Four E's of Protecting Access

Proven Formula to Protect Access and Save Trails

By Del Albright

Saving (and sustaining) a trail system, protecting access and keeping our off-pavement motorsports alive and well boils down to a proven formula: Engineering, Education, Enlisting and Enforcement. In the simplest of terms, that means 1) design it right; 2) let people know the rules and how to help; 3) get involvement from as many and varied users as you can; and 4) use trail patrols and if needed, law enforcement officers to ensure the rules are followed. 

I am borrowing from the fire service all over the country with their fire prevention programs that rely on the three E's -- Engineering, Education and Enforcement.  In fire prevention, you design (engineer) a building, house or sub-division in such a way as to minimize the chances of fire.  You then educate folks about preventing fires with signs, letters, commercials, school programs and whatever it takes.  Then, if that doesn't work, you bust people with tickets for not complying and thereby jeopardizing not only themselves, but their neighbors.

Here are many of the components of the formula for you to add into your efforts for protecting access.

Engineering:

Risk Management Assessment

Water control and runoff

Water crossings (hardening)

Soil stability

Rolling dips, waterbars and other erosion/sediment control devices

Gabions and other rock structures to strengthen and harden trail surfaces

Vegetation (as a soil stabilizing factor)

Grade, or slope; out slope/in slope

Rider conflicts and user needs

Good inventory of all routes and trails

Loop trails/roads where possible

Monitoring, with data collection to meet agency needs and trail future

Education:

Signage to ensure rules are known and "stay the trail" is in effect

Brochures and handouts (tap into TreadLightly! RIDE ON, and other programs already out there)

Check in, kiosks, permits

Web page/forums and user meetings as needed
Develop and share trail "code of ethics" like those of BlueRibbon Coalition (www.sharetrails.org)

Enlisting:

Getting volunteers (users, agencies, businesses) involved

Volunteer training to ensure leadership and effeciency

Leadership development and on-going training

Adopt a trail programs with agencies and land owners

Organized segmented layout for easy adoption/maintenance

Publication of volunteer efforts

Application for grants using volunteer hours
Developing advocacy talents within the volunteer ranks

Enforcement:

Grant for LEO or security/cops

Rules well posted.

Warning system

Well-advertised

Volunteer trail patrol

Published activities and successes of enforcement as needed

As always, I suggest you belong to and check with past successes of your national, regional and state associations to see how this formula might have already been applied to your area.

If you apply the elements of this formula to protecting access, my 30+ years of landuse (and fire service) tell me we will all have a better and more sustainable trail future!

Del 

Download article here for ohv-friendly organizations/folks:
http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/four_es_of_access.html