Impacts of modern mechanised skidding on the natural and cultural heritage of the Polish Carpathian Mountains

•LiDAR confirmed to be an adequate tool by which to map networks of logging roads under the tree canopy.•The density of logging roads in the Carpathians is among the highest reported in the literature.•Due to skidding, 5% of the forest analysed has had its surface topography altered.•Skidding now appears to be a bottleneck of sustainable forest management in the Carpathians.•Actions aimed at mapping and preserving the cultural heritage of forests are needed urgently.