WATER TRAILS.

John and Sarah turned into the parking lot at the trail head of the Janes Island Water Trail in Crisfield, Maryland on the lower Chesapeake Bay. Although only three hours from their home in Baltimore, the low saltmarshes and towering loblolly pines of the Eastern Shore seemed a foreign, yet inviting, landscape. Waiting in the parking lot was their outfitter, who was busy unloading two sea kayaks, decks glistening in the early morning sun. John and Sarah stepped out of their car with anticipation. Moderately experienced paddlers, they were anxious to begin their two-day adventure, paddling and camping on the Island.

Reviewing the trail guide and map, John confirmed their route with the outfitter, who reassured him that the Island's network of 30 miles of trails are well-marked. Meanwhile, Sarah checked in at the visitor center, picked up their camping permit and reviewed the park's low-impact, Leave No Trace, camping regulations with the park ranger. With gear packed in the narrow berths of their kayaks, they thanked the outfitter, pushed off from shore and began their two-day trek along a water trail that promised to reveal a new world.

Interest in the development of water trails, like those at Janes Island, has been fueled by a rising popularity in recreational paddling, whether by sea kayak or canoe, over the past decade. A 1996 U.S. Forest Service Survey found that over 24.9 million people went paddling each year in a canoe, kayak or raft. While whitewater canoes and kayaks experienced a large growth in participation during the 1970s and 1980s, the following decade saw growth shift to recreational, touring and sea kayaking. A recent survey by the Outdoor Recreation Coalition of America indicated that recreational kayaking almost doubled in participation from 1995 to 2000 with over 5.1 million current participants (Jenkins, 2001). Examination of paddlesport boat construction mirrors these trends, indicating that in the year 2000 over 500,000 recreational kayaks (i.e. situpons) and 200,000 touring/sea kayaks (i.e. those with spray skirts) were built. This compares with only 160,000 whitewater kayaks and canoes over the same time period (Kauffman, 2001). By 2050, canoeing and recreational kayaking is projected to experience a 73 percent growth in activity day participation of paddlers (USFS, 1996). These trends are motivating recreation managers to develop and market water trails to service this growing segment of the paddling market.

Water Trails Gain in Popularity

Similar to land-based trails, water trails are typically identified routes with beginning and end points that provide a guide for visitors to experience a place or series of destinations by water. Whether described as water trails, blueways or paddling paths, several states have been managing water trails for years, including the Maine Island Water Trail, the Florida Everglades and the Minnesota Boundary Waters. Joining these well-known water trails, however, are a growing cadre of new trails offering a wide variety of experiences -- from multi-day adventures on the Chesapeake Bay to modest paddle routes in community parks and even urban areas. In each instance, these trails share a common purpose -- to invite visitors to enjoy and even learn about an area's rivers, streams and bays.

In addition to responding to a growing demand for paddling destinations, water trails offer resource managers an opportunity to interpret natural and heritage resources, increase public safety, protect natural resources, as well as, contribute to local economies through tourism. These opportunities led Maryland's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop a strategic statewide plan in 2000 for creating water trails throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The project is part of a joint effort by DNR, local governments and tourism agencies to increase nature-based tourism opportunities in Maryland. A key component of that plan is expanding the public's access to a wide variety of paddling experiences.

Development of Janes Island Water Trail

The program's first officially designated water trail was established at Janes Island State Park (JISP). Taking advantage of the Chesapeake Bay's shallow waters and soft bottom, conditions ideal for sea kayaks, the trail has quickly gained in popularity. According to park staff, the trail has attracted roughly four times the number of paddlers that normally visit the out-of-the-way park. A review of the trail's planning and construction, which includes color-coded trail signs, three backcountry campsites, tent platforms, a waterproof map and guide and launch site, illustrate the issues, opportunities and challenges of developing a water trail.

A multi-disciplinary group of recreation and natural resource managers worked together over roughly a one-year period to plan and develop the JISP water trail. Their decisions and actions were based on the following considerations:

* recreation patterns of the current park visitor

* level of paddling experience necessary to safely enjoy the waterway 

* existing recreation infrastructure

* available staff and operating resources

* potential conflicts with traditional users

* environmental impacts to water quality, habitat and wildlife

* availability of private outfitting and guide services.

