Exploring Nature



	From a purely physical standpoint, the trail should follow a gentle slope in the terrain and avoid steep areas that will erode and create treacherous footing. In steeper areas, vegetation around and above the trail can help keep the trail protected from erosion. Trails through dense forest will require more clearing right up to the full height of a tall adult. Trails should avoid downed logs and rock and use natural game trails as much as possible. To stay near the interesting sites you wish to feature, your trail may have to be cut out of the woods completely and may require traversing some uneven and steep terrain. Trails crossing wet areas will require bridges, walkways or cribbing with stone risers. You may be able to minimize this with the trail route but since wetlands are great feature to include in nature trails, some bridging will be necessary. Bridges can be as simple as log and pressure treated plank walkways. The best case scenario is if the route of your trail can be determined by the sites you want to feature. A balance should be struck between comfortable terrain and sites of interest. It helps to scope out the areas of interest for a season before you build. You may want to set out markers where interesting plants grow. For instance if you have a site where jack-in-the-pulpit grow in June, you will not see them in April, so mark where they will come up (they come up in the same area every year). Then the trail can pass, for instance, trillium in May, jack-in-the-pulpit in June, etc. The same goes for ferns. Your trail may be clear in May but waist high in ferns by June so it is good to know what is there before you set out.

	If your trail is in a school area there are other things to consider. For instance, you may have to treat the area for poison ivy. For classes using a trail regularly this is an important aspect of trail planning. Poison ivy grows in disturbed habitats, which by cutting a trail you have created. Trails also pass through wetlands, which by their very nature breed mosquitoes and black flies. It might be worth printing a guideline for teachers so that students are prepared for the trail with protective footwear (no sandals), insect repellent and even long pants if the trail is rough. Look at overhead dangers. Branches left hanging will eventually fall. Unless you can remove an over head hanging branch it is better to keep students out from under them. Things on a trail change with time, so you have to keep up on what is happening on your trail route to keep it safe. A great woodpecker tree one year can be a falling hazard the next. Also your trail will change with changing weather. Wait for a very rainy day and walk your potential trail in the rain. The trail underfoot should still be safe to walk on even in heavy rain. After all people may get caught in a down pour out on the trail and will have to have a safe return. Watch for wild bee and wasp nests. They are a great sight, but may present a problem to a loud class of young students on a trail.

Click Here For .pdf Flier