By Stuart H. Macdonald, Colorado State Trails Coordinator
Are trails a threat to wildlife and the environment? What kinds of impacts do trail development cause? What can we do to minimize these impacts? These are some of the important questions participants will ask when Colorado State Parks convenes a Trails and Wildlife Task Force.
With increasing trail use and urban development, we feel it
is appropriate to review the State Trails Program grant process in
regard to issues of trail recreation and the environment. The task
force will be comprised of 15 key stakeholders and experts on habitat
and recreation issues, to be facilitated by Joyce Berry of Colorado
State University's Environmental and Natural Resources Policy
Institute.
Action Plan for Trails and Wildlife Project
¥ Understand and define the issues.
¥ Review current research and information on trail impacts.
¥ Make recommendations for improving State Trails Program grants process and project review.
¥ Produce a Trail Development Workbook to help project sponsors plan better trails.
¥ Produce a report on trails and wildlife issues with recommended actions.
¥ Make recommendations for research needed and possible funding.
¥ Incorporate findings into the State Trails Master Plan.
¥ Provide materials and speakers for workshops and symposia of the
State Trails Program.
Project Objectives
¥ Identify resources for reviewing environmental impacts, databases, information sources for critical species and habitat types.
¥ Identify known recreation impacts to particular species in particular areas.
¥ Identify most critical areas of concern, most threatened habitat types.
¥ Identify good examples for case studies: trails with wildlife benefits or projects that have gone through a useful process of analyzing the trail's environment and adapting the trails in some beneficial ways.
¥ Publicize facts, issues, information relating to trails and wildlife interactions.
¥ Review federal land management process and how it applies to trails.
¥ Review local government environmental compliance and how laws apply to trails.
¥ Review motorized trail issues: how they are different and similar to non-motorized trails; and how federal land management plans manage OHV recreation.
¥ Identify evidence for particular impacts by particular trail activities.
¥ Identify strategies that have been used successfully to reduce
wildlife impacts while allowing trail development: seasonal closures,
no dogs, special regulations, special structures, etc.
Trail Development Workbook
The Trail Development Workbook which will be produced as part of this project will include:
¥ Discussion and clear definitions of the concepts used in environmental discussions, such as "habitat fragmentation," "riparian habitat," "impacts," "threatened and endangered species," etc.
¥ A checklist for trail planners on things to look for, actions to consider, etc. as part of the trail planning and development process.
¥ List of agencies and organizations that can be contacted to help with environmental review, to identify rare species, to help interpret findings, and suggest alternatives.
¥ A list of trails contacts that have experience on environmental and wildlife issues.
¥ Case studies of good example trails.
¥ How trails can use environmental education and watchable wildlife facilities to provide environmental benefits.
¥ Which species and which habitat types should be most carefully evaluated.
¥ How the federal land management process works.
¥ Examples of how local governments comply with environmental regulations and how they apply to trails.
¥ Examples and resources for improving wildlife habitat along trails and greenways.
The Trails and Wildlife Task Force begins with an August 12 meeting to clarify the workplan and to identify resources and information sources. For more information, contact Stuart Macdonald, Colorado State Parks, 1313 Sherman St., Rm. 618, Denver CO 80203; (303) 866-3203 Ext. 306; MacTrail@aol.com