Forestland parcels in the Pacific Northwest often are not accessible by public roads alone. This means forest-land owners must frequently cross property owned by other parties, including private owners, tribes, and local, state, and federal governments. While informal agreements among landowners may provide quick and easy access, these agreements are generally terminable at will and are unlikely to be legally enforceable. Failure to obtain enforceable access rights can increase the cost of accessing forestlands, lead to litigation, or worse, make these lands inaccessible (except perhaps by air).

Originally published in the Western Forester in January/February/March 2018.