Trails and recreational greenways: corridors of benefits.

A long-distance backpacker pauses in awe to take in another spectacular view along a rugged section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in New Hampshire. A family of bicyclists laughs together over lunch in a cafe along a rail-trail in rural Wisconsin. A group of tired riders pull their snowmobiles up in front of the same warm lodge they visit together every winter in northern Minnesota. An executive enjoys the birds and flowers as she walks along the C&O Canal towpath to her office in Washington, D.C. Two friends catch up with one another's news as they walk on a paved greenway trail beside a lake in California. And a fifth grader, perhaps our next Aldo Leopold, lags behind his classmates and their environmental interpreter to watch a squirrel cross a state park nature trail in Colorado. These people, and millions like them, are trail users doing a few of the hundreds of different things people do on various kinds of trails every day.

Today, trails and recreational greenways are becoming the parks of choice for millions of Americans. Trails and recreational greenways are, in fact, corridors of benefits for individuals, communities, society, and the environment. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the benefits trails provide and the current issues facing trail planners and managers.

What Are Trails?

Trails on this continent are part of a tradition that dates back as far as Native Americans' hunting and transportation routes. Many of these "trails," once migration routes for explorers and pioneers, became parts of our road and highway system. Some of the earliest recreational trails were foot trails or bridle paths cut by nineteenth-century guides to the summits of mountain peaks in New England. Around the same time, Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. meticulously designed walking and carriage paths into his Central Park plan. In this century, government agencies at all levels, volunteer organizations, and private groups have build thousands of miles of trails throughout the country to serve recreation and other needs.

Trails come in a tremendous variety of shapes and forms. At the most basic level, any linear corridor, on land or water, that provides access for recreation is a trail. They might be called backcountry trails, recreational greenways, greenway trails, rail-trails, multi-use trails, bike trails, recreation paths, or water trails. They accommodate a myriad of recreational needs and are managed by nearly every type of organization. Needless to say, there is considerable overlap among the various types of trails, and any system of categorization is imperfect. This article highlights some of the most commonly recognized categories and gives selected reference materials and contact organizations for more information. Although the designations offered here are trail types used by planners and managers, trails can also be described according to type of use (hiking, off-highway vehicle, horseback), length, level of difficulty, type of surface, type of experience available (primitive, semi-primitive, rural), or agency jurisdiction.

Who Manages Our Trails?

In many ways, America's trails and trail systems are like a patchwork quilt, extending and touching all parts of our nation. This quilt has been and continues to be assembled through the work of many hands and resources contributed by public and private agencies and groups with the active involvement and dedicated work of literally millions of volunteers.

Many of the recreational trails of our past were built by outing clubs and adventure groups, organizations like the Appalachian Mountain Club or the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. These trails tended to serve those looking for adventure and challenge in the mountains and backcountry of their region. In many cases, the trails traversed private lands where access had been provided through an agreement with the landowner. In other cases, especially in the West, trails were built on federal or state public lands by agency employees.

Today, our nation's trails and the organizations that manage them are as varied as the millions of people who use them every year. As times and needs have changed, trails and trail systems are popping up in urban and suburban locations where they are generally managed by a local or regional park and recreation agency. In other cases, trails and recreational greenways are managed by state park agencies or special districts. At the federal level, agencies such as the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and others manage trails. And the nonprofit organizations that pioneered so many trails continue to provide trail opportunities through partnership arrangements and innovative agreements.

An underlying element in trail management is the key contributions of volunteers. A tremendous number of trails and trail systems have cadres of dedicated volunteers who work to support "their trail" through advocacy, through countless hours of construction and maintenance, and by providing leadership for activities and events. Many users are finding out that volunteering is a rewarding way "to give something back" to trails.

