Date post: | 14-Jul-2015 |
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TRAIL CLOSURE
METHODS
M. Snodgrass & J. KellerVolunteers for Outdoor Arizona
www.VOAz.org
From time to time, for a variety of reasons, it will be necessary to close
trails. Whether it’s because a land management agency issues a
directive due to environmental concerns, or poor initial trail design, or
any number of other factors, trail closures can be categorized as either
Temporary or Permanent.
The processes for either type of trail closure will differ significantly.
Careful planning and an assessment of likely consequences should be
conducted in all instances. Let’s take a look at what’s involved with
both temporary and permanent trail closures.
Trail Closure
Temporary trail closures can occur for myriad reasons:
1. Bird Nesting and/or seasonal breeding
2. Weather Conditions
3. New Construction and/or Maintenance
4. Dangerous Situations, such as extreme erosion or wildlife
encounters
Temporary Trail Closures
Temporary Closure Methods
Several methods of enacting
Temporary Closures exist:
1. Fences and Gates
2. Signage
3. Natural or Man-made
Barriers
Factors such as topography,
popularity of the trail, and a
good understanding of the trail
users should also be taken into
account.
“Area Closed”, Phoenix, AZ
Signage for Temporary Closure
Signage
Signage is an advantageous method when used correctly:
If a bee hive has taken up residence along a trail, signage can readily
alert users to the danger while also indicating the relatively short duration
for the closure.
Alternately, if a major landslide has obliterated a section of a popular trail
at a heavily-visited destination (as happened at Walnut Canyon National
Monument in 2010), signage will be unnecessary because of controlled
access and constant human presence.
In the backcountry and at other locations where frequent monitoring is unlikely,
signage may need to be augmented with the placing of obstacles such as logs,
boulders, or man-made implements to thwart determined users.
“For Soil & Wildlife Protection”, Sedona, AZ
Signage for Temporary Closure
Using the Appropriate Technique
Too often, Temporary Closure techniques are used as a
permanent solution for land reclamation – these are not
effective.
Poor Closure Technique
Poor Closure Technique
Poor Closure Technique
Poor Closure Techniqe
Temporary Closure Techniques used for
Permanent Closures
Temporary Closure Techniques used for
Permanent Closures
Permanent trail closures are needed for various reasons, including:
1. Renegade Trails
2. Trail Re-routes
3. Reclamation of Damaged Land/Area
Regardless of the reason, the methods used to permanently remove a
trail are much different than those for temporary closures.
Permanent Trail Closures
Closing Trails
Closing social and retired trails involves
blocking physical access and masking old
routes from trail users, especially those
who have used a particular trail in the past.
Rehabilitation of a landscape impacted by
a trail contributes to the closure effort, but
the primary concern is long term recovery
of the land, and control of erosion
associated with a closed trail.
Restoration Candidates
Candidates for restoration or reclamation include:
fire lines
permanently closed hiking trails
shortcuts across switchbacks
secondary trails across meadows
inappropriate campsites
riparian areas left bare by trampling or overgrazing
Successful closure of a trail begins with planning. Determine objectives ahead of
time to allow the best methods of closure to be identified and implemented.
Successful Restoration
If trails are to be permanently removed, the area may be reclaimed to
achieve the most natural results possible. Each site should be individually
assessed for its potential to be rehabilitated.
Generally speaking, successful restoration (rehab) includes:
Closure
Stabilization
Re-contouring
Re-vegetation
Monitoring
Restoration
Restoration can be as simple as blocking a closed section of trail and
passively allowing the vegetation to recover, or include more complex
projects, such as removing any trace of the tread, actively planting native
vegetation, and constructing check dams to help stop erosion.
Careful monitoring of a restored section of trail is then needed to ensure that
little evidence remains of the old trail.
Simply Blocking the Closed Trail
Before After
Closure
The closing of a trail is achieved through various means including:
o camouflage
o placement of permanent obstacles either man-made or natural
o using native plants to screen the old trail
If a trail intersects other trails that will continue to be in use, then these
intersections will define the boundaries of the closed trail and must be given
special attention.
Rehabilitation of these intersections should be done in such a way as to
discourage users from choosing the old, closed trail.
