For trails to be considered “sustainable” they must meet these recreational needs while providing adequate protection to the environment while minimizing trail maintenance.
Trails act as the primary transportation network for roadless portions of protected natural areas. They
encourage the public to get out and enjoy natural settings without harming them. For trails to be considered
“sustainable” they must meet these recreational needs while providing adequate protection to the
environment while minimizing trail maintenance. Poorly designed trails require frequent maintenance and
are often susceptible to excessive erosion, muddiness, and tread widening. Poorly designed trails are also
less enjoyable and less safe to hike due to these impacts and to steep grades.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail: Trail Stewardship Notebook
posted Mar 27, 2024
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail (NST) is a thousand-mile footpath highlighting Wisconsin’s renowned Ice Age heritage and scenic beauty. The Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA) and its partners can shape users’ experiences. As stewards of the land and the Trail, we can help users develop a connection with the land and create a sense of wonder — even pique their curiosity enough to further explore the Trail.
posted Nov 25, 2023
This white paper provides collected best practices on winter bikeway maintenance as seen in US cities and around the world. The paper covers snow removal from bikeways, different types of de-icing surface applications and their advantages/disadvantages, and best practices for winter maintenance prioritization and scheduling. The paper also includes a brief discussion on innovative winter maintenance techniques either in use or in development.
Winter Maintenance Resource Guide
posted Nov 25, 2023
Who is responsible for winter maintenance—property owners or government agencies—and what are the challenges?
Environmentally Sustainable Trail Management
posted Jul 15, 2022
This guide considers the environmental impacts of particular activities, viz., hiking and camping, off road vehicles and recreational boats, as well as impacts specific to certain ecosystems.
1,775 views • posted 07/15/2022
