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October 1998
According to the 1996 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, Maine is fourth in the nation for the proportion of residents who call themselves wildlife watchers. Forty six per cent of Mainers define themselves in this way.
Trails take us through the natural world and provide opportunity to observe wildlife. Trails can be wonderful, or they can destroy the very environment we want to experience. The extent of the disturbance depends on where the trails are placed, how they are designed and how they are used. It is important to be aware of what we are doing when we create a trail. Every site is different, and our decisions need to be appropriate to the specific circumstances.
The wildlife species in our backyards, such as cardinals, rose-breasted grosbeaks, squirrels and raccoons, are fairly tolerant of human presence. They benefit from or have adapted to the habitat in human communities. Many species of wildlife present in woodlands are wary or not tolerant of human presence or activity, such as foxes, bobcats, broad-winged hawks and goshawks. Many species, such as owls, fishers and some species of warblers, depend on the food and cover that occur in more or less undisturbed landscapes. Trails can direct people away from fragile ecosystems, such as wetlands, and away from habitats of wildlife species that do not tolerate human presence or activity. Perhaps the impacts of trails on habitat are more significant than their effect on individual animals. It is certainly easier to see the impact of a trail and its use on the habitat. For example, soil erosion, soil compaction and change in nearby vegetation are observable. It is more difficult to document a trail’s influence on an individual animal or a population.
The success of a trail system depends on people’s long-term commitment to planning, development and maintenance. This commitment comes from their experience of the particular parcel of land. They learn about the wildlife, vegetation, soils, water features and their interactions. This information, called an inventory, is critical to good decisions about trail sitting, design and use.
By doing the inventory, people learn first-hand about the land and what lives there. Ah! There is a fox den. Owl pellets lay at the base of the barred owl’s favorite tree. The “teacher, teacher” cry of the ovenbird shatters the stillness of the forest. With this personal knowledge, the human observers become stewards, with responsibility for developing and maintaining a trail system that steers clear of the fox den and the owl’s roost. Stewards make trails that do not create openings in the closed canopy forest that is the ovenbird’s habitat. They site the trail away from special habitat features, such as cliffs. Trail users see the flight of the peregrine falcon but do not come near its nest on the cliffs and jeopardize the success of its nesting effort. Stewards place trails away from vernal pools, essential habitat for salamanders and invertebrates. If a purpose of the trail is to show a vernal pool, a viewing area can be created nearby without disturbing the pool. Here again, the tree canopy is maintained so the shade keeps the pool from drying up. Stewards develop trail rules that define permitted uses. They may limit the number of users, close sections of trails during nesting season and, if dogs are allowed at all, require that they be leashed.
Natural areas associated with water, and adjacent upland habitats, have fragile soils and vegetation. They are very important habitat for wildlife, fish and plants. The wider the ecotone, which is the transition from water to upland area in this edge habitat, the more valuable it is for wildlife. A large number of species use these areas as travel corridors and for nesting. High human-use trails along the water’s edge bisect the habitat, separating water from upland, greatly reducing its usefulness to many wildlife species. Yet people are drawn to water. To satisfy this desire, and still protect the habitat, a dead-end trail spur can branch from the main trail to the water’s edge at an appropriate place. People can get to the water view and the habitat is protected. Bridges and other structures also protect riparian areas from the effects of trails and their use, such as mechanical disturbance and the gas and oil leaks from motorized vehicles that are devastating to aquatic environments.
The other important step in developing a trail, in addition to the inventory, is to know the purpose. What is the reason for the trail, where do you want to go, how will the trail be used? A well-planned trail is designed to accomplish the particular purpose. A family trail used a few times a year or a cross country ski trail used only in winter are very different, in terms of potential impact and design standards, from a public trail that will be used year-round by many people. Type of use, frequency of use, and seasons of use all need to be reflected in the design and construction of trails. Foot traffic has different impacts than do motorized vehicles. Soil erosion from poor trail design affects vegetation, water movement and habitat. How many trails are needed? Are there areas where there are no trails, leaving undisturbed places for wildlife and vegetation? What limits on trail use will be set in consideration for the natural world? We can come to thoughtful decisions, as individuals, groups and communities, about an ecological balance that includes humans.
It takes time to know the land and make decisions about trail siting, design and use. Observation and inventory of the land takes place over an entire cycle of seasons. An area that is dry in August may be wet in April, with implications for trail siting and design. A variety of people and groups may need to be involved in the inventory and making decisions about the trail. Contact with adjacent landowners is helpful because they have valuable information about the land based on years of experience and observation. Time allows people to develop their relationships with each other and with the land.
We may consider the words of the conservationist Aldo Leopold. “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” With proper planning and learning, we can create trails that benefit people and take into consideration natural ecosystems. At their best, trails protect wildlife and their habitat while allowing us to enjoy the natural world.
By Nancy Coverstone (ncstone@umext.maine.edu), University of Maine Extension Educator in Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties
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