Trail sustainability: A state-of-knowledge review of trail impacts, influential factors, sustainability ratings, and planning and management guidance

Assessing the Environmental Impacts, Condition and Sustainability of Mountain Biking Trails in an Urban National Park

Mountain biking is a popular recreational activity in natural areas, with thousands of formal trails designed, constructed and maintained by land managers. Increasingly, there are also rising numbers of informal trails created by riders. A challenge for land managers is identifying, assessing, and then mitigating environmental impacts created by trails, including in protected areas. Here we assessed mountain biking trails in a large, popular national park on the Gold Coast, Australia, addressing the currently limited research comparing the extent, environmental impacts, condition and sustainability of these trails. Impacts from the 31.4 km of formal and 33.7 km of informal trails through the forests in Nerang National Park (1659 ha) included soil erosion (16.48 m3) and loss of vegetation along and adjacent to the trails (90,955 m2). Formal trails were six times more popular and wider on average (1.1 m vs 0.7 m) than informal trails, but less incised than informal trails (4.6 cm deep vs 6.3 cm). Generalised Linear Models showed that Trail Grade, slope and alignment best-predicted trail condition, highlighting the importance of good trail design in minimising trail impacts. It is recommended most of the informal trails are closed and rehabilitated, as they were not well-designed, increase fragmentation and have environmental impacts, with some traversing ecologically sensitive areas. In addition, some formal trails need to be upgraded to deal with erosion and other impacts. More broadly, the increasing