Route planning for harvest site access

Route planning and development for operational forest harvesting is an important component of the forest management process. The need for an efficient and low-cost transportation network is significant, as it is likely to dictate or impact the profitability of a particular management plan. Approaches for automating or aiding the road planning process are essential. This paper discusses one interpretation of this planning problem and provides a formal mathematical specification of the problem. This research contributes to the further development of analytical methods for addressing operational forest planning and management.