Walk carefully along the open trail where it meets the closed trail to
determine the best approach for thwarting would-be users.
Re-contouring & Stabilization
To begin closure it is necessary to break down the old tread. Trails result in
compacted soils, which must be be remedied by using hand tools such as a
Pulaski or the hoe end of a mattock to scarify or loosen/rip the trail bed.
Don’t turn the soil over. Pull loose soil and rock from the uphill side down
onto the old tread. If the old tread is rutted and will carry water onto the new
tread or cause erosion, create dips that will safely drain the old tread.
If the former tread has been eroded, the area(s) should be treated to reduce
the process. There is a wide variety of methods for erosion control including
use of drain dips, natural material wattles, single rock dams, zuni bowls, etc.
Breaking down the old tread using hand tools to scarify or loosen the trail
bed.
Scarification
Re-contouring & Stabilization (cont.)
Soils from the sides of the tread (berm and/or slough) can be raked into the
former tread. This blending will aid in the reestablishment of the desert
pavement.
Scarification will aid in aeration of the soil, improve moisture penetration, and
allow native fauna to reestablish. Place limbs and small branches on an old
tread after it is scarified. This creates a microenvironment in which seeds
may sprout and plants gain a foothold.
If available, seeds from native fauna can be sown into the loosened soil, or
native plants can be transplanted into the area.
Larger rocks, native plant debris, and duff can be placed on top of the new
desert pavement to further disguise/camouflage the tread.
Re-vegetation
Add barrier plants to discourage users. Catclaw and New Mexico locust are
good choices because of their annoying profusion of spines, but they should
not be planted so close to legitimate trails that the plants become a
maintenance problem.
A Pulaski is a good tool for grubbing and replanting barrier vegetation.
1. Prune stems to six inches before digging
2. Trim roots beyond the ball. This allows plants to devote their energy to
setting new roots rather than supporting topside growth.
3. Set the plants in sunlight, if possible, and in patterns designed to
achieve maximum coverage.
Re-vegetation (cont.)
4. Each plant should be set within a small basin shaped to trap water.
5. Press the soil down firmly after the plant is inserted.
6. Water the plantings if possible during rainy seasons.
Cholla balls and prickly pear pads can regenerate when placed in contact
with the soil in a small water-retaining depression.
o Prickly pear pads should be allowed to sit exposed to air for 2-24 hours
before replanting.
o If not and there is rainfall soon after transplanting, they may absorb
more moisture than they can handle.
o Scoop out the surface to retain rainfall at the contact point.
Camouflage
To further reclaim the area and discourage users from entering,
screening with large objects (rocks, logs, and dead or living native
plants) can break up the line-of-sight of the former trail. One such
method is to stand dead plants in a vertical stance (vertical deadfall).
It should not be possible to see any resemblance to a passable trail
from anywhere on the intersecting legitimate trail. While a natural-
looking, impenetrable barrier is ideal, go for obstruction over aesthetics
if a choice must be made. If it works, users will accept the new route
and any ugliness should fade over time.
“Vertical deadfall” is used to break the line-of-site of a former trail.
Camouflage
To discourage users from using the old trail, large rocks have been used to
break up the line-of-sight of the former trail.
Camouflage
Permanent Trail Closure
Example of Permanent Trail Closure
(Time lapse plays automatically. To contol, simple hover over the slideshow)
Trail Reroute, Phoenix Preserve, Arizona
Desert Landscapes
Rehabilitation of desert landscapes is difficult. Bringing the terrain back to a
prior “undisturbed” condition may be impractical.
o Desert shrubs are usually impossible to transplant because they need
watering for up to a year.
o Don’t attempt to transplant acacia, mesquite, nor ironwood. These
trees depend on taproots, which are usually at least double the height
of the tree.
o Fortunately, many desert trees generated from seeds that are already
present will grow fairly rapidly.
o Cactus may be successfully transplanted as long as you preserve the
original orientation to the sun.
Complete the Closure
Restoration and
reclamation are
fruitless
undertakings
unless the impact
that caused the
trail damage in the
first place is
prevented from
recurring.
To complete the closure, the respective land manager should
remove the former trail from maps, websites, brochures, and
signs.