The results of this kind of comprehensive assessment vary with every water trail site, and should direct in large part the kind of experience the manager seeks to develop. At Janes Island, it was determined that the waterway offered a multitude of protected routes of varying lengths, as well as, more rigorous, exposed trail options. In addition, the trail's close proximity to an established local guide and outfitter, developed park infrastructure and park staff meant that visitors had access to the amenities and services they traditionally need. This site analysis led planners to conclude that Janes Island could be developed in a manner that provided a wilderness-type experience for not only the experienced paddler, but the novice or family group as well.

The following topics -- trail map and guide, launch sites, rest stops, signage, managing user conflicts, minimizing ecological impacts and working with partners -- represent some of the key project components of the JISP water trail. A review of each of these elements illustrates many of the challenges and opportunities facing the recreational manager when developing a water trail.

Water Trail Map and Guide

For many visitors, maps are the gateway to their water trail adventure. From identifying paddling routes, describing difficulty levels, warning of hazards and communicating rules and regulations, the map and trail guide is a critical means of providing the visitor with information about their experience.

Water trail guides utilize a variety of design techniques, including bound guidebooks, paper brochures and CD-ROMS, to portray the unique qualities of any given waterway. A linear, non-tidal river is likely to require a different water trail guide than an estuary of tidal creeks. While map designs and content vary, DNR adopted a graphic format and GIS-based map design for JISP that is universally applied. Each map and guide also includes the same information elements, such as trail descriptions, Leave No Trace ethics and natural and historic interpretation, providing safety, education and stewardship messages. The end result will be the creation of a "series" of water trail guides for the Chesapeake Bay that enhances the visitor's experience and provides a recognizable tourism marketing tool

The choice of paper stock is often an overlooked feature of a water trail guide. Any paddler who has dropped their map in the water and watched it disintegrate or sink to the bottom has experienced that sense of panic when faced with navigating into the unknown. Printing the water trail guide on synthetic waterproof paper creates a map that is assured to last the entire trip. For example, the guide for Janes Island is not only waterproof, it floats and is tear-resistant, an important feature on a windy day. Although waterproof paper stocks are typically more expensive, paddlers are not balking at Janes Island's $3.00 price tag. In addition, the proceeds from the sale of the map cover the costs of reprinting and enable the park to maintain a high quality product irrespective of operating budget fluctuations.

An alternative approach or enhancement to the traditional water trail guide is the creation of a CD ROM or Internet site. The digital approach provides several advantages, including the visitor's ability to access more detailed information and photographs. One obvious limitation is the need for computer hardware, a luxury many visitor centers may not offer. Providing a combination of the paper-based guide and a supplementary digital formal is an ideal approach.

Access

Every paddling adventure on a water trail begins with the "put-in" and ends with the "take-out." The design and location of these access areas along a water trail directly affect the character of the visitor experience, user conflicts and environmental impacts. As with many waterways, boater access to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland has traditionally been designed with sail and powerboats in mind. Consequently, distances between access points and physical design characteristics are often less suitable for the paddling visitor. Rough concrete ramps that end in relatively deep water can scar canoe and kayak bottoms and present an unstable situation for loading and launching. Dual use of these ramps by paddlers and other boaters can also lead to user conflicts.

When designing access to a water trail, it is generally better to identify and design a separate soft landing of sand or grass with a gentle grade to the water. Ideally, these soft landings are incorporated into an existing traditional boat launch area. In areas, such as Janes Island, however, where bulkheads, riprap, or other barriers prevent the provision of a soft landing, several companies sell specially designed floating docks for launching canoes and kayaks. The key in each case is to create a suitable launching site, which prevents erosion and other impacts, while serving the user's needs.

