Resource road engineering publications and permits

Last updated: March 7, 2023

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Technical personnel who carry out operations on natural resource roads should have knowledge of the various road administration, construction and usage standards that apply in British Columbia.

Information, manuals, permits and other important publications are provided here.

Ministry of Forests Engineering Manual

Find information related to the administration, design, construction, maintenance and deactivation of forest resource roads, and Forest Service roads and bridges funded by the B.C. government.

Engineering Manual

Ministry of Forests​ Bridge Guidelines, Standards and Specifications

Bridge Guidelines, Standards and Specs

Retaining walls

Road permit transition

The Forestry Revitalization Act reduced harvesting rights of the major licensees in timber supply areas and tree farm licences. When a licencee is exiting an area, timber reallocation makes most of the roads under that licensee's road permits surplus. Guidelines have been provided for planning and implementing road permit transition in timber reallocation areas.

Recommended business processes should be followed in the Forest Tenure Administration (FTA) system for:

  • Converting a road permit section to an Forest Service Road branch
  • Retiring a road permit section
  • Transferring road permit section obligations to another industrial user

Flowcharts show the administrative procedure in the FTA system for ending or amending road permits under timber allocation:

Right-of-way access

While most Forest Service Roads (FSR) do not impact private land, there are situations where a road must cross private property. When this occurs, the B.C. Government establishes a FSR right-of-way. A right-of-way is a strip of land on which a FSR exists or will be constructed to provide access for approved logging operations.

Clean energy projects, including independent power producer (IPP) projects, may be proposed within or adjacent to an existing forest road right-of-way.

Cattleguards

Cattleguards are barriers used to prevent domestic animals and some wildlife from passing along roads, while allowing the passage of vehicles and pedestrians. Cattleguards on B.C.'s natural resource roads are typically made of steel.​

Forest Service Road closure gates

The ministry’s standard road closure gate drawings are new. Feedback on the fabrication, installation, and performance aspects of the gates can be submitted to the following email address for the ministry’s consideration: FLNREng.Branch@gov.bc.ca  

FPInnovations

FPInnovations is a not-for-profit scientific research organization that specializes in the creation of solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness. They provide research work through agreements with the BC Government. Following are some of the reports that they have provided for B.C. resource roads:

Wildfire

Fish passage

Dust stabilization