Abstract
We investigated the distribution and frequency of damage to tree stands adjacent to low-volume roads according to the type of hillside materials involved (soil or rock) and hillside gradient in mountainous forests of northern Iran. A total of 80 plots were systematically and randomly sampled to record damaged trees (bending, crushing and wounding) by class of hillside gradient and materials at the edge of road. Tree wounding and crushing at rock slopes was significantly greater than at hillsides with a mix of clay soil (p < 0.05). Damage on hillsides with slope gradients >45% were 2, 8.5 and 2.3 times more frequent than on hillsides with slope gradient <15% for bending, crushing and wounding, respectively. The damage distribution varied according by type and the most frequent damage was tree wounding (p < 0.05). The damage distribution was measured at distances of 4, 5 and 8 m from the road fillslope for tree bending, crushing and wounding, respectively. Using hydraulic excavators and physical barriers (wooden obstruction and synthetic holder) during earthworks for road construction could reduce these damage.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11676-017-0433-4/MediaObjects/11676_2017_433_Fig1_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11676-017-0433-4/MediaObjects/11676_2017_433_Fig2_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11676-017-0433-4/MediaObjects/11676_2017_433_Fig3_HTML.gif)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11676-017-0433-4/MediaObjects/11676_2017_433_Fig4_HTML.gif)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avon C, Dumas Y, Berges L (2013) Management practices increase the impact of roads on plant communities in forests. Biol Conserv 159:24–31
Bargali K, Joshi B, Bargali SS, Singh SP (2014) Diversity within Oaks. Int Oaks 25:57–70
Bargali K, Joshi B, Bargali SS, Singh SP (2015) oaks and the biodiversity they sustain. Int Oaks 26:65–76
Behnia K, Tabatabai M (2009) Soil mechanics. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, p 345
Benitez-lopez A, Alkemade R, Verweij PA (2010) The impacts of roads and other infrastructure on mammal and bird populations: a meta-analysis. Biol Conserv 143:1307–1316
Bernhardt-Romermann M (2006) Changed vegetation composition in coniferous forests near to motorways in Southern Germany: the effects of traffic-born pollution. Environ Pollut 143:572–581
Borga M, Toneli F, Fontana G, Cazorzi F (2005) Evaluating the influence of forest roads on shallow land sliding. Ecol Model 187:85–98
Brauner M, Weinmeister W, Agner P (2005) Forest management decision support for evaluating forest protection effects against rock fall. For Ecol Manag 207:75–85
Caliskan E (2013) Environmental impacts of forest road construction on mountainous terrain. Iran J Environ Health Sci Eng 10:1–8
Cao S, Ye H, Zhan Y (2010) Cliff roads: an ecological conservation technique for road construction in mountainous regions of China. Landsc Urban Plan 94:228–233
Cornish PM (2001) The effects of roading, harvesting and forest regeneration on stream water turbidity levels in a moist eucalypt forest. For Ecol Manag 152:293–312
Croke J, Mockler S, Fogarty P, Takken I (2005) Sediment concentration changes in runoff pathways from a forest road network and the resultant spatial pattern of catchment connectivity. Geomorphology 68:257–268
Dorren LKA, Berger F, Hir C, Mermin E, Tardif P (2005) Mechanisms, effects and management implications of rock fall in forests. For Ecol Manag 215:183–195
Farhig L, Rytwinski T (2009) Effects of roads on animal abundance: an empirical review and synthesis. Ecol Soc 14(1):21
Gumus S, Aricak B, Eenez K, Acar HH (2009) Analysis of tree damage caused by rock fall at forest road construction works. Croat J For Eng 30:151–158
Heralt L (2002) Using the ROADENG system to design an optimum forest road variant aimed at the minimization of negative impacts on the natural environment. J For Sci 48:361–365
Joshi M, Bargali K, Bargali SS (1997) Changes in physico—chemical properties and metabolic activity of soil in popular plantations replacing natural broad leaved forests. J Arid Environ 35:161–169
Kittur B, Swamy SL, Bargali SS, Jhariya MK (2014) Wildland fires and moist deciduous forests of Chhattisgarh, India: divergent component assessment. J For Res 25(4):857–866
Marquinez J, Menendez DR, Farias P, Jimenez SM (2003) Predictive GIS- based model of rock fall activity in mountain cliffs. Nat Hazards 30:341–360
Melemez K (2013) An environmental assessment of forest stands damage caused by excavators during road construction in Beech forests. Int J Environ Sci Technol 10:645–650
Mullerova J, Vitkova M, Vitek O (2011) The impacts of road and walking trails upon adjacent vegetation: effects of road building materials on species composition in a nutrient poor environment. Sci Total Environ 409:3839–3849
Ozturk T, Inan M, Akay A (2010) Analysis of tree damage caused by excavated materials at forest roads construction in Karst region. Croat J For Eng 31:57–64
Parsakhoo A (2008) Comparison of bulldozer and hydraulic excavator performance in constructing the secondary forest roads. MSc Thesis. Department of Forestry, Faculty of Natural Resources, Mazandaran University. Sari, Iran
Perret S, Dolf F, Kienholz H (2004) Rock fall into forests: analysis and simulation of rock fall trajectories consideration with respect to mountainous forest in Switzerland. Landslides 1:123–130
Rana S, Bargali K, Bargali SS (2015) Assessment of plant diversity, regeneration status, biomass and carbon stock in a Central Himalayan cypress forest. Int J Biodivers Conserv 7(6):321–329
Spooner PG, Smallbone L (2009) Effects of road age on the structure of roadside vegetation in south-eastern Australia. Agr Ecosyst Environ 129:57–64
Stoffel M, Wehril A, Kuhne R (2006) Assessing the protective effects of mountain forests against rock fall using a 3D simulation model. For Ecol Manag 225:113–122
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com
Corresponding editor: Yu Lei.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lotfalian, M., Nasiri, M. The distribution and frequency of damage to roadside trees in low-volume road construction. J. For. Res. 29, 221–226 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-017-0433-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-017-0433-4