 |
 |
|
|
| Trail Terms | ||
|
Access Points: Designated
areas and passageways that allow the public to reach a trail from adjacent
streets or community facilities. Access Trail: Any
trail that connects the main trail to a road or another trail system.
Accessible: A
term used to describe a site, building, facility, or trail that complies
with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines
and can be approached, entered, and used by people with disabilities.
Accessibility means removing barriers to people with disabilities.
Acquisition: The
act or process of acquiring fee title or interest of real property. Aggregate:
Surface
material made up of broken stone ranging in size from broken stone or
gravel to sand. Alignment: The layout of the trail in horizontal
and vertical planes. This is to say, the bends, curves, and ups and downs
of the trail. The more the alignment varies, the more challenging the
trail. All-Terrain-Vehicle (ATV): A wheeled or tracked motorized vehicle
designed primarily for recreational use or for the transportation of
property or equipment exclusively on trails, undeveloped roads, marshland,
open country or other unprepared surfaces. An ATV is only intended for
off-highway use. Alternate Trail: A
trail that begins on, ends on and roughly parallels another trail. Amenities: Any
element used to enhance the user’s experience and comfort along a trail.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG):
Design
guidelines for providing access to a range of indoor and outdoor settings
by people with disabilities. Appraisal: An
estimate and opinion of value, usually a written statement of (1) the
market value of (2) an adequately described parcel of property as of (3) a
specified date. Archaeological Resources (Cultural, Heritage):
Any
material of past human life, activities, or habitation that are of
historic or prehistoric significance. Such material includes, but is not
limited to, pottery, basketry, bottles, weapon projectiles, tools,
structures, pit house, rock paintings, rock carving, graves, skeletal
remains, personal items and clothing, household or business refuse, or any
piece of the foregoing. Archaeological Site: A
concentration of material remains of past human life or activities that is
of historic or prehistoric significance and that has been surveyed by a
qualified archeologist. Armoring: The Reinforcement of a surface with
rock, brick, stone, concrete or other “paving” material. Asphalt (Macadam): Petroleum-based
surface material that provides a smoothly paved surface that is suitable
for bicycles and in-line skates. It is preferred in urban areas where
trails are often used for commuting to and from work or school. Assessment, Trail or Corridor: Physical assessments undertaken to
better understand a trail or corridor. Assessments include an accurate
description and documentation of native elements and an inventory of built
structures along the trail or corridor. At-Grade Crossing: A
trail crossing a roadway on the same elevation. Ideally, a safe at-grade
crossing has either light automobile traffic or a traffic signal that can
be activated by trail users. Average Trail Grade (Overall Trail Grade):
The average steepness of a trail over its entire
length. Average
Trail Segment Grade: The average
steepness of a given trail segment. Backcountry: An area where there are no maintained
roads or permanent buildings—just primitive roads and trails usually one
half mile or more from maintained roads. Backcut: The vertical part of a bench cut that
is blended into the backslope. Backfill: Material used to fill behind a crib,
a step or refill a ditch or other excavation, or the process of doing this
action. Backslope: The cut bank along the uphill side of
the trail extending upward from the tread. Usually sloped back by varying
degrees, depending on bank composition and slope stability. Ballast: Stone, cinders, gravel, or crushed
rock fill material used to elevate a railroad bed above the surrounding
grade, to provide proper drainage and a level surface for the ties and
rails. Barrier-Free
Design: A trail design that promotes the elimination of physical
barriers that reduce access to areas by people with disabilities. Base: The primary excavated bed of a trail
upon which the tread or finished surface lies. Base
Course: The layer or layers of specified material of designed
thickness placed on a trailbed to support surfacing. Base
Map: A map showing the important natural and built features of
an area. Such maps are used to establish consistency when maps are used
for various purposes. Bed: The excavated surface on which a
trail tread lies. Bedrock: Solid rock material underlying soils
and other earthy rock formations. Bedrock is sometimes exposed when
topsoil is eroded or cut away. Bench Cut: A relatively flat, stable surface
(tread) on a hillside occurring naturally or by excavation. When excavated
often referred to as full, half or partial bench. In a
full bench cut the entire width of the trail tread is excavated out of the
slope, and the trail tread contains no compacted fill material. This is
the most durable, sustainable and recommended style of bench cut trail. A half
bench cut has half of the trail tread excavated out of the slope and the
down slope half is constructed of compacted fill material. A
partial bench cut is partially cut out of the slope and partially
constructed out of compacted fill material. The percentage of each type of
cut varies continuously.
