber harvesting; however, little is known about their long-term impacts on forest vegetation and accessibility, especially in Central Africa. 2. In 11 logging concessions in the Congo Basin, we field-sampled a chronosequence of roads that, judging from satellite images, had been abandoned between 1985 and 2015. We assessed recovery of timber resources, tree diversity and above-ground biomass in three zones: the road track, the road edge (where forest had been cleared during road construction) and the adjacent logged forest. 3. The density of commercial timber species <15 cm d.b.h. was almost three times higher in the road track (321 individuals ha-1) and edge (267) than in the logged adjacent forest (97). Over time, tree species diversity converged to a comparable level between roads and adjacent forests, along with an increase in canopy closure. 4. The average width of forest clearing for road construction was 20 m, covering a total 0-76% of the forest area inside concessions. After 15 years following abandonment, road tracks had recovered 24 Mg ha-1 of above-ground woody biomass, which was 6% of that in the adjacent forest, while road edges had accumulated 167 Mg ha-1 (42%). Ten years after abandonment, roads were no longer penetrable by poachers on motorcycles. An exotic herb species was fully replaced by dominant Marantaceae that have even higher abundance in the adjacent forest. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our evidence of vegetation recovery suggests that logging roads are mostly transient elements in the forest landscapes. However, given the slow recovery of biomass on abandoned road tracks, we advocate both reducing the width of forest clearing for road construction and reopening old logging roads for future harvests, rather than building new roads in intact forests. Road edges seem suitable for post-logging silviculture which needs to be assisted by removing dominant herbs during the early years after abandonment while the road track is still accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning is an intellectually demanding process that requires a conscious determination of actions and decisions based on related purpose, knowledge and right decisions. During planning timber harvesting it is very important to choose the best possible technology for timber extraction. The use of multi-criteria-decision-making models is a very good way of dealing with various forestry issues especially in terms of choosing the best applicable technology for timber extraction. Modern forest management in the Republic of Croatia in terms of timber harvesting mostly relies on ground based wheeled systems. The goal of this research is to show how the current way of planning timber harvesting (timber extraction) and accordingly the construction of secondary forest road network affects future planning and introduction of »new« technologies for timber extraction i.e. forest cableway. Analysis of suitable forest stands for different timber extraction technologies s was carried out in the management unit GarjevicaČazma with an area of 4380.20 ha. The paper presents multi-criteria-decision-making model for defining terrain suitable for ground based wheeled systems (skidder with a winch and forwarder) and forest cableway on the base of raster maps (grid of 20×20 m i.e. 0.04 ha). The criteria used to select different technologies for timber extraction were: terrain slope, distance from the forest road, distance from the skid road and harvesting density. Analysis using GIS tools in ArcGIS and Idrisi applications goes in two directions, first the analysis of suitability of using selected technologies for timber extraction using four criteria, and comparison with results of the analysis where the criterion »distance from the skid road« has been excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiDAR-derived slope models may be used to detect abandoned logging roads in steep forested terrain. An object-based classification approach of abandoned logging road detection was employed in this study. First, a slope model of the study site in Marin County, California was created from a LiDAR derived DEM. Multiresolution segmentation was applied to the slope model and road seed objects were iteratively grown into candidate objects. A road classification accuracy of 86% was achieved using this fully automated procedure and post processing increased this accuracy to 90%. In order to assess the sensitivity of the road classification to LiDAR ground point spacing, the LiDAR ground point cloud was repeatedly thinned by a fraction of 0.5 and the classification procedure was reapplied. The producer's accuracy of the road classification declined from 79% with a ground point spacing of 0.91 to below 50% with a ground point spacing of 2, indicating the importance of high point density for accurate classification of abandoned logging roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Decker v. Northwest Environmental Defense Center, an environmental nonprofit sought to bring stormwater pollution from logging roads under the ambit of the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which was originally designed for point source discharges. The Supreme Court ruled that these discharges did not require National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, and thus that Oregon was not in violation of the Clean Water Act for allowing unpermitted stormwater discharges in its state forests. In this paper, I argue that permitting stormwater discharges from logging roads is necessary to overcome collective action problems at the state level, and that it can be achieved despite the Court's riding in Decker. I propose utilizing general permits, which would avoid the administrative burdens of the individual permit process. Such a system can take advantage of the benefits of current best management practices while improving upon their weaknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EPA's various iterations of the Silvicultural Rule have succeeded in circumventing the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting requirements for decades. Although the Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Northwest Environmental Defense Center v. Brown