HAPPY TRAILS `ADOPTION' PROGRAM HELPS MAINTAIN HIKING AND BIKING COURSE IN THOUSAND OAKS.

Byline: Bill Becher Special to the Daily News

THOUSAND OAKS - Adopt one and you'll never hear complaints about too much homework. You won't have to pay for a wedding or a college education, either.

We're talking about adopting a trail.

The Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) offers businesses, groups and individuals the chance to ``adopt'' part of the more than 90 miles of trails that crisscross public land in Thousand Oaks. All of the COSCA trails are designated as multiuse, meaning they are open to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians.

To adopt you have to make a one-year commitment and promise to perform or pay for at least four days a year of trail maintenance.

This month, members of the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association (CORBA) turned out to work on part of the Los Robles Trail the group has adopted. CORBA, an advocacy group for mountain bikers, helps access and maintain trails in the Los Angeles area and provides free youth-group programs and introductory mountain-bike skills classes.

The eight volunteers cleared slough, the loose dirt and rocks that can choke a trail, and trimmed overhanging branches.

Most of the damage to trails comes from heavy winter storms, especially in El Nino years, according to COSCA ranger Bruce Pace, who helped the mountain bikers with the trail work. Late winter, after rain has softened the soil, is an ideal time to work on trails.

``Volunteers are our backbone for trail projects,'' Pace said.

Mountain biker Greg Bonanza and Chris Dominguez, students at Thousand Oaks High, helped as part of a class project in community service.

Pace said volunteer assistance keeps the trails functioning, especially now that the ranger staff has been reduced because of budget cuts. Volunteers can also help by picking up litter, painting trail signs, replacing trail-side benches and removing nonnative plants.

Tex Ward, general manager of Conejo Recreation and Park District, shares COSCA administration responsibility with the Thousand Oaks city manager. Ward said although rangers do trail maintenance work, citizen effort is essential.

``We have some beautiful country to explore,'' Ward said. ``But with nearly 15,000 acres and more being added, the open space system has grown a lot faster than our ranger staffing.''

Since the Adopt-A-Trail program started in 2001, groups including the Sierra Club, CORBA, Equestrian Trails Inc., neighborhood organizations and individuals have adopted 14 trail segments and more are in the works.

COSCA rangers do a walk-through of the section the group is adopting and explain what work needs to be done. The volunteers are trained by rangers in the safe use of equipment, including the hoe-like Mcleod and the ax-like Pulaski - fire-fighting tools used to maintain trails. Tools used by the CORBA volunteers were donated by outdoor retailer REI.

The Conejo Open Space Foundation helps organize the citizen efforts. The foundation's Web site at www.cosf.org has information about volunteer programs, including trail education, Adopt-A-Trail, trail work days, trail watch and patrol.

Adopt-A-Trail program coordinator Julie Osborn said although groups can pay for the labor, most want a hands-on experience.

``Lots of people will hike the trail, do some trail work and then finish a hike,'' Osborn said. ``It creates a sense of ownership and people are real proud of what they are doing.''

CORBA member Matt Polk said, ``I use the trails a lot and want to give something back.''

For more information about CORBA, visit www.corbamtb.com. To adopt a trail, contact Julie Osborn at [phone].

No 2 a.m. feedings required.

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(1 -- 2) Volunteers from a bicycling group clean up part of the Los Robles trails they adopted.