Berm: The ridge of material formed on the
outer edge of the trail that projects higher than the center of the trail
tread. A berm can trap water, create wet trail areas and lead to
erosion. Bike
Path (Bike Trail, Bikeway, Multi-use Path/Trail):
Any corridor that is physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic
by an open space or barrier. It is either within the highway right-of-way
or within an independent right-of-way. Due to a lack of pedestrian
facilities, most bike paths/trails are designed and referred to as
multiuse paths and trails. Blaze:
A painted or plastic trail marker. Blazes can be made on a tree by
painting the bark with a 2-inch by 6-inch, vertical rectangle. Plastic
shapes (known as blazers) can be cut out of plastic containers and nailed
to trees to mark a route. Commercial blazers can be purchased with the
name of the trail or a directional arrow imprinted and nailed to trees to
mark a route. Blaze,
Double: Two blazes (vertical alignment) that denote a change in
direction or junction in the trail coming up. Blowdown
(Windfall): Anything (trees,
limbs, brush, etc.) blown down on the trail by the wind. Boardwalk: A fixed planked structure, used to
provide access to rock formations or in areas of bogs or wet soil or water
to provide dry crossings. Bollard: A barrier post, usually 30 to 42
inches in height, used to inhibit vehicular traffic at trail access
points. Borrow: Fill material required for on-site
trail construction and obtained from other nearby locations. Borrow Pit: Area where soil, gravel, or rock
materials are removed to be used on the trail for tread, embankments, or
backfilling. Braiding
(Braided Trail): The process of numerous routes being created. Identified
by worn and eroded vegetation. Bridleway (Bridle Path): Public
way designed and maintained primarily for equestrian use. Other
non-motorized uses may be permitted. Broadcasting: The process of distributing excavated
soil as far away from the trail as possible. Brush: Vegetation or small flora. Brushing:
To clear the trail corridor of plants, trees, and branches which could
impede the progress of trail users. Brushing-In
(Obliteration): To pile logs, branches, rocks, or
duff along the sides of the tread to keep users from widening the trail,
or to fill in a closed trail with debris so that it will not be used.
Buffer (Buffer Zone): Any type of natural or constructed
barrier (such as trees, shrubs, or wooden fences) used between the trail
and adjacent lands to minimize physical or visual impacts. Buffers
also provide a transition between different land uses. Bushwhack: Term applied to off-trail hiking (originally where the going was difficult, where many bushes had to be whacked). Now it is often used to mean off-trail travel regardless of whether the going is difficult or not. Cache: A supply of food or tools, usually
buried or hidden. Cairn:
A cone shaped mound of rock built to mark a trail route in open areas
where the tread is indistinct. Call Box: An emergency telephone system
installed along a trail with direct connection to the local 911 network.
Camp: Site where overnight stays are
permitted. Canopy:
The leaf cover in a forest stand, consisting of its upper layers. Catch Point: The outer limits of a trailway where
the excavation and/or embankment intersect with the ground line. Categorical Exclusion (CE): A
technical exclusion for projects that do not result in significant
environmental impacts. Such projects are not required to prepare
environmental reviews. Causeway: Elevated section of trail contained
by rock, usually through permanent or seasonally wet areas. Centerline: An imaginary line marking the center
of the trail. During construction, the centerline is usually marked by
placing a row of flags or stakes to indicate where the center of the trail
will be. Certification: The process by which sites and
segments of national historic (and some national scenic) trails are
officially recognized by the administering federal agency. Check Dam: Log, rock, or wood barrier placed
across deeply eroded trails or erosion channels to slow the flow of water
to allow accumulation of fine fill material behind the structure to fill
in the trail tread. Circle of Danger: The area surrounding the trail worker
that is unsafe due to tool use. The inner (or primary) circle of danger is
the area the tool can reach while being used. The outer circle of danger
is the area the tool could reach if the trail worker lost control or let
go of the tool. Clearing: Removal of windfall trees, uproots,
leaning trees, loose limbs, wood chunks, etc. from both the vertical and
horizontal trail corridor. Clearing Height (Vertical Clearance):
The vertical dimension which must be cleared of all tree branches and
other obstructions that would otherwise obstruct movement along the trail.
