I am not sure about compaction compared to a tracked forester. Physics implies that tracked ones are better, for that, yes. But they rip up even more surface. I believe it is a question, how often the specific path has to be passed by by a forester.

"It's why only tracked harvesters driven by highly-paid fellers are allowed off the gravel."

And this is sadly not true for germany or other parts of europe I know about. I think I never saw a tracked forester in europe. Are they mandatory in the US? That would surprise me, given they have much more lax regulations in general (fracking for example)