An Alaska Trail Manager’s Perspective
Proper management of off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails is one of the most important tasks for trail managers today.
Proper management of off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails is one of the most important tasks for trail managers today. In 2004, former Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth identified unmanaged recreation as one of the Four Threats to the Nation’s forests and grasslands. His example cited the nearly tenfold growth in popularity of OHV recreation in the preceding 30 years and indicated that even a small percentage of problem use can have a large cumulative impact.
The 10 elements of the management framework presented here will help OHV trail managers develop sustainable trails and protect the environment surrounding the trails. In addition, the framework will help OHV trail managers evaluate trail sustainability and develop OHV trail management programs that meet users’ needs and expectations. The framework provides a step-by-step approach to OHV trail management, incorporating sustainable design and management concepts with traditional trail management expertise and modern technological tools. The framework can be applied in part or in whole and applies whether you are constructing new trails or managing existing trail systems. The framework is helpful when you are initiating a management program for “orphan” trails—those trails that have never had any management whatsoever.
Published November 2013
To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
posted Sep 26, 2023
Adults living within a half mile of a park visit parks and exercise more often, but according to the 2014 State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, less than 38 percent of the U.S. population lives within a half mile of a park.
Guidelines for Managing and Restoring Natural Plant Communities along Trails and Waterways
posted Sep 18, 2023
These guidelines are designed to assist resource managers in conducting management activities that enhance the quality of natural plant communities, wildlife habitat, regional landscape integrity and visual quality, particularly as related to planning, development, and maintenance of trails, water trails, and water access sites.
Q&A: Trail Construction Costs, Risks, and Tips for Success
posted Aug 28, 2023
Q&A from the 2021 webinar Trail Construction Costs, Risks, and Tips for Success
Naugatuck River Greenway Trail Cost Estimates
posted Aug 28, 2023
The Naugatuck River Greenway (NRG) is an officially designated Connecticut State Greenway, consisting of the open and green spaces along the Naugatuck River. Greenways are corridors of open space that may protect natural resources or provide recreational opportunities, and typically follow a natural feature like a river or manmade features like a canal or disused rail bed.