Clearing
Width (Limit): The outer edges of clearing areas
(cleared of trees, limbs, and other obstructions) as specified by trail
use. Climbing Turn: A turn to reverse directions that
does not have a constructed turning platform or landing. The upper and
lower legs of the turn are connected by a short section of trail that lies
directly in the fall line. Climbing turns located on hillsides with a
grade of more that seven percent are erosion prone and should be replaced
with switchbacks. Clinometer:
A hand-held instrument used for measuring angles of terrain elevation or
percent of trail grade. Clinometers measure a grade in percent or
degrees. Percent is always used for roads and trails, Cobble (Cobblestone): Loose rock over 2 ½ inches in
diameter. Collector Ditch: A drainage structure that intercepts
water flowing toward a trail and usually channeled underneath the trail
through a culvert. Compaction: The tendency of soil to lose pore
space and become compressed and impermeable to water when walked upon or
tamped. Condemnation: The taking of private property by a
government unit for public use, when the owner will not relinquish it
through sale or other means; the owner is compensated by payment of fair
market value. The power to take the property is based on the concept of
eminent domain. Conflict
Resolution: Resolution is an outcome that develops from complete
analysis and meets the needs of all concerned parties. Inherent in the
process is clear and open communication, mutual respect, shared
exploration, an orientation to collaborative problem solving, and a
commitment to resolution. Connectivity: The ability to create functionally
contiguous blocks of land or water through linkage or similar ecosystems
or native landscapes; the linking of trails, greenways, and communities.
Contour Lines: A line on a topographic map
connecting points of the land surface that have the same elevation. Contour Trail: Trail constructed such that it
follows a contour, with its elevation remaining constant. Control Points (Targets):
Features that influence where a trail goes. The beginning and end of the
trail are natural control points. Positive control points are those that
trail users will want to head towards. Negative control points are those
they try to avoid. These features are flagged and used to help design a
trail. Corridor,
Scenic: Land set aside on either side of a trail to act as a
buffer zone protecting the trail against impacts such as logging or
development which would detract from the quality and experience of a
trail. Corridor, Trail: The full dimensions of a route,
including the tread and a zone on either side (usually three feet) and
above the tread from which brush will be removed. Course: An even layer of stones, similar to a
course of bricks, that forms a foundation, intermediate layer, or cap
stone layer in a stonewall. Cover
(Ground Cover): Vegetation or other material providing protection to a
surface: area covered by live above ground parts of plants. Cribbing
(Cribwall, Retaining Wall): Rock or log reinforcement structure
to support trail tread or retain backslope along steep trails that are at
risk from erosion. Critical Point: The outside edge of the trail. It’s
called the critical point because this is where trail maintenance problems
(always related to drainage) usually begin. Rounding the outside edge
helps water to leave the edge of the trail. Cross Section (Typical Cross Section or Typical):
Diagrammatic presentation of a trail or path profile which is at right
angles to the centerline at a given location. Crosswalk: Any portion of a roadway distinctly
indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the
surface. Crown: A trail tread with the center of the
trail elevated to promote drainage off both sides of the tread.
Crusher Fines (Crusher Run, Crushed Stone):
Refers to any limestone, granite, or gravel that has been run through a
crusher that is used to form a hard tread surface that once wetted and
compacted creates a smooth trail surface for high-use areas. Culvert, Cross Drainage:
Pipelike or boxlike construction of wood, metal, plastic, or concrete that
carries a stream or other water under a trail without restricting water
flow. Recent research indicates that square culverts are less likely to
clog and cause the water to flow over the trail and increase erosion.
Curb
Cut: A cut in the curb where a trail crosses a street. The curb
cut should be the same width as the trail. Curvilinear: A free-flowing movement pattern
characterized by the general absence of straight trail segments. Cushion
Material: Native or imported material, generally placed over rocky
sections of unsurfaced trail to provide a usable and maintained traveled
way. Cut
and Fill:
The process of removing soil from one area and placing it elsewhere to
form a base for any given activity. When
constructed half or partial bench cut trails the uphill portion of the
bench is cut away and used to fill in the downhill portion. Daylighting:
Clearing a ditch or drain so that water can run all the way to daylight.
