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