Forest roads, 2005

Since the beginning of the 1990s, the new construction and reconstruction of forest roads have decreased. In 2005, 56 kilometres of new all-year roads and summer roads for lorries were built, a decrease of 37 kilometres from the previous year. In addition, 230 kilometres of winter roads for lorries and tractor roads were built in 2005. This was also less than the year before. The total costs of construction and reconstruction for all types of roads amounted to NOK 97 million in 2005, a decrease of NOK 26 million from 2004. Government subsidies covered NOK 29 million and the forest owners paid the remaining NOK 68 million.

But even though there is little new construction, the length of forest roads in Norway is still extensive. By the turn of the year totally 48 400 kilometres of forest roads for lorries were registered. By comparison, the total length of public roads in Norway is 92 500 kilometres. In the counties of Hedmark, Oppland, Buskerud and Telemark, the total length of forest roads exceeds the length of public roads.

The main purpose of forest roads is to get access to forest areas to make felling and transportation of timber easier and cheaper. Consequently, the total forest road length depends on the total amount of timber in an area.

At country level, there are 0.7 kilometres forest roads per square kilometre productive forest area. The density varies considerably between different regions. In the eastern part of Norway and in Aust-Agder and Trøndelag there are between 0.6 and 1.1 kilometres forest roads per square kilometre productive forest area. In the rest of the country, the density is between 0.1 and 0.4.

Tables:

• Table 1 Forest roads constructed and rebuilt. Number of roads and length, by county
• Table 2 Forest roads constructed and rebuilt. Expenditure, by county. NOK 1 000
• Table 3 Forest roads constructed and rebuilt. Expenditure, by county. 2003-2005. NOK 1 000
• Table 4 Forest roads constructed and rebuilt. Average expenditure, by county. 2003-2005. NOK per metre
• Table 5 Whole-year roads and summer roads for lorries. Total road length. 2006. kms