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TRACS Trail Assessment & Condition Surveys User Guide 2011

TRACS is an organized approach for collecting and updating field data on trail conditions and the work needed to meet standard.

by USDA Forest Service

TRACS is an organized approach for collecting and updating field data on trail conditions and the work needed to meet standard. A TRACS survey consists of three basic components:

• Inventory: Accurate identification of basic information about the trail and constructed features along the trail, including key dimensional information, material type, and quantities.
• Assessment: Objective evaluation of the current condition of the trail and constructed features, compared against Trail National Quality Standards and trail specific expectations outlined in Trail Management Objectives (TMO).
• Prescription: Systematic identification and assignment of tasks needed to meet standard and the TMO.

By methodically incorporating inventory, assessment, and trail prescription in each survey, TRACS surveyors leave the field with an accurate, useful, and consistently collected set of data
that can be used for a wide variety of purposes.

TRACS compliments the Infra Trails portion of the Forest Service’s corporate database by providing trail-specific field data needed for program management and planning. By incorporating a common set of terminology, business rules, data fields, and standard trail specifications and drawings, TRACS and Infra Trails help maximize efficiency and consistency in trails data management.

The completion of trail condition surveys is an on-going process agency-wide, with the goal of developing a complete trails inventory, and subsequently updating trails data on a recurring, sustainable schedule.

Published May 2011

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