Partnerships Help National Forests Maintain Roads

Innovative, nontraditional road maintenance partnerships are helping Road Managers build, maintain and decommission roads; repair and replace culverts and bridges; brush roadsides; and address a backlog of other projects.

Partnerships range from major watershed collaborations to agreements with local volunteer groups. Whether simple or complex, partnerships help Forests:

• Accomplish road work that would otherwise not be done.
• Leverage scarce road maintenance funds.
• Decrease future maintenance costs.
• Contribute to watershed health.
• Provide opportunities to reach out to local communities and other stakeholders.

Some partners are willing to contribute because they have an interest in the health of forests and watersheds. Some partners use Forest roads for access to their own activities on public lands. And some participate because road maintenance projects help them train others in these types of activities.

On this web page we feature short case studies of a wide variety of partnerships. Each case study includes contact information and keys to success to help you begin the process of developing your own road maintenance partnerships.

Lessons learned

• Road managers, forest engineers and partners develop the basic vision for a partnership, but committed, flexible contracting officers and/or partnership coordinators are vital for working out the details.
• Partnerships can take awhile to get off the ground. Having the same staff work on the partnership all the way through the process can keep it from languishing.
• The Road Manager’s close attention to planning, coordination and follow-through makes projects run smoothly and assures future collaborations.
• Forest Engineers and Road Managers who tie partnerships and funding requests to existing Forest travel management plans and road assessments can demonstrate credibility to partners and funders, and save time in developing a list of projects.
• Partners are often able to accomplish more than the original vision. Having extra projects on the shelf allows partners to keep on working and accomplish more for the forest.