Deadfall:
A tangled mass of fallen trees or branches. De-berming:
Removing the ridge of material formed on the outer edge of the trail that
projects higher than the center of the trail tread, allowing water to once
again flow off the trail. Decking
(Flooring): That part of a bridge, puncheon, or boardwalk structure
that provides direct support for trail traffic. Declination:
The measurement describing the difference between true north and magnetic
north. Designated Trail: A trail that is approved and
maintained by an agency. Difficulty
Rating: A subjective rating of trail difficulty based on an
average user with average physical abilities (for example, the US Forest
Service uses Easy, More Difficult, and Most Difficult). Many other
agencies use the following:
Dispersed
Recreation: Recreation activities that occur outside of developed
recreation facilities away from traveled roads. Also referred to as backcountry
recreation. Destination
Trail: A trail which connects two distinct points (A to B) rather
than returning the user to the original beginning point. Ditching, Sidehill: A ditch which parallels the treadway
on the uphill side to collect water seeping into the trail, usually ends
in a drainage ditch which allows the water to cross the trail. Double-Track Trail: A trail that allows two people to
travel side by side or pass each other without one user having to yield
the trail. Double-track trails are often old forest roads. Downslope:
The downhill side of the trail. Drain, Cobble: A cobbled improvement to the trail
surface that allows drainage (usually from an intermittent wet seep)
across the trail for continued passage along the trail without damage to
the soil. Drainage,
Cross: Running water in swamps, springs, creeks, drainages, or
draws that the trail must cross. Drainage, Sheet: Desirable condition in which water
flows in smooth sheets rather than rivulets; shower flow and less
concentration results in less erosion. Drainage,
Surface: Rain or snow runoff from the surface of the tread. Drainage Dip: An erosion-control technique that
reverses the grade of a trail for a distance of 15-20 feet before
returning to the prevailing grade. The abrupt change in grade forces water
to run off the trail tread, rather than gaining additional velocity.
Drainage
Ditch (Ditching): Open ditches running parallel to the
trail tread that collect water and carry it away from the site. A drainage
ditch is also an element of a waterbar, providing an escape route for
water diverted from the trail by the bar. Drains,
French:
These are stone filled ditches that can have a porous pipe laid along the
base to collect the water and carry it away from the site. The top must be
kept clear of the surfacing material; water must run freely into the
drain. Drawings: Documents showing details for
construction of a trail or trail-related facility, including but not
limited to straight-line diagrams, trail logs, standard drawings,
construction logs, plan and profile sheets, cross-sections, diagrams,
layouts, schematics, descriptive literature, and similar materials. Drop-off: Slope that falls away steeply. Duff
(Humus):
A layer of decaying organic plant matter (leaves, needles, wood, and mold)
on the ground. It is highly absorbent and quickly erodes under traffic. Duty of Care: The legal duty a landowner owes a member of the general public. The legal “duty of care” varies from state to state. Generally, liability depends on the status of the injured person. A landowner has a lesser duty of care in the case of a trespasser than he does to someone invited onto his property. E Easement: Grants the right to use a specific
portion of land for a specific purpose or purposes. Easements may be
limited to a specific time period or may be granted in perpetuity; or the
termination of the easement may be predicated upon the occurrence of a
specific event. An easement agreement survives transfer of landownership
and is generally binding upon future owners until it expires on its own
terms. Easement, Conservation: Places permanent restrictions on
property in order to protect natural resources. Easement, Construction: An additional area or corridor needed
to construct a trail or facility. Easement, Maintenance: An additional area or corridor (not
open to the public) needed to maintain trail drainage, foliage, and
recurring maintenance needs. Easement, Recreation: Provides public access to private
property while limiting or indemnifying the owner’s public liability.
Easement, Scenic: Places permanent restrictions on a
property in order to protect the natural view. Ecotourism: Purposeful travel to natural areas to
understand the culture and natural history of the environment, taking care
not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem, while producing economic
opportunities that make the conservation of natural resources beneficial
to local people. Elevation: The height of a place above sea
level. Elliptical Triangle (Pregnant Triangle):
Shape of signs for trails in the National Trails System. Embankment: Structure made from soil used to
raise the trail, railbed, or roadway above the existing grade. Eminent Domain: The authority of a government to take
(usually by purchase) private property for public use. Endangered
Species: A species of animal or plant is considered to be
endangered when its prospects for survival and reproduction are in
immediate jeopardy from one or more causes. Enhancement Funds: Under TEA-21, independent funds for
bicycling and walking facilities, rail-trails, and eleven other
activities. Entrenchment: Sunken tracks or grooves in the tread
surface cut in the direction of travel by the passage of water or trail
users. Environmental
Assessment (EA): A document that complies with
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) law and regulation prepared early
in a planning process (Federal) that evaluates the potential environmental
consequences of a project or activity. An assessment includes the same
topical areas as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but only
assesses the effects of a preferred action, and in less detail than an EIS.
