A good road network through the forest is expensive; nevertheless, it is essential to provide ready access for silvicultural activities and efficient harvesting and for firefighting. That is why road building and repair is the first activity listed in the sample five-year operational plan presented in Table 6. Logging operations are often blamed for stream pollution, erosion and siltation. Frequently, however, it is not the logging, but the roads built to carry out operations, that caused the damage.

A good road network is not always beneficial. Good roads can bring people to areas you may not want visited _ _ ecologically sensitive areas, wildlife breeding areas, spiritually or culturally significant sites. This is important to keep in mind when planning roads.

Plan your road network, preferably on paper first. Aerial photos and contour maps can help your planning. Consider the following when developing a road network: follow contour lines where possible, and try to keep grades to below 10 percent; keep away from depressions which may catch and hold water; avoid swamps and rock outcrops which can be trouble spots; minimize stream crossings; keep a distance from streams _ _ the distance will depend on the slope of the land; leave a "green belt" from the road to the stream to minimize erosion; include flat landings for loading logs onto trucks; avoid unstable soils which can cause erosion; and look for gravel deposits for use in road surfacing and culvert beds.

Construction standards should relate directly to projected use. Good engineering and construction can keep costs to acceptable levels. The proper timing of construction activities can reduce costs and environmental damage.

Road planning must also take into account maintenance requirements, including grading, ploughing and sand.

Building major roads requires specialized expertise to minimize harm to the environment, as well as heavy equipment. Consequently, First Nations often contract out road building and the design of culverts to qualified professionals. They stipulate the employment of First Nation members, where feasible, as part of these contracts.

A road-building contract can call for a finished roadway at a lump sum price, or for the job to be done at hourly rates that include manpower and equipment. Whichever format you choose, a clear contract drawn up by a lawyer, with technical specifications prepared by an engineer, is the best approach.

While some First Nations have road-construction experience and operate heavy machinery to do their own work, many more limit road activities to minor construction and regular maintenance by their own crews. They train some crew members to identify trouble spots _ _ potential flooding and erosion areas at culverts and steep grades _ _ others to check roads after heavy rains and heavy traffic, and still others to carry out springtime repairs such as checking and clearing all drainage structures. Most of this maintenance requires only hand tools, some gravel and a truck.

Often First Nation fire crews double as road maintenance crews, performing this work outside the fire hazard season or when they are on stand-by. These crews also contract out their services to the municipality, to hydro or housing developers and to federal or provincial parks. Here again, forestry development in the community has laid the foundation for employment off reserve, in jobs that are a spin-off from the community's forestry operations.

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