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Managing Degraded Off-Highway Vehicle Trails in Wet, Unstable, and Sensitive Environments

Recommendations

The following list of recommendations for research, funding, and interagency coordination would advance the responses to trail degradation.

Research

  • Conduct watershedwide trail system evaluations on representative areas to develop demonstrations of management approaches to trail degradation issues.

  • Conduct large-scale installation tests of selected trail-hardening methods to develop efficient installation methods and strategies to reduce costs.

  • Conduct additional tests of trail-hardening materials to explore uses of new products or adapt existing products to new uses.

  • Conduct tests on the use of sheet drains in soil surface capping applications.

  • Test the use of trail-hardening materials on slopes.

  • Develop methods of constructing shallow-water fords and low-cost bridges.

  • Conduct change-detection mapping at selected sites, using historic aerial photography to document the pattern of trail development and impacts over time.

  • Conduct a wetland impact study to document species composition changes with impact and recovery rates and patterns.

  • Develop relocation case sites where trails could be relocated from sensitive to more resilient sites.

  • Investigate offsite and secondary impacts of degraded trails.

  • Document the number of OHV vehicles purchased and used in each State, the patterns of use, and present and future socioeconomic effects.

Funding

  • Develop funding sources to sponsor research and test installations.

  • Identify grant programs, including Federal, recreation, and transportation programs.

  • Develop volunteer labor pools to assist with installations.

  • Explore section 404 of the Clean Water Act as a possible revenue source for wetlands mitigation.

Interagency Coordination

  • Conduct statewide workshops on trail management.

  • Develop work groups including representatives of Federal, State, and local governments and OHV users to address OHV impacts.

  • Establish networks of interested parties.

  • Establish Web sites to host trail-related 'Technical Notes.'

  • Increase coordination among Federal and State agencies involved in trail management.

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