An EA results in a decision, based on an assessment of the degree of
impact of an action, that an EIS is necessary, or that an action will have
no significant effect and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) can
be made. Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS): An EIS is a full disclosure, detailed
report which, pursuant to Section 102(2)C of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), establishes the need for the proposed action,
identifies alternatives with the potential to meet the identified need,
analyzes the anticipated environmental consequences of identified
alternatives, and discusses how adverse effects may be mitigated. An EIS
is prepared in two stages: a draft statement which is made available to
the public for review and a final statement which is revised on the basis
of comments made on the draft statement. Ephemeral (Creek): A temporary or short-lived water
flow, especially after a heavy rain; most of the year an ephemeral creek
is a dry creek bed. Equestrian:
Of horses, horseback riding, riders and horsemanship. Erosion:
The natural process of breaking down and removing soil particles from the
ground surface, principally by running water and wind. The wear and tear
from traffic combined with water falling on the trail, running down the
trail, and freezing and thawing creates significant erosion problems on
trails. Erosion Control: Techniques intended to reduce and
mitigate soil movement from water, wind, and trail user traffic. Erosion, Gully (Gullying): The removal of a deep channel of soil from the land surface
by water running down hill. Erosion, Sheet: The removal of a relatively uniform
layer of soil material from the land surface. Exotic Species: Plants or animals introduced from
another country or geographic region.
Exposure: The relative hazard encountered when
one takes into consideration obstacles, alignment, grade, clearing, tread
width, tread surface, sideslope, isolation, and proximity to steep slopes
or cliffs. Extended Trail: Trails over 100 miles in length (as defined in the National Trails System Act). Fall Line: Straight up or down the slope. The direction
water flows down a hill under most circumstances. Constructing a trail on
the fall line of a hill encourages water to run down the trail and
promotes erosion. Fall Zone: The area on either side of and under a
technical trail feature that provides a clear landing area for a rider who
has failed to negotiate the obstacle. Fauna: The
animal populations and species of a specified region. Fee Simple Absolute: An
interest in land in which the owner is entitled to the entire property
without limitation or restriction, and with unconditional power of
disposition. Fee Simple Determinate: Similar
to Fee Simple Absolute, but states condition(s) under which the property
will revert to the original owner/grantor. Feeder Path or Trail: A
trail designed to connect local facilities, neighborhoods, campgrounds,
etc. to a main trail. Fence: A
constructed barrier of wood, masonry, stone, wire, or metal, erected to
screen or separate areas. Fill (Material): Gravel or soil used to fill voids in
trail tread and to pack behind retaining walls and other structures.
Fill Slope: The
portion of a trail constructed from fill material. Fill slope can be
unstable and should not be used to build trail tread. Fines, soil: Smallest
soil particles important for binding the soil together; silt; fines are
often the first particles to move when erosion takes place. Fiscal Year (FY): Annual
schedule for keeping financial records and for budgeting funds. The
Federal fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. Fitness Trail: A
series of exercise stations located along a trail. Each station is
designed to exercise a different set of muscles. Flagging: Thin
ribbon used for marking purposes during the location, design,
construction, or maintenance of a trail project. Flagline: Brightly colored material tied
to trees indicating the intended course of a trail prior to construction.
Flags, Pin: Wire
wands with square plastic flags at one end for field layout and marking of
new trail or relocations of trail sections. Floodplain: The
flat, occasionally flooded (100-year floods) area bordering streams,
rivers, or other bodies of water susceptible to changes in the surface
level of the water. Floodway: The
channel of a river or stream where the annual raising or lowering of water
occurs. Flora: The
plant populations and species of a specified region. Flow: The rhythm or “feel” of a trail.
Two basic trail types include “open and flowing” and “tight and
technical”. Flushcut: Branch
or sapling cut flush with the trunk or ground. Fly Ash: It
is a waste material from coal-burning power plants and may be mixed with
lime and earth as a combined base and surface material for trail tread.
Footing: The part of a structural foundation
that rests on the ground, supporting and spreading the weight of the
structure above it. Footpath: This
is a way over which the public has a right-of-way on foot only.
