Considerations for B.S.A. Councils
The sustainable management of ATV use is an expensive proposition requiring careful design, construction, and maintenance of ATV trails.
BSA Councils that are considering ATV programs should recognize that research has shown ATV’s to be one of the most environmentally impacting forms of recreational activity. The sustainable management of ATV use is an expensive proposition requiring careful design, construction, and maintenance of ATV trails. Tight regulation of ATV use, including the amount, locations, season, and riding behaviors is also critical. Most federal and state land management agencies have discovered that they lack the expertise, staffing, and funding to sustainably manage ATV opportunities. The BSA is likely less prepared to accommodate ATV riding without high levels of environmental degradation.
Published November 2008
Building a Permeable, Low Maintenance Recreational Trail Along a Shoreline
posted Apr 7, 2023
In 2009, the city of The Colony planned to build a recreational trail (10 foot-wide, 3.5 mile pathway) that would run along the lake’s shoreline, contouring to its natural shape and providing residents with a picturesque route for outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, and cycling. The city selected the GEOWEB® Soil Stabilization System due to its flexibility to conform to curves, surface permeability, and low maintenance design.
posted Jul 15, 2022
This research investigated the influence of several use-related, environmental, and managerial factors on soil loss on recreational trails and roads at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the U.S. National Park Service.
posted Jul 15, 2022
This research assessed the condition and sustainability of the trail system at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, a National Park Service unit that partners with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in the management of this unit.
The Influence of Layout on Appalachian Trail Soil Loss, Widening, and Muddiness
posted Jul 15, 2022
This research investigates the influence of layout and design on the severity of trail degradation.
