Trail Construction Option Stepping stones
Culvert bridge
Constructed bridge
Boardwalks
Floating boardwalks
Optimal Construction Conditions Ideal for water crossings in shallow streams to minimize silting and provide a dry passage for Parks visitors along walking / hiking trails . Ideal for universally accessible / multi-use walking / hiking trails with heavy traffic ; culverts should be able to handle the largest stream flow . In most cases , both the U . S . Corp of Engineers and the Kentucky Department of Water must be notified during design / planning phase . Ideal for open water or wetlands along heavily used walking / hiking trails ; must be constructed to span the entire width of the stream and is desirable for bridge to span the adjacent flood plain . In most cases , both the U . S . Corp of Engineers and the Kentucky Department of Water must be notified during design / planning phase . Ideal for areas of wet soils or water along heavily used walking / hiking trails that need to be universally accessible ; will allow surface water flow . Ideal for less accessible hiking / walking trails consisting of hydric soils where there is a hardpan to build a floating structure ; very good for areas susceptible from flooding . Table 11 . Ecologically sensitive trail construction options ( New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development , 2004 ).
Erosion Control Management Practice 4 : Aim for all forest roads to be designed to minimize erosion . Like trails , the banks around forest roads must be protected from soil erosion . Several properties possess steep slopes in Metro Parks and Recreation , namely Jefferson Memorial Forest , Iroquois Park , Waverly Park , and McNeely Lake Park . In these instances , new roads and repairs to existing roads must be planned for with erosion in mind , i . e . avoid construction on steep slopes . For existing roads and future roads that must be built on steep slopes , it is imperative for Metro Parks and Recreation to employ such methods as erosion mats . Erosion mats are a " machine-produced mat with a photo-degradable extruded plastic net over the top side of the mat " ( Grace et al , 1998 : 385 ) which allows rain to infiltrate down into the mulch and vegetation . Erosion mats were highly successful in the Talladega Nation Forest in Alabama , creating a 98 % reduction in cutslope sediment yield and an 88 % reduction in fillslope sediment yield ( Grace et al , 1998 ).
Erosion Control Management Practice 5 : Initiate a native plants campaign . Like other natural resource concerns facing Metro Parks and Recreation , management of erosion control could be benefited by the planting of native species as buffer zones around horse and hiking trails , forest roads , and steep banks . Grace et al ( 1998 ) found to be twice as effective as exotic plant species in mitigating against soil erosion along forest roads . Native plants are essential to stabilizing highly erodible or disturbed trails and banks ( New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development , 2004 ). Planting native species along trails , roads , and banks will decrease the likelihood of soil erosion .
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