Scree - April 10, 2011
Trail Construction and Maintenance Workshop
Trails are living facilities. Once constructed trails are always changing. If the trail is not constructed using sustainable practices; then the changes can be rapid.
The trail bring a means of passage into the wilds. Trail builders soon see that as soon as the trail is built, the forces of weather, gravity, and users begin eroding the path. The land tries to reclaim the invasive corridor. A well constructed trail resists nature's forces but the trail needs constant maintenance.
The workshop at Fall Creek Falls was designed to begin training a group of core volunteers and Park staff on trail maintenance. I was a volunteer. Mark Stanfill of the State Parks, taught trail building. We learned about inslopes and outslopes, contours and dips, grades, flows, and fall lines. We also learned that a lot of maintenance is nothing more than picking up litter and clipping back the encroaching vegetation.
Fall Creek Falls and all the other State Parks, National Parks, and Metro Parks need help maintaining their trails. Nancy Schelin taught us how to organize trail maintenance days.
If you as an individual or you as a member of a group, are looking for a service project, the parks have a lot of trails that need to be maintained.
