ROADS, FIRELANES, AND TRAILS ON THE RESERVES. 



JOHN L. WITHEROW, Forester. 



Of all the branches of forestry, one that certainly deserves and 

 requires our attention at present, is a system of forest roads, fire- 

 lanes, and trails. Without these, forestry would be theoretical only. 



A few reasons why: 



1. They make reserves accessible and the removal of products 

 possible. . 



2. They aid in the suppression of forest fires and insect depreda- 

 tions. 



3. They may be made comparatively permanent. 



A reserve road system should be laid out only after a careful study 

 of the topography and market conditions of the reserve. It should 

 not be built all at one time but rather developed gradually, and 

 always fast enough to meet the demands of the increasing intensity 

 of management. 



An ideal road would be one which is perfectly level longitudinally, 

 solid, smooth, and without curves, but we can only conceive of that 

 just as we can an "Ideal Forest." In proportion to the number of 

 these qualities that are lacking, so much less useful is that road. 



The roads of a reserve should always be divided into two classes, 

 main roads and minor roads. 



Main roads should lead to the interior of the reserve and should 

 be at least 16 feet wide, have a grade of five per cent, of less, and be 

 made of stone. 



Minor roads need not be so well built. They will connect main 

 roads and also reach out from them into short valleys. 



The old roads that we find on the reserve today were made for the 

 purpose of removing forest products. On many of them travel was 

 only one way, the empty wagons reaching the top by some other road 

 much longer and less steep. On such roads the grade is so great that 

 today they may be more properly called trails. They were laid out 

 and built by men who knew little or nothing of engineering, but 

 simply began and continued their work until their desired point was 

 reached. Many of these roads are the best the locality would afford. 

 Others should not be followed in our road building. 



In all cases the route for a road should be surveyed in order to 

 accomplish the best results from a given sum of money. Time spent 

 on the survey must always mean both time and money saved on the 

 construction of the road. 



