Woodland - Spring 2013 - (Page 20)
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features
the three Ps for
a perfect path
To make the most
of your trail system,
keep the following
guidelines in mind:
• Prevent soil erosion
and disruption to
wetlands and other
sensitive areas.
• Protect water quality
and wildlife. Twentyfive percent of
America’s fresh water
flows from private
forests, and 60 percent of at-risk species
depend on these
forests for habitat.
• Plan who will use the
trail and incorporate
features that make it
appealing, such as a
reasonable grade and
points of interest.
20 woodland • Spring 2013
climbing they’re doing,” says Morton. “You
don’t want the climbs to be too tedious and
you want to be exhilarated on the downhills.
It’s important to have a series of climbs and
traverses to reduce the visual awareness of
the ascent. You want to keep people dancing
through the woods by creating diversions.”
This desire to disguise the climb is a reason why logging roads and skid roads tend to
make poor recreational routes. They take the
most direct route through a forest, designed
to get timber out as efficiently as possible.
It’s a common notion among those who log
their land to simply use the network of roads
that already exist. While these roads might
be suitable for hiking, a trail constructed with
hikers in mind will keep users more inspired
and entertained.
“It’s always possible to incorporate existing woods roads into a trail system, but it
might mean configuring or linking them in
ways that aren’t obvious,” says Morton. “You
want to have a fun, technically stimulating
trail. You might climb 30 yards on a logging road, then create a traverse to a gentle
switchback, then go back on the logging
road again. To make a trail for pedestrians,
it’s better to incorporate more traverses on
the climbs and break up the descents with
S turns.”
Morton also suggests having people travel
in one direction. “It can be safer, such as on
a loop with a slope that makes an exhilarating descent but is challenging to climb,” says
Morton. “Going in one direction is particularly important with shared-use trails. If
people are going both ways, it can create danger points, particularly if you have mountain
bikers, horses or others that are not hikers
on the same path.”
places to avoid
Planning a trail should take into consideration more than just topography. Places to
avoid include wetlands, buffer areas beside
lakes and streams, and habitat of threatened or endangered species, both plants and
animals. That said, a properly designed trail
can enhance the sustainability of your land.
A trail determines where people wander and
discourages random bushwhacking, which
aids conservation initiatives and makes your
property more wildlife friendly.
“I was putting in a trail that was supposed
to traverse an old gravel pit,” recalls Morton. “It turned out to be one of only three
places in New England where fringed gentian
grows. Ironically, fringed gentian only grows
in old, disturbed areas. We ended up designing the trail so hikers could view it and learn
about it, but not intrude. Trails can better
protect sensitive areas.”
According to Riter, you can put a trail almost anywhere. “The number one limitation
is wetlands,” he says. “The permitting hoops
for trails through wetlands can be prohibitive. Putting a trail through dry woods is a
third the cost. You would be amazed how
steep the terrain can be and still have a trail,
but whether you do or not depends on how
much money you want to spend. It also
depends on your expectations for the land. If
you plan to harvest timber in an area in five
years, then you might save trail cutting there
for Phase Two.”
commitment
Once you’ve put in trails, you’ll need to
maintain them. The amount of upkeep
required depends on who uses the paths. If
your goal is to host mountain bikers who ride
daily on your property, be prepared for more
maintenance, as mountain bikes cause more
wear on a trail than hiking boots. However,
most properly designed trails don’t require a
lot of attention.
“There’s no such thing as a maintenancefree trail,” says Riter, “but if the trail is
designed correctly, maintenance should be
minimal—mainly keeping vegetation clear.
It will grow back. Over time, berms and cups
may form that also need repair.”
When Riter puts in a trail, he works
around trees that are six inches in diameter
or bigger, clears the understory below 15 feet
and trims three feet on either side of the
trail. He also puts in “grade dips” rather than
waterbars ( low berms angling across the
trail that direct water off the path) to control
run-off.
“If the trail undulates up and down, it creates natural drainage,” says Riter. “The trend
is away from structures like water bars, to
minimize maintenance.”
“Hiking trails are subject to the natural
evolution of the forest,” says Morton. “You
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Woodland - Spring 2013
Woodland - Spring 2013
Contents
Overstory
On the Ground
Faith and Forestry
Take a Hike!
Tools and Resources
Forests and Families
Woodland - Spring 2013
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