Silvicultural Treatments
Following the development of a forest management plan, our specialized staff can continue to assist landowners in attaining their silvicultural objectives.
Forest Access Roads
In order to carry out forestry operations or to have access to a forested property, the construction of a forest access road is an interesting solution.
In order to conform with municipal and environmental regulations, the planning of the proposed road is very important. The route the road will follow depends on several factors, including the landowner's needs, the silvicultural treatments to be carried out, topography, streams and wetlands, and other natural obstacles such as rock outcrops and boulders.
Once the right-of-way is identified, the next step is to harvest all the trees within the right-of-way. Municipal regulations differ from one another regarding the width of roads and their respective right-of-ways (between 10-15 metres).
The next step is to remove the debris left from the harvesting stage using an excavator. Debris, such as stumps and branches, are buried beside the roadbed, along with the organic top soil. Harder material extracted from these holes (gravel, clay, etc.) is used to form the road's driving surface. A drainage ditch is often necessary on the higher side of the road in order to maintain drainage and to allow for the roadbed to properly dry.
When the road crosses a stream or a humid gully, culverts are required. In order to lower the risk of erosion and sedimentation, culverts must to be installed to precise specifications.
The ideal place for a stream crossing is where the channel is narrow with gently sloping, dry land on either side. The culvert's diameter must be chosen based on its capacity to handle water levels during heavy rains and spring thaws that result in a rapid increase in water levels.
When installing culverts, the culvert has to be placed the same direction of the water flow. It must also follow the natural slope and be set slightly below the streambed to avoid waterfalls at the end of the culvert, also known as perched culverts. To stabilize the slope around the culvert ends, it is important to place rocks varying in size and geotextile tissue at each end of the culvert. The slope can also be seeded with wild grasses to increase soil stability, further reducing the risk of sedimentation.
Municipal regulations regarding stream crossings should always be consulted prior to installing a culvert.
