Full Length Research Paper

Environmental damages of forest road construction by bulldozer on steep terrain

Tolga Ozturk¹*, Muhittin Inan² and Mustafa Akgul¹

¹Istanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Construction and Transportation, 34473, Bahcekoy / Istanbul / Turkey.

²Istanbul University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Surveying and Cadastre, 34473, Bahcekoy / Istanbul / Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: tozturk@istanbul.edu.tr. Tel.: 90 212 2261100.

Fax: 90 212 2261113.

Accepted 29 June, 2009

In this study, forest road construction technique by using bulldozer was investigated in forested lands in Bolu region in Turkey. The objective of the study was to evaluate cross sections constructed by bulldozer along the forest road alignment and to determine the differences between the fill-slope and cut-slope formations in the cross sections in terms of environmental damages. Maximum length and minimum length of fill slope was found to be 2 and 50 m on 10 and 80% slope gradient, respectively. The number of damaged trees and seedlings regarding with various gradient classes were also determined in study area. The results indicated that the 36% of trees under the forest road construction were wounded and 43% of seedlings stayed under the soil for 56-80% ground slope. The rate of wounding in three types specified damages (bending of tree, crushing of tree and wounding of tree stem) was 64%. The rate of staying under the soil was 81%.

Key words: Bulldozer, forest road, road construction, environmental damage.