1. 1. TRAIL CLOSUREMETHODS Volunteers for Outdoor ArizonaM. Snodgrass & J. Keller www.VOAz.org
2. 2. Trail ClosureFrom time to time, for a variety of reasons, it will be necessary to closetrails. Whether its because a land management agency issues adirective due to environmental concerns, or current trail conditions, orany number of other factors, trail closures can be categorized as eitherTemporary or Permanent.The processes for either type of trail closure will differ significantly.Careful planning and an assessment of likely consequences should beconducted in all instances. Lets take a look at whats involved withboth temporary and permanent trail closures.
3. 3. A Note on Desert LandscapesReclamation of desert landscapes is difficult. Bringing the terrain back to aprior undisturbed condition may be impractical. o Desert shrubs are usually impossible to transplant because they need watering for up to a year. o Dont attempt to transplant acacia, mesquite, nor ironwood. These trees depend on taproots, which are usually at least double the height of the tree. o Fortunately, many desert trees generated from seeds that are already present will grow fairly rapidly. o Cactus may be successfully transplanted as long as you preserve the original orientation to the sun.
4. 4. Temporary Trail ClosuresTemporary trail closures can occur for myriad reasons, including: 1. Bird Nesting and/or seasonal breeding 2. Weather Conditions 3. New Construction and/or Maintenance 4. Dangerous Situations, such as extreme erosion or wildlifeencounters
5. 5. Temporary Closure MethodsSeveral methods of enactingTemporary Closures exist: 1. Fences and Gates 2. Signage 3. Natural or Man-madeBarriersFactors such as topography,popularity of the trail, and agood understanding of the trailusers should also be taken intoaccount.
6. 6. SignageSignage is an advantageous method when used correctly: If a bee hive has taken up residence along a trail, signage can readily alert users to the danger while also indicating the relatively short duration for the closure. Alternately, if a major landslide has obliterated a section of a popular trail at a heavily-visited destination (as happened at Walnut Canyon National Monument in 2010), signage will be unnecessary because of controlled access and constant human presence.
7. 7. Signage (cont.)In the backcountry and at otherlocations where frequentmonitoring is unlikely, signage mayneed to be augmented with theplacing of obstacles such as logs,boulders, or man-made implementsto thwart determined users.
8. 8. Using the Appropriate TechniqueToo often, Temporary Closure techniques are used as apermanent solution for land reclamation these are noteffective.
9. 9. Poor Closure Technique
10. 10. Poor Closure Technique
11. 11. Temporary Closure Techniques used forPermanent Closures
12. 12. Temporary Closure Techniques used forPermanent Closures
13. 13. Permanent Trail ClosuresPermanent trail closures are needed for various reasons, including: 1. Renegade, Social, Unofficial, and Unauthorized Trails 2. Trail Re-routes 3. Reclamation of Damaged Land/AreaRegardless of the reason, the methods used to permanently remove atrail are much different than those for temporary closures.
14. 14. Closing TrailsClosing social and retired trails involvesblocking physical access and masking oldroutes from trail users, especially thosewho have used a particular trail in the past.Reclamation of a landscape impacted by atrail contributes to the closure effort, but theprimary concern is long term recovery ofthe land, and control of erosion associatedwith a closed trail.
15. 15. Reclamation CandidatesCandidates for reclamation or rehabilitation include: fire lines permanently closed hiking trails shortcuts across switchbacks secondary trails across meadows inappropriate campsites riparian areas left bare by trampling or overgrazingSuccessful closure of a trail begins with planning. Determine objectives ahead oftime to allow the best methods of closure to be identified and implemented.