Benefits Of Trails

Societal needs are changing, and trails are unusually well-adapted to help meet these needs. America's population is getting older, and there is increasing concern about our health and the environment. Walking for pleasure is our nation's most popular outdoor recreation activity. Free time is often fragmented, making long trips more difficult; an accelerated pace of life makes opportunities for frequent outdoor escapes on our own terms more important than ever. Because of their diversity and suitability for many different activities and experiences, trails (especially those close to where people live and work) respond well to the changing needs of society. An expanded and more accessible trail system could do so even more effectively in the future. Trails can produce a remarkable range and magnitude of benefits. The benefits of trails and trail use include:

Outdoor Recreation -- Trails provide all the myriad personal and social benefits generated by participation in outdoor recreation, such as improved health and fitness, relaxation, challenge and adventure, family togetherness, and an increased awareness of nature.

Alternative Transportation -- Trails are connections. They connect people with the land and with the places they want to visit and use. Properly located trails make it possible for people to commute to work, travel to shopping areas, schools, parks, and other destinations safely under their own power. Trail use can reduce the number of vehicles on the highways and cuts pollution levels.

Economic Benefits -- Trails make good economic sense in a number of ways. Trail users (especially visitors from out of town) spend money that boosts local economies. Trails and greenways have generally proven to be amenities that increase nearby private property values and consequently raise tax revenues. The existence of a high-quality trail and greenway system can positively influence corporate relocations and retention. The creation of trails and greenway corridors requires less ongoing public expense, such as utilities and waste disposal than would, say, residential development of the same land.

Open-Space Protection -- Benefits such as pollution and flood control, protection of wildlife habitat and migration routes, biodiversity, threatened species, watersheds, and buffers from development can all be generated when trail and greenway corridors are created. In the process, it is often possible to provide environmental educational opportunities, preserve cultural and historic sites, and reduce previously existing nuisances such as illegal dumping. Preserving corridors (and providing trails within them) can also be an effective way to manage urban and suburban growth.

Sense of place -- Trails and greenways can improve the quality and enhance the character of communities. They provide friendly places to meet and socialize with neighbors and can be a source of neighborhood, community, and regional pride. Trails and greenways are becoming the new "front porches" of many communities.

Why All This interest in Trails?

Recognizing the incredible interest in trails at all levels and among all segments of the population, it would be worthwhile to question how and why this is happening. Are trails and recreational greenways just a current fad that will fade from style in a few years?

Although dedicated trail builders have been working for more than a century, widespread public recognition of the enormous opportunity that trails provide to the American people began in the 1960s with the release of the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission's (ORRRC) report. This national report recognized the importance of close-to-home recreational opportunities and "simple" pleasures like walking and bicycling. In 1966, the Department of the Interior released a report titled "Trails for America," which found that walking, hiking, and bicycling were simple pleasures within the economic reach of virtually all citizens and recommended strongly that trail systems be developed in the metropolitan areas of the nation. An even stronger clarion call was made in 1987 when the President's Commission on Americans Outdoors issued a call for the creation of greenways and trails that would tie the country together with "threads of green," providing access to the natural world.

In 1991, a broad array of trail interests and public agencies issued "Trails for All Americans." This report proposed the creation of a nationwide, interconnected trails system within easy access of most Americans, providing a wide array of benefits. Perhaps the most compelling idea in "Trails for All Americans" is the vision that there should be a trail within 15 minutes of every American.

At the same time that the "trail community" was crystallizing a common vision, major changes were taking place in another key area of national concern: transportation and land use. With the completion of the nation's interstate highway system and the increased recognition of the adverse impacts of suburban sprawl and dependence on the automobile, the Department of Transportation, in the late 1980s, began to consider sweeping changes in transportation policy. With passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991, followed by the publication of the "Nationwide Bicycling and Walking Study: in 1994, major new policies and funding sources were put in place that have resulted in the construction of thousands of miles of trails throughout the nation.

The tremendous interest in trails nationwide, coupled with the new funding opportunities brought about by ISTEA, makes this a time of opportunity for trail advocates. With this in mind, how are we moving toward the vision of a nationwide system of trails within easy access of most Americans? A few examples illustrate current progress:

Putting it All Together

* At the national level, nonprofit trail organizations are providing support and helping establish policies that promote recreational trails and greenways. Organizations like the American Hiking Society, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the Conservation Fund's Greenways program, American Trails, and others are working together to support trails and trail interests.