significantly narrows the applicability of the Rule, the decision has left the status of the Silvicultural Rule unclear. Moreover, EPA's latest regulations regarding stormwater discharges--which purportedly aim to provide clarity--only muddy the water. In the Supreme Court's coming consideration of the validity of the Silvicultural Rule, it should take the opportunity to explicitly invalidate the Rule as inconsistent with the CWA. Moreover, in its decision, the Court should not be influenced by the EPA's latest regulations because they do not alter the substance of the Silvicultural Rule and fail to conform to the requirements of the CWA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined possible effects of several abiotic parameters on breeding-pool selection of Ambystoma jeffersonianum (Jefferson Salamander), A. maculatum (Spotted Salamander), d. opacum (Marbled Salamander), and Notophthalmus viridescens (Red-spotted Newt). Twenty-four ephemeral pools and permanent ponds, all adjacent to a logging road, were observed in south-central Pennsylvania in 2006. There was a significant correlative effect of distance from the logging road on breeding-site selection. Specifically, the distance from the road significantly differed between the breeding-sites of Jefferson Salamanders and Red-spotted Newts and between those of Marbled Salamander and Red-spotted Newts with both ambystomatid species breeding farther from the road than Red-spotted Newts. This study supports the idea that ambystomatid salamander breeding-site selection can be influenced by habitat disturbance, while generalist species are not as easily influenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In seasonal climates the timing of logging operations can be adjusted to avoid the major growing periods of understory plants and seedlings. We evaluated the understory vegetation at five pairs of hardwood-dominated sites in northern Wisconsin, U.S.A. where one site in each pair was logged during winter and the other during summer. All sites were dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and basswood (Tilia americana), with varying amounts of other native tree species. Most (84%) of the 247 vascular plant species recorded during the study are indigenous to the region. Winter-logged sites supported significantly higher numbers and percent cover of ecologically vulnerable native plant species as defined by independently established coefficients of conservatism. These differences between winter-logged and summer-logged sites suggest that winter logging may have fewer negative impacts than summer logging on vulnerable plant species and, in the long run, may help maintain plant biodiversity in managed forests of this region. In both types of sites, understory plant richness and diversity were significantly higher near logging roads, due largely to higher numbers of alien species and early successional native plants. Away from roads, neither species richness nor diversity differed between winter-logged and summer-logged sites. Studies that fail to account for differences in species composition and studies that fail to include samples of access roads or skid trails are likely to ignore important impacts of logging activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A catchment study was conducted between January 1990 and April 1992 to quantify the impact of harvesting a mature Pinus caribaea plantation forest on total runoff, baseflow recession, peak discharge, stormflow volume and sediment concentration. As rainfall differed between pre- and post-harvesting periods, a streamflow prediction model (HBV) and statistical methods were used to evaluate observed changes and to test if these were significant. Most runoff occurred as baseflow (64–74% of total runoff). Baseflow increased significantly after harvesting, from 10% to 16% of rainfall. The minimum daily flow increased by 70% after harvesting, in spite of lower rainfall in that period. Stormflow volumes and peak discharges also increased significantly as a result of Horton overland flow generation on new road and log-landing surfaces and a higher wetness of the catchment due to lower evapotranspiration. Stormflow volume doubled from 2.7% to 5.5% of rainfall after harvesting. The combined effect amounted to estimated increases in flows from 252 mm under forest to 580 mm after harvesting for the 324-days period of 1990 (total rainfall of 1613 mm) and from 90 mm to 194 mm for the drier 309-days period in 1991/1992 (total rainfall of 992 mm). Sediment concentrations increased significantly during stormflow events after harvesting, but not under baseflow conditions. Harvesting of the pine plantation therefore increased stormflow, baseflow and total water yield significantly. Stormflow water quality was affected negatively, though, through increased sediment concentrations. These aspects are important for water resources management considerations related to plantation forestry in areas with a distinct dry season. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sustainable management of selectively logged tropical forests requires that felled trees are replaced through increased recruitment and growth. This study compares road track and roadside regeneration with regeneration in unlogged and selectively logged humid tropical forest in north-eastern Bolivia. Some species benefited from increased light intensities on abandoned logging roads. Others benefited from low densities of competing vegetation on roads with compacted soils. This was the case for the small-seeded species Ficus boliviana C.C. Berg and Terminalia oblonga (Ruiz & Pav.) Steud. Some species, e.g. Hura crepitans L., displayed patchy regeneration coinciding with the presence of adult trees. Our results suggest that current management practices could be improved by intensifying logging in some areas to improve regeneration of light demanding species. Sufficient seed input in logged areas should be ensured by interspersing large patches of unlogged forest with logged areas. This may also assist regeneration of species that perform poorly in disturbed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roads may be one of the most common disturbances in otherwise continuous