Wheelchairs are also permitted, although this may not be practical due to
surface or slope. Ford: A
natural water level stream crossing that can be improved with aggregate
mix or concrete to provide a level low velocity surface for trail traffic
passage. Friction Pile: Post
hammered into muck until friction prevents further penetration; foundation
for puncheon or boardwalk. Friends
of the Trail: A private, non-profit organization formed to advocate and
promote a trail. They can provide assistance, whether muscle power or
political power that augments management of a trail by a public agency.
Frostbite: The
freezing of skin and the tissue beneath. Full Bench: Where the total width of the trail tread is excavated out of the slope and the trail tread contains no compacted fill material. Gabion Baskets: Rectangular containers made of heavy
galvanized wire. Gabions can be wired together, and then filled with
stones to make quick retaining walls. Gate: Structure that can be swung, drawn,
or lowered to block an entrance or passageway. Gateway: A slight narrowing of the trail used
to control speed. Also called a choke. Geographic Information System (GIS):
A spatial database mapping system that can be used to contain location
data for trails and other important features. Geotextile
(Geo-synthetic, Geofabric, Filter Fabric): A
semi-impervious nonwoven petrochemical fabric cloth that provides a stable
base for the application of soil or gravel. Most common use is in the
construction of turnpikes where the trail tread is higher than the
surrounding water table in low lying areas with poor drainage. Glade: An open space in a forest. Global Positioning System (GPS):
A system use to map trail locations using satellites and portable
receivers. Data gathered can be downloaded directly into GIS database
systems. Grade: The amount of elevation change
between two points over a given distance expressed as a percentage (feet
change in elevation for every 100 horizontal feet, commonly known as
“rise over run”). A trail that rises 8 vertical feet in 100 horizontal
feet has an 8% grade. Grade is different than angle; angle is measured
with a straight vertical as 90º and a straight horizontal as 0º. A grade
of 100% would have an angle of 45º. Grade
Reversal, (Grade Dip, Grade Break, Drainage Dip, Rolling Dip, Coweeta
Dip):
A reverse in the trail grade, usually a short dip followed by a rise, that
forces water off the trail. This
accomplishes the same effect as a waterbar but will last longer due to the
gentle dip and rise of the trail grade. Grade,
Maximum: The steepest grade on any part of a trail. Grade-Separated Crossing:
Overpasses or tunnels that allow trail users to cross a railroad
right-of-way or street at a different level than trains or traffic. Grade,
Sustained: The steepest grade over the majority of the trail length.
Grate: A framework of latticed or parallel
bars that prevents large objects from falling through a drainage inlet but
permits water and some sediment to fall through the slots. Green Infrastructure: The sum of the public and private
conservation lands including native landscapes and ecosystems,
greenspaces, and waters. Greenspace: Natural areas, open space, trails,
and greenways that function for both wildlife and people. Greenway: A linear open space established along
a natural corridor, such as a river, stream, ridgeline, rail-trail, canal,
or other route for conservation, recreation, or alternative transportation
purposes. Greenways can connect parks, nature preserves, cultural
facilities, and historic sites with business and residential areas. May or
may not be open to recreational trail use. Greenway, Community: Safe, off-road corridor of open space
that connects neighborhoods, schools, parks, work places, and community
centers via paths and trails. Greenway, Conservation: Open space corridor that protects
biodiversity and water resources by connecting natural features such as
streams, wetlands, forests, and steep slopes. Groundwater
Table: The depth below the surface where the soil is saturated
with water. Grub/Grubbing:
To dig, or clear of roots, to uproot shallow roots near or on the ground
surface; also grubbing of tree stumps. Gully (Gullying): Where concentrations of runoff water cut into soil forming single or numerous channels greater than one foot below post-construction tread depth usually on steepening terrain. Habitat: A place that supports a plant or
animal population because it supplies that organism’s basic requirements
of food, water, shelter, living space, and security. Half Bench: Where the half width of the trail
tread is excavated out of the slope and the outside of the trail tread
contains the excavated compacted material. Half Rule: A trail’s grade should not exceed
half the grade of the side slope. If the trail grade is steeper than half
the grade of the side slope, it is considered a fall line trail and
gravity will pull water down the trail instead of across it. This leads to
erosion of the trail tread. Hard Surface (Paved) Trail: A trail
tread surfaced with asphalt or concrete. Hardening:
The manual, mechanical, or chemical compaction of the trail tread
resulting in a hard and flat surface that sheets water effectively and
resists the indentations created by use. |