* Since the passage of the National Trail System Act in 1968, 20 national scenic and historic trails have been established, linking together all but six states across the U.S. These trails include the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, and Lewis and Clark. Together, their combined corridors will total more than 37,000 miles when completed. Although they are not yet completed and the national historic trails are generally commemorative routes as opposed to public recreation trails, these national long-distance trails are considered by many to be the backbone of the emerging national system of trails.

* Federal agencies and programs, such as the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program, are providing technical assistance and support to a wide array of pubic and private partners in establishing trails and demonstrating the values that trails and greenways bring to communities.

* New models, such as the coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail and the East Coast Greenway, are gaining attention by demonstrating their ability to fink state and local trails into trail networks. Both efforts, being carried out largely by volunteers, will provide new recreational opportunities for millions of new trail users, primarily by providing long-distance trail connections between major urban areas of the nation.

* Increased interest in the history and heritage of our nation is helping to focus attention on the upcoming bicentennial celebration of the Lewis & Clark expedition and the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail. The recent designation of the Selma to Montgomery (AL) National Historic trail, which recognizes this nation's struggle for equality, is another example of the interest in trails from a historical perspective.

* Every state in the nation now has a state trail coordinator and a state trail program. These programs vary greatly, but they all share the objective of assisting organizations in establishing trails and greenways in their states. Many also have multi-modal state trail councils that advise on the distribution of federal funds and help improve cooperation among trail-user groups.

Current and Future Trail Issues

Trail advocates, planners, and managers face some unique challenges as they strive to create interconnected systems of trails. Foremost among these is the loss of potential trail locations (and sometime-existing trails) because of land development. This is particularly acute in urban and suburban areas, where critical connecting land is held by many owners, making corridor protection complex and expensive. Long-range trail and greenway plans are essential, as is the ability to move quickly, perhaps through a private or nonprofit partner, to secure unexpected trail opportunities. Trail planning can be time-consuming, with the most effective efforts including extensive public and user involvement as well as partnerships with transportation officials, planning boards, and user groups.

Adjacent landowner concerns and funding are other challenges related to trail development. In spite of research showing that trails generally enhance adjacent property values and that trail-related problems are minor, some owners along proposed trails are opposed to new trails. For example, organized opposition has developed against proposed rail-trails in many rural areas, though it is not uncommon for naysayers to become supporters once trails are in place and fears prove to be unfounded.

In terms of funding, trail advocates are encouraging Congress to pass a successor to the transportation enhancement program included in ISTEA. Between 1991 and 1997, this provision in federal transportation legislation provided more than $1 billion for transportation-related trails and improvements. Some agencies are having great success with creative approaches to funding management and operations, such as leasing space under their multi-use trails to companies installing fiber-optic cables. Maintenance backlogs continue to be a major funding problem for backcountry trails managed by federal agencies.

Finally, user conflicts are a growing source of concern on some trails. Conflicts occur when users with different needs and seeking different experiences interfere with one another. The problems are often aggravated by crowded conditions and poor trail design. Planners and managers are working with various combinations of design, information and education, user involvement, and regulations and enforcement to minimize conflicts on trails.

Conclusion

Trails and recreational greenways come in many forms and provide a tremendous variety and magnitude of benefits. They are extremely popular and allow users great freedom in how, when and where they participate. Forward-thinking communities are planning and developing trail and greenway systems now for the individual, community, social, and environmental benefits they can provide for generations to come,

References

Little, C. E. (1991). Greenways for America. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 237 pps.

Ryan, K. L. (Ed.) 1993). Trails for the Twenty-First Century. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 213 pps.

Flink, C. A. & R. M. Searns (1993). Greenways: A Guide to Planning, Design, and Development. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 351 pps.

American Trails(1990). Trails for All Americans. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service.

"Traditional" Backcountry Trails

Backcountry trails, sometimes called "single-track" or primitive trails, are generally unsurfaced natural routes that range from narrow treadways to carefully planned and elaborately constructed (but natural-looking) thoroughfares. Attention to slopes and effective drainage is essential for the long-term stability of this type of trail.