forested habitat in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Despite their obvious presence on the landscape, there is limited data on the ecological effects along a road edge or the size of the “road-effect zone.” We sampled salamanders at current and abandoned road sites within the Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina (U.S.A.) to determine the road-effect zone for an assemblage of woodland salamanders. Salamander abundance near the road was reduced significantly, and salamanders along the edges were predominantly large individuals. These results indicate that the road-effect zone for these salamanders extended 35 m on either side of the relatively narrow, low-use forest roads along which we sampled. Furthermore, salamander abundance was significantly lower on old, abandoned logging roads compared with the adjacent upslope sites. These results indicate that forest roads and abandoned logging roads have negative effects on forest-dependent species such as plethodontid salamanders. Our results may apply to other protected forests in the southern Appalachians and may exemplify a problem created by current and past land use activities in all forested regions, especially those related to road building for natural-resource extraction. Our results show that the effect of roads reached well beyond their boundary and that abandonment or the decommissioning of roads did not reverse detrimental ecological effects; rather, our results indicate that management decisions have significant repercussions for generations to come. Furthermore, the quantity of suitable forested habitat in the protected areas we studied was significantly reduced: between 28.6% and 36.9% of the area was affected by roads. Management and policy decisions must use current and historical data on land use to understand cumulative impacts on forest-dependent species and to fully protect biodiversity on national lands [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined water temperature patterns and their physical controls for two small, clearing-heated streams in shaded reaches downstream of all forestry activity. Field observations were made during July-August 2000 in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada. For both reaches, downstream cooling of up to 4 Celsius had been observed during daytime over distances of ∼ 200 m. Radiative and convective exchanges of energy at heavily shaded sites on both reaches represented a net input of heat during most afternoons and therefore could not explain the observed cooling. In one stream, the greatest downstream cooling occurred when streamflow at the upstream site dropped below about 5 L · s[sup-1]. At those times, temperatures at the downstream site were controlled mainly by local inflow of groundwater, because the warmer water from upstream was lost by infiltration in the upper 150 m of the reach. Warming often occurred in the upper subreach, where cool groundwater did not interact with the channel. At the second stream, creek temperature patterns were comparatively stable. Energy balance estimates from one afternoon suggested that groundwater inflow caused about 40% of the ∼ 3 Celsius gross cooling effect in the daily maximum temperature, whereas bed heat conduction and hyporheic exchange caused about 60%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three hundred and sixty three landslides in three watersheds that totaled 382 km2 were identified from air photographs, beginning at a date that preceded logging to the present. The three watersheds all lie on Vancouver Island; however, they have different precipitation regimes, topography, and amounts logged. Landslide areas in the watersheds varied in size from 200 m2 to more than 1 ha. Nearly 80% of the landslides were debris slides; 15% were debris flows, and the remainder primarily rock falls. Following logging, the number of landslides increased substantially in all watersheds although the amount of increase was variable: approximately 11, 3, and 16 times in Macktush Creek, Artlish River, and Nahwitti River, respectively. Other analyses of changes in landslide density also produced highly variable results, with the number of landslides increasing between 2.4 and 24 times. Further, 2–12 times more landslides reached streams following logging activities. Densities for landslides impacting streams increased for the period of record from 1.5 to 10 times following logging activities. The densities were substantially greater where only landslides that reached streams since development began in a watershed were considered. Roads had the greatest spatial impact in the watersheds (compared to their total area), with frequencies determined to have increased by 27, 12, and 94 times for Macktush, Artlish, and Nahwitti, respectively. The results highlight the relative impact of roads and their role in slope stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Factors contributing to an invasion of the Asian woody vine Celastrus orbiculatus in a mesic forested Massachusetts (USA) sanctuary were investigated. Planting germinated C. orbiculatus seeds in the field revealed that, although they tolerate a wide range of conditions, seedlings grow largest in moist circumneutral soil under high irradiance. A study of naturally occurring vines in a logged forest suggested that C. orbiculatus invaded two years after harvest, and invasion may have been triggered by logging disturbance. Vine stems were more abundant on former logging roads than in surrounding selectively logged areas. Former logging roads had a significantly higher soil pH than surrounding areas and, due to the direction of construction, a significantly more southerly aspect. Fourteen years after harvest, logging roads continued to provide this aggressive exotic with superior habitat for establishment and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines depredation of artificial ground nests in relation to logging road width and distance of nests from logging roads at the Barrens Grouse Habitat Management Area in Pennsylvania from May to July 1994. Comparison of predation rates on nests placed at induced edges versus clearcut edges; Factors impacting low predation rates of nests on artificial grounds.