In addition to proper design, managers need to carefully consider the quantity and location of their water trail access areas. A primary consideration is assessing the type and number of visitors ideally suited to the water trail. Not unlike land-based trails, a water trail with numerous access points will generally attract the day user and novice paddler. In contrast, a trail with few access points or long distances between those points tends to favor those seeking an expedition-type experience. A campsite accessible within several hours of paddling is likely to attract higher use than one requiring six or more hours to reach. The out-and-back water trail may appeal especially to families and those who don't care for the hassles of shuttling vehicles.

Water Trail Rest Stops and Signage

Once a paddler has launched, managers should consider providing a few amenities, including rest stops and interpretation and directional signage along a water trail. Most paddlers appreciate a scenic and interesting spot to stretch their legs or picnic after several hours. In order to prevent inadvertent use of private lands for these stops, a water trail map should clearly and accurately indicate all public lands. Indicate a rest stop, such as a park, on the map and provide an unobtrusive field marker, such as a bird-nesting box, to help steer visitors on the water to preferred locations. Conversely, protect sensitive areas, such as a bald eagle nest, by designing the trail to avoid these areas. Use the water trail guide to educate the visitor about conservation concerns. Here is an opportunity to entice the paddler to read the interpretive text of their water trail guide and learn about the area's natural and historic features.

If the water trail is designed to appeal to novice or beginning paddlers, consider providing directional signs at confusing intersections. Marine plywood with reflective tape works well at Janes Island where paddlers are easily confused by the maze of guts and creeks within the 2,900-acre marsh. Since color hues change and become more subdued at dusk and dawn, consider using a uniquely shaped sign to identify each trail. Hence, the yellow trail is marked with a triangular shape while the blue trail utilizes a square shape.

User Issues and Conflicts

Often, those seeking to test their navigational skills in a wilderness setting appreciate few, if any, directional signs. In these instances, focus on producing a detailed map rather than on placing signage along the waterway. Be sure to communicate the primitive and unmarked nature of the trail to visitors.

Often, paddlers must share at least a portion of a water trail with other boaters. Differences in speed and size of vessels, as well as the recreation goals of users, can invariably lead to conflicts. Proper design of the water trail, can often help alleviate these concerns. During the first month of the JISP water trail, a personal watercraft (i.e. jet ski) user swung to close to a group of kayakers causing a dangerous wake, which capsized a kayak. Subsequent incidents, including conflicts with power boaters using the boat launch, have inspired a user impact study by the Department's Natural Resources Police.

The public will sometimes attempt to minimize user conflicts by advocating the restriction of a water trail, or elements of a trail, to human-powered vessels. Managing a public resource, however, exclusively for one user group can often lead to even greater conflicts. In Maryland, power and sail boaters -- verses paddlers -- exclusively provide financial support for boating infrastructure through registration fees and fuel taxes. In addition, many rivers and creeks have long been the seasonal domain of waterfowl hunters. Excluding these boaters from a water trail potentially alienates these groups and creates unwanted, and in most cases unnecessary, opposition.

In addition, small powerboats, such as the traditional Chesapeake flat-bottomed crab skiff, are gaining in popularity with recreational boaters. For an aging population, as well as those with disabilities, these motorized boats provide greater mobility to explore the Bay and its shallow tributaries. The industry's production of quieter, less-polluting four-stroke engines is also making these boats more environmentally acceptable.

Multi-use water trails require careful planning and communication to ensure the safety of all boaters. Proper design of access points and the trail route itself are a primary consideration for reducing user conflicts. For example, open water crossings through heavy boat traffic and conflicts at launch sites can be minimized through proper planning and design. Education and outreach can provide a second line of defense. Let paddlers know about hunting seasons and provide tips for appropriate behavior near recreational anglers or commercial watermen and their nets. Equally important is educating power boaters about proper behavior when approaching paddlers. Involving all boaters in the design and execution of a water trail can help ensure a safe and user-friendly design that is supported by a wide constituency.

Leave No Trace

While paddlers generally have a minimal impact on the environment while in the water, their use of the land for access, camping and picnicking can result in traditional recreation impacts. Typical problems include, soil erosion and compaction, vegetation loss, disturbance of nesting wildlife, introduction of invasive species and improper disposal of trash and human waste. The close proximity of these disturbances to sensitive waterways potentially heightens their impact.

