Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOREST ENGINEERING, cilt.2026, sa.3, ss.1-14, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
In ecosystem-based forest management, forest roads are expected to support ecological integrity alongside economic, social, and technical functions. However, conventional cost-oriented evaluations often fail to capture this multidimensional performance. This study evaluates the functional efficiency of forest roads using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) framework integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This study aims to develop a multidimensional efficiency assessment framework to support forest road planning while minimizing adverse impacts on sensitive natural areas, including biodiversity corridors, water resources, and protected forest zones. Four functional scenarios were considered: ecological, economic, social, and technical. Thirty forest roads located in the Maçka Forest Sub-District Directorates (Türkiye) were analyzed as Decision Making Units (DMUs) using an input-oriented CCR DEA model. Scenario-specific input and output variables were derived from GIS-based spatial analyses and field measurements. Twenty-one variables were quantified via GIS models and eighteen variables via field surveys, reflecting terrain, geometry, environmental sensitivity, and accessibility. The results reveal clear functional contrasts among road segments. In the ecological scenario, 24 out of 30 roads (80.0%) were classified as efficient, followed by the economic scenario with 22 efficient roads (73.3%). Technical and social scenarios exhibited lower proportions of efficient roads, with 17 (56.7%) and 14 (46.7%) efficient roads, respectively. Ecologically efficient roads were associated with stable terrain, lower landslide occurrence, and stronger forest connectivity. Economically efficient roads showed appropriate spacing and limited surface deformation, while technical efficiency was mainly linked to compliance with geometric standards. This DEA-GIS framework supports function-oriented decision making in forest road planning.