Example: The Appalachian Trail, a 2,156-mile hiking trail from Georgia to Maine.

Contact group for information about backcountry trails: American Hiking Society, [phone].

Selected Resources: Trail Design, Construction, and Maintenance, available from the Appalachian Trail Conference, [phone], and Lightly on the Land: The SCA Trail-Building and Maintenance Manual, available from the Student Conservation Association, [phone].

Recreational Greenways

A greenway is any linear open-space area along a natural corridor (riverfront, stream valley, ridgeline) or overland along a converted railroad right-of-way, canal, or scenic road (Little, 1991). As such, a greenway may or may not include a trail. A "recreational greenway" is a linear open space that contains a trail(s). Although a greenway trail can take any form, the term generally refers to a high-standard paved trail that accommodates multiple uses.

Example: The Platte River Greenway in Denver, Colorado.

Contact group for information about recreational greenways: The Conservation Fund's American Greenways Program, [phone].

Selected Resource: Greenways: A Guide to Planning, Design, and Development, available from island Press, [phone].

Multiple-Use Recreation Trails

"Multiple-use recreation trails" or "multi-use trails" are generic terms for what many people call trails or greenways. These trails are built to high standards, are usually 10-feet wide, asphalt or concrete paved, and designed for many types of use. Bicycling, walking, running, in-line skating, and other nonmotorized uses are typical on multi-use trails, and they are frequently very heavily used.

Example: The Stowe Recreation Trail in central Vermont.

Contact group for information about multiple-use recreation trails: American Trails, [phone].

Selected Resource: See Recreational Greenways and Rail-Trails.

Rail-Trails

Rail-Trails are trails constructed on abandoned railroad corridors converted to recreational use or "railbanked" for possible future rail use. They can be very short to hundreds of miles long. Typically surfaced in crushed stone or paved, their moderate grades make rail-trails popular with bicyclists, walkers, and others. Currently, there are more than 700 rail-trails totaling nearly 10,000 miles. With thousands of miles of rail corridor being abandoned every year, rail-trails offer tremendous potential for new trail opportunities. in fact, progress is being made on a coast-to-coast rail-trail.

Example: The Heritage Trail near Dubuque, Iowa.

Contact group for information about rail-trails: Rails-to-trails Conservancy, [phone].

Selected Resource: Trails for the Twenty-first Century: Planning, Design, and Management for Multi-Use Trails, available from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, [phone].

Water Trails

Many people consider any corridor of open water used for recreational travel or string of lakes connected by portage to be a water along the route makes multi-day travel possible. Canoeing, kayaking, and, in some areas, personal-watercraft use are all popular ways to enjoy water trails.

Example: The Maine Island Trail along the coast of Maine.

Contact group for information about river trails: The North American Water Trail Conference, [phone].

KEYS TO PLANNING AND CREATING SUCCESSFUL TRAIL SYSTEMS

1. Create a Vision -- Convene meetings or workshops of citizens and community leaders to talk about trail systems. Lead field trips to an from other communities that have successful trail systems. Consider using "Trails for All Americans" as a starting point.

2. View Trails as Connectors -- Help people see trails as ways to connect people with places and with other people. Be sure to consider recreation areas, schools, offices, shopping centers, and local attractions as places that could be connected by high-quality trails.

3. Plan Trails as Infrastructure -- Trails are best seen as part of the community or regional infrastructure. Design trail systems at the same time as roads and utility corridors whenever possible, paying special attention to river corridors as potential recreational greenways.

4. Form Enduring Partnerships -- It can take lots of time and resources to get trail systems on the ground. Many players with different skills and contacts will be needed for these ongoing efforts. Form alliances early. Be sure to involve user groups, transportation planners, planning commissions, your state trail coordinator or bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, and local officials.

5. Push for Support -- Be sure that elected officials, constituents, users, and citizens understand the importance of trails and how they fit into the vision of the community. Don't miss opportunities for ceremonies and events like National Trail Days (held the first Saturday of every June) that showcase successes and keep trails in the news.