	Coalition Spearheads Spring Creek Watershed Restoration Working through a newly formed watershed coalition, the Allegheny National Forest and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy reconstructed portions of two forest roads and removed fish passage barriers in order to improve riparian and in-stream habitat along Spring Creek. Printable version (PDF 118KB)
	Working with a Hang Gliding Club to a Maintain Forest Road A Forest road is used by the local hang-gliding association to access their mountaintop launch site. Twice in the last ten years, the Forest and the Association have collaborated to provide maintenance for the road, which is a lower priority in the Forest’s annual road maintenance plan. Printable version (PDF 62KB)
	Roads to Success for Sediment Reduction—Working with a Fisheries Enhancement Group The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association worked together to identify forest roads in the Nooksack Watershed that were delivering sediment to important salmon-bearing streams, and secured major funding to treat 37.5 road miles. Printable version (PDF 131KB)
	Forests Partner with Tribe for Dynamic Watershed Restoration The Clearwater and Nez Perce National Forests and the Nez Perce Tribe began cooperative watershed restoration projects in 1996 after devastating winter floods cut off access to the forest. Together, they have treated hundreds of miles of road and nearly 100 barrier culverts. Printable version (PDF 135KB)
	Travel Management Plan Leverages Funds for Road Decommissioning Based on a District-wide travel management plan, the Medicine Bow National Forest has begun decommissioning 292 miles of unnecessary and undesirable roads and OHV trails in the Eastern Snowy Range. Working with National Forest allocations, significant grant funds, and in-kind services and support from partners, in 2008 Laramie Ranger District decommissioned over six times the entire Forest’s prior annual average road decommissioning accomplishment. Printable version (PDF 100KB)
	Border Patrol Maintains Forest Roads Used in Patrol Work The U.S. Border Patrol is the primary user of Forest roads near the U.S.-Mexico border, where they patrol for illegal activities. Working with the Army National Guard and Army Reserves, the Border Patrol maintains these roads according to Forest Service standards. Printable version (PDF 41KB)
	Collaborative Partnership Provides “Road Map” for Road Remediation The Olympic National Forest works in partnership with the Skokomish Watershed Action Team—a diverse group of stakeholders who collaborate to fund and implement road treatments that improve water quality and sedimentation problems in the upper South Fork Skokomish Watershed. The Forest also works with the Skokomish Tribe on road remediation in the upper watershed. Printable version (PDF 133KB)
	Using Volunteers to Close Roads in the Coconino National Forest In 2006, 2007, and 2008, with the aid of volunteers from the Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, the Mogollon Rim Ranger District closed approximately 22.9 miles of forest roads by using “soft-closure” techniques to disguise road entrances. Printable version (PDF 137KB)
	OHV Clubs “Step up to the Plate” for San Bernardino National Forest Adopt-a-Trail Program Two hundred miles of 4-wheel drive roads and OHV trails in the San Bernardino National Forest receive regular maintenance through the forest’s Adopt-a-Trail Program—a partnership with OHV clubs and the nonprofit San Bernardino National Forest Association. Printable version (PDF 165KB)
	North Country Connector Road Partnership: A Conservation Winner for Public Agencies and Recreation A public/private watershed coalition spearheaded planning for environmental improvements to a 5.7-mile forest road. When finished, the upgraded, gated road will provide service access to Allegheny National Forest, Chapman State Park, and Pennsylvania State game lands. The road will also serve as a major non-motorized recreational trail and will improve cold water fisheries and aquatic biodiversity. Printable version (PDF 109KB)
	Partner Contributions Make it Possible to Install the Right Structure The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest created a partnership to fund a fish-friendly stream crossing at Morgan Creek on an existing Forest road. The new crossing protects aquatic species, provides for high-clearance and off-highway vehicles, and assures access for future timber sales. Printable version (PDF 118KB)
	Boy Scout Council Helps Maintain Forest Road Serving Scout Camp A local Boy Scouts of America Council provides funding for magnesium chloride application on a Forest road serving a Scout camp located within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.  Printable version (PDF 52KB)
	Forest Roads Benefit from National Guard Training Exercises The Black Hills National Forest hosts annual and monthly training exercises for Army National Guard soldiers. The soldiers accomplish a variety of road maintenance tasks on Forest roads as part of their training. Printable version (PDF 149KB)
	Dam Re-licensing Agreement Provides Road Restoration Fund The fisheries component of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project re-licensing agreement provided funds for Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to leverage additional funds, which allowed it to treat low-volume roads and reduce sediment delivery to streams. Printable version (PDF 134KB)
	Clearwater Stewardship Contract Opens the Door to Road Maintenance A successful stewardship contract with a local lumber products manufacturer allowed the Lolo National Forest to complete in two seasons more road-related, on-the-ground work than would normally be accomplished in ten years. Printable version (PDF 60KB)
	Forest Works with Fisheries Group to Replace Culverts The Medicine Bow National Forest was able to replace a pair of old culverts with a single bottomless arch through a partnership with Platte Valley Chapter, Trout Unlimited. The old culverts were causing bank erosion at both the inlets and outlets in addition to creating impediments to fish passage during base flows. The Forest provided equipment and crews, and Trout Unlimited purchased the culvert. Printable version (PDF 183KB)
	Paving Company “Paves the Way” for Repairing Asphalt National Paving Company donated labor, equipment and materials to crack-fill and chip-seal badly deteriorated paved surfaces in two Forest parking areas and a recreational path in the popular Big Bear Lake area. California Land Management, the campground concessionaire, paid for the services of a professional striping contractor. Printable version (PDF 62KB)
	Roads to Success for Sediment Reduction—Working with County Conservation Districts Working in partnership with county conservation districts, the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie drew on the districts’ soil and water conservation mission to help the Forest address a road maintenance backlog and begin implementing watershed recovery. Printable version (PDF 118KB)
	Correctional Camps Provide Roadside Brush-clearing Two correctional camps for youthful offenders provide roadside brush-clearing for the Cleveland National Forest. Printable version (PDF 81KB)

NOTE of APPRECIATION….

Thanks to all who contributed time, stories and photos of their successes, to share and inspire others. Shelley Kirk-Rudeen developed the stories to help these projects come to life. San Dimas Technology and Development Center and FS Grant Strategists joined together to complete this project.

Have a Roads Maintenance Partnership Story that you would like to submit?
Contact Carlos Garcia at: carlosgarcia@fs.fed.us