At Janes Island, DNR has instituted several design, management and public outreach strategies to limit the environmental impacts of the newly established water trail. From a design standpoint, the Island's campsites have been carefully located to avoid disturbing sensitive northern harrier and endangered tiger beetle breeding areas. A permit is required to use the campsites, which are purposefully not indicated on the water trail guide in order to minimize illegal use.

In addition, visitors are given Leave No Trace ethics information by trained staff and asked to practice these low-impact behaviors while visiting the Island. For example, similar to water trails on rivers in western states, the sensitive nature of the Island dictates that all human waste be carried off via a marine sanitation device. This requirement also limits the number of visitors camping on the Island, as many are unwilling or are unequipped to comply.

Educating the public about low-impact use and establishing regulations that protect natural and heritage resources from being "loved to death" can be critical to the long-term success of a water trail. In Maryland, several environmental groups have expressed concern over the potential impacts of increased water trail usage. In response, DNR is working toward implementing monitoring strategies. Inexpensive techniques, such as placing visitor sign-in journals at trail heads to measure visitor numbers and taking before and after photographs of campsites will help to quantify ecological and social impacts over time. Ideally, potential problems can be identified in advance so that proactive management strategies can be employed.

Private Guides and Outfitters

An important potential ally and partner in the development of any water trail is the private canoe or kayak guide and outfitter. As part of Maryland's nature tourism development efforts, more than 50 private guides and outfitters, many of who serve the paddling public, work in partnership with DNR. At the JISP water trail, several guides and outfitters serve the public, including locally based Tangier Sound Outfitters.

The benefits to the visitor and local recreation managers of establishing active partnerships with these businesses in Maryland have been numerous. At JISP, Tangier Sound Outfitters (TSO) provides visitors with specialized services that are difficult for the park to provide on a large scale, such as access to high quality equipment, skilled instruction and guide services. In addition, TSO is willing to help maintain the Island's water trails, which are important to the quality of their customer's experience. In fact, increasing numbers of guides and outfitters like TSO are seeking Leave No Trace training and making these ethics a way of doing business. The somewhat formal presence of a private guide and outfitter on a waterway can also be a deterrent to illegal or undesired activity by other users. For water trail managers in Maryland, the benefits of these formal partnerships with private guides and outfitters has served to reduce management costs and increased the quality of visitor services.

Conclusion

John and Sarah's kayaks touched the boat launch ramp, ending their two-day trip at Janes Island. Neatly folding the water trail map and guide for next time, John reflected on their trip. The scenery and wildlife surpassed their expectations. The solitude and challenge of paddling in a wilderness setting brought them closer together and inspired a greater appreciation for the Bay.

As John and Sarah departed for home, they did not realize that their experience at Janes Island was a success as a result of a comprehensive planning process and management effort that involved multiple disciplines and partners. At Janes Island, understanding the experience desired by a visitor in conjunction with the challenges and opportunities of the natural resources, as well as human resources, was a delicate balance. The effort, however, succeeded in providing John and Sarah, as well as thousands like them, with access to a new adventure and deeper appreciation for their natural world.

Ten Tips for Developing Water Trails

Match the experience sought with the experience provided. Inexperienced paddlers need the most care. Quality support services provided by an outfitter, a comprehensive trail guide and, in some cases, a well-marked trail can help in creating a safe and enjoyable experience.

Identify potential partners and get them involved. Enhance visitor services and off-set trail maintenance costs through the help of partners. Private guides and outfitters can provide boats, equipment and other services, functions that are often impractical for the state to operate. County tourism offices may aid in marketing and a local canoe club can assist in maintaining a trail. Providing opportunities for partnerships enhances the water trail and promotes public support.

Develop a high quality map and trail guide. A high quality map and trail guide, which addresses everything needed for the trip, is just what the water trail boater needs. Think of it as a one-stop center for important information. Make it waterproof and tear-resistant, Don't hesitate to sell it either to ensure future printings of the map.

