This ecological impact has been further intensified by insufficient funding to improve and decommission current roads. According to the NFS, the only viable alternative is to shut down many roads so that further ecological damage is not felt. This issue is not limited solely to ecological problems. Economics and policy are some major hurdles that the NFS must jump to maintain a long-term plan for road construction and nature conservation. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Chief of the NFS, Mike Dombeck, the public must understand the amount of time and money necessary to maintain roads.
Forest Roads help fulfill many social, economic and environmental objectives.
However, of all the things that we do on National Forests, road building leaves the most lasting imprint on the landscape. Roads are a long-term financial commitment, once built they must be maintained year after year. Dombeck further stated that the current 18 month moratorium of road construction in National Forests will be imposed until the American people and Congress are informed of necessary policy to maintain road systems. In short, they need more money or they will close roads to stay out of the red. Yet, it is interesting that they realize that roads are a long-term financial commitment, but failed to incorporate this thinking into the construction of our current NFS infrastructure.