filed under: maintenance best practices
Trails research can help support trail management decision-making and funding by providing objective, quantitative information describing trail users, their numbers and demographics, preferences, and economic expenditures.
by Jeffrey Marion, Ph.D., Federal Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey
Trails research can help support trail management decision-making and funding by providing objective, quantitative information describing trail users, their numbers and demographics, preferences, and economic expenditures. Sometimes knowledge of trail-related use, demand, and expenditures can make or break decisions regarding the funding of new trails and related facilities. While not common, these types of studies are occasionally conducted and used for these purposes. Less common are studies oriented to examining or improving trail sustainability, including various types of trail resource surveys. This handout focuses on these last two issues, though the conclusions point to a need for all types of trails research.
Published July 2022
Jeff Marion is a Federal Scientist with the US Geological Survey, and is based out of Virginia Tech as an Adjunct Professor. His research specialty is Recreation Ecology, in which he investigates the environmental impacts of visitor use in protected natural areas, primarily national parks. His research has focused on visitor impacts to trails and campsites and the development of sustainable “Best Management Practices.” He was a founding member of the Leave No Trace Board of Directors, chaired the committee that guided development of the Leave No Trace principles and practices, and authored the LNT Center’s official book “Leave No Trace in the Outdoors.”
Contact: [email protected]
National Park Service − Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program
This publication is designed to inform the reader about the services provided by the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.
Recreational Trails Program Highlight: Tennessee State Parks Tires to Trails Program
Tennessee State Parks Win National Award for Tires to Trails Program
Recreational Trails Program Highlight: Brighton Park, Ohio
Brighton Park, formerly the Henninger Landfill, was a construction and demolition debris landfill in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland that ceased operation in the 1980s.
Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona Crew Leader Manual
This manual has been written to aid crew leaders working with trail work volunteers. It assumes the following priorities, in order of importance, for every volunteer trail work event: 1) Safety, 2) Enjoyment, 3) Quality product, 4) Productivity.