Incorporate Leave No Trace ethics (LNT). Information and training about Leave No Trace ethics are now available through a national organization, LNT, Inc. (www.Int.org). Education and outreach to visitors about these low-impact recreation strategies are a an effective investment to reducing ecological and social impacts of a water trail.

Canoe and kayak the proposed trail. Maps don't show everything. Interpretive features, travel times, user conflicts, unique habitats in need of protection, and unforseen problems are often found when scouting the trail.

Nature is the draw. Aldo Leopold wrote: "Recreational development is a job not of building roads into lovely country, but of building receptivity into the still unlovely human mind." Keep manmade distractions to a minimum. Think of ways to increase the boater's appreciation and understanding of the resource.

Be realistic about available resources. Design the trail so that maintenance and visitor services are consistent with available resources. Developing partnerships may help solve the problem.

Design the trail to minimize conflicts with different user groups. Recognize and understand the varying needs of the boaters using a water trail and minimize conflicts through design, education and outreach.

Monitor ecological and social impacts. The long-term success of a water trail depends on maintaining the integrity of natural and heritage resources, as well as the quality of the human experience. Employ strategies to measure resource changes and visitor satisfaction over time. Adapt management strategies to prevent problems.

Involve a wide array of staff and public interests. Don't try to plan a water trail in a vacuum. Involve the widest array of stakeholders, both internal and external to the agency, in the planning process. The end result will be a better water trail and public support.

ACA Conservancy: Land Trust Initiative

"Access Denied" is not just a warning that pops up on computer screens these days. For the nation's 30 million paddlers, gaining access to America's recreational waterways is an increasingly common concern, with more and moreof our rivers, lakes and streams being declared off-limits to paddlers due to the disappearance of available access points. "Put-ins and take-outs face constant threats from a number of forces," says David Jenkins, ACA's Director of Conservation and Public Policy. "Every day we hear about closures and other threats to access due to increased shoreline development, issues with private land owner, and increased government regulation at all levels."

In response to such threats, the American Canoe Association has announced plans to establish the ACA Conservancy, a nationwide land trust initiative designed to protect paddler access and threatened shorelines. A cornerstone of the ACA's Strategic Plan, the ACA Conservancy will be incorporated Spring 2001 as a Virginia corporation under the auspices of the ACA. The Conservancy will serve as a conduit for acquiring and holding title to threatened properties, property rights (e.g. easements), and for raising awareness and funds to support the access-based activities of the Conservancy. The ACA Conservancy will work closely with local paddling clubs and with other land trusts to expand its outreach and facilitate local management of Conservancy properties.

Direct all inquiries to: ACA Conservancy c/o Jeff Yeager ACA Executive Director, American Canoe Association, 7432 Alban Station Blvd., Suite B-232, Springfield, VA 22150.

References:

USFS, 1996 National Survey on Recreation and the Environment.

Jenkins, David (2001) "The Value of Paddle Friendly Waters." Presentation: North Carolina Coastal Plain Waters 2001 Symposium, March 31, 2001, Wilmington, North Carolina.

Leopold Leopold, (1966). A Sand County Almanac. New York: Oxford University Press, p.269.

Kauffman, Robert 2001. "Developing a Vision Statement" Powerpoint presentation the American Canoe Association Board of Directors. February 17, 2001.

Nina Settina and Dr. Robert Kauffman are the authors of "Water Trails" on page 88. Nita is the chief of the Maryland Department of Natural Resource's Nature Tourism Program. Her work includes developing and mapping recreation land and water based trails. She is a co-author of the Maryland Outdoors Guide distributed by the Maryland Office of Tourism. She is certified as a Leave No Trace Skills and Ethics Trainer, has completed American Red Cross canoe training and enjoys competitive mountain biking in her free time. Dr. Kauffman is an associate professor of Recreation and Parks Management and director of recreation at Frostburg State University. He served on the National Trails Task Force, a cooperative venture between the National Park Service and the American Trails Network. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of the American Canoe Association and is interested in the association's development of water trails.