• This review demonstrates a growing trend of road optimization publications. • Majority of studies were from Iran and developed at the level of strategic planning. • There were 30 different methodologies for optimizing the design of forest roads. • Two most common methods were Analytical Hierarchy Process and Dijkstra algorithm. • These road optimization methods can be applied to sustainable forestry in Amazonia. Forest Management in the Brazilian Amazon has social, economic and environmental relevance, as it allows for the sustainable use of natural resources, while at the same time conserving a majority of the ecological processes of the forest. Among forest operations, the construction of new roads is essential for effective sustainable forest management (SFM). However, it is the most expensive part of forest infrastructure and has the greatest environmental impact. Several methods to optimize forest road planning (FRP) have been studied worldwide, although the literature is scarce on the subject of FRP in areas of SFM in Amazonia. Thus, the objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of the global literature, on FRP optimization in the last decade (2009–2019), as a way to support future planning activities for road infrastructure in SFM in the Amazon. To guide this objective, three questions were raised to determine what the dominant factors affecting FRP in the study period, specifically what were the: (i) spatial variables; (ii) spatial decision analysis and; (iii) optimization methods for road layout. The bibliographic search was conducted according to the Prisma methodology where a set of keywords was entered into the Scopus, Science Direct and Web of Science indexing databases. In this study, all articles published in English-language journals between 2009 and 2019 were considered, resulting in 62 articles for analysis. There was a growing trend in publications, with most studies developed at the level of strategic planning (46.8%). Also, it was observed that the majority of studies occurred in the forests of Iran (33.9%). The results to the questions of this study found that: (i) there were 45 spatial variables, with slope the most studied (54.7%); (ii) Eleven methods of analysis for spatial decisions, with methods based on Analytical Hierarchy Process – AHP the most studied (36.6%) and; (iii) Thirty different methodologies for optimizing the design of forest roads, mainly methods based on Dijkstra's algorithm (40.5%). Some of the encountered methods have already been implemented in Amazonia to optimize the planning of infrastructure in areas of SFM. In this context, the combination of approaches, variables and analysis for FRP optimization that have been successfully tested in other forests of the world, could feasibly be applied in future planning of logging operations in the Amazon in order to verify the potential of these different procedures and methods, provided that they meet the objectives of the SFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the re-use of old logging roads in Central Africa to avoid creating new logging roads. Topics include the potential advantages of concentrating logging operations on existing road networks, such as lower costs and reduction of carbon emissions through forest clearing, as well as its disadvantages, such as bushmeat hunting and negative impacts on biodiversity. Also mentioned are a motion passed by the Forest Stewardship Council and forest management plans in Central Africa.

A correction notice for the article "How persistent are the impacts of logging roads on Central African forest vegetation?" that was published in the previous issue of the periodical is presented.

Small format aerial photographs (SFAPJ can be acquired at a relatively low cost to obtain quantitative data for natural resource applications. A remote sensing strategy was developed for measuring logging road system length from SFAP. Aerial photography, digital image processing, and fieldwork procedures are described in sufficient detail fornatural resource managers to acquire their own SFAP with only basic skills and equipment. An alternative field-based strategy was developed and used to evaluate time, costs, and relative accuracy of the remote sensing strategy. The field-based strategy was assumed to consistently produce more accurate measurements of road system length than did the remote sensing strategy. The remote sensing strategy was less expensive than the field-based strategy because logging road system length can be measured in a shorter amount of time. Error for the remote sensing strategy has an average of 11 percent and can be expected to range from 8 to 14 percent. Accuracy is limited by use of uncontrolled mosaics, lens distortion, tilt displacement, topographic displacement, and scale variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]