16. 16. Successful ReclamationIf trails are to be permanently removed, the area may be reclaimed toachieve the most natural results possible. Each site should be individuallyassessed for its potential to be rehabilitated.Generally speaking, successful reclamation (rehabilitation) includes: 1. Scarification 2. Soil Blending 3. Erosion Control, if necessary 4. Camouflage with native materials 5. Screening, if necessary
17. 17. ReclamationReclamation can be as simple as blocking a closed section of trail andpassively allowing the vegetation to recover, or include more complexprojects, such as removing any trace of the tread, actively planting nativevegetation, and constructing check dams to help stop erosion.Careful monitoring of a reclaimed section of trail is then needed to ensurethat little evidence remains of the old trail.
18. 18. Simply Blocking the Closed TrailUse native materials to completely block both visually and physically anytrace of the former trail.Before After
19. 19. Reclamation ProjectsThe closing of a trail is achieved through various means including: o camouflage o placement of permanent obstacles either man-made or natural o using native vegetation (living or dead) to screen the old trailIf a trail intersects other trails that will continue to be in use, then theseintersections will define the boundaries of the closed trail and must be givenspecial attention.Reclamation of these intersections should be done in such a way as todiscourage users from choosing the old, closed trail.Walk carefully along the open trail where it meets the closed trail todetermine the best approach for thwarting would-be users.
20. 20. Scarification & Soil BlendingTo begin closure it is necessary to break down the old tread. Trails result incompacted soils, which must be be remedied by using hand tools such as a picks orthe hoe end of a mattock to scarify or loosen/rip the trail bed.Dont turn the soil over. Pull loose soil and rock from the uphill side and any bermsonto the tread and blend to replicate native soils in the immediate area. If the oldtread is rutted and will carry water onto the new tread or cause erosion, create dipsthat will safely drain the old tread.If the former tread has been eroded, the area(s) should be treated to reduce theprocess. There is a wide variety of methods for erosion control including use ofdrain dips, natural material wattles, single rock dams, zuni bowls, etc.
21. 21. ScarificationBreakingdown the oldtread usinghand toolsto scarify orloosen thetrail bed.
22. 22. Scarification & Soil Blending (cont.)The blending of soils from the sides of the tread (berm and/or slough) will aidin the reestablishment of the desert pavement.Scarification will aid in aeration of the soil, improve moisture penetration, andallow native fauna to reestablish. Place limbs and small branches on an oldtread after it is scarified. This creates a microenvironment in which seedsmay sprout and plants gain a foothold.If available, seeds from native fauna can be sown into the loosened soil, ornative plants can be transplanted into the area.Larger rocks, native plant debris, and duff can be placed on top of the newdesert pavement to further disguise/camouflage the tread.
23. 23. CamouflageAdd barrier plants to discourage users. Catclaw and New Mexico locust aregood choices because of their annoying profusion of spines, but they shouldnot be planted so close to legitimate trails that the plants become amaintenance problem.Mattocks and Picks are a good tools for grubbing and replanting barriervegetation.
24. 24. CamouflageTodiscourageusers fromusing the oldtrail, largerocks andnativevegetationhave beenused tobreak up theline-of-sightof the formertrail.
25. 25. ScreeningTo further reclaim the area and discourage users from entering,screening with large objects (rocks, logs, and dead or living nativeplants) can break up the line-of-sight of the former trail. One suchmethod is to stand dead plants in a vertical stance (vertical deadfall).It should not be possible to see any resemblance to a passable trailfrom anywhere on the intersecting legitimate trail. While a natural-looking, impenetrable barrier is ideal, go for obstruction over aestheticsif a choice must be made. Users will accept the new route and anyugliness should fade over time.
26. 26. Screening with Vertical DeadfallVerticaldeadfall isused tobreak theline-of-siteof a formertrail.
27. 27. Permanent Trail ClosureExample ofPermanentTrailClosure(Time lapse playsautomatically. To contol,simple hover over theslideshow)Trail Reroute,Phoenix Preserve,Arizona
28. 28. Complete the Closure To complete the closure, the respective land manager should remove the former trail from maps, websites, brochures, and signs.Reclamation andRehabilitation arefruitlessundertakingsunless the impactthat caused thetrail damage in thefirst place isprevented fromrecurring.