Social-Recreation Evaluation of Forest Roads and their Suitability for Trails: Towards a Complex Approach

Abstract

Marked trails in forests usually make use of forest roads. Nowadays, the selection of a suitable forest road is predominantly, if not solely, based on the technical aspects of the road: the running surface and the available facilities enhancing their suitability for outdoor activities. However, the quality of the surrounding forest stands and their suitability for recreation – their social-recreation potential are not considered.We hypothesize that it is possible and desirable to evaluate forest roads using another criterion – the potential of the social-recreation function of forest roads according to the social-recreation suitably of surrounding forest stands. Degrees of the social-recreation value of a forest road were calculated as the weighted average of the degrees of values of individual surrounding forest stands and values of the significance/weight according to the length of individual forest stands along the road. The data were processed graphically using the ArcGIS geographic information system, in which it is possible to carry out the presented procedure. Forest roads with the highest degree of social- recreation potential were chosen to plan a trail and the direction of the trail was marked in the maps. The results demonstrate a new possible complex approach to trail designing; it represents an interactive way to choose suitable forest roads, with respect to both their technical quality and also the highest achievable recreational effect of the adjacent forest stands. This brings us closer to the achievement of a complex approach to trail designing: to be able to evaluate not only the technical aspects of roads but other criteria as well and use this ability to achieve the highest possible recreational effect of forest roads. If the interest of the community in the recreation in a particular forest area increases, we have provided the bases for the planning of new forest trails and roads, suitable surfaces, resting and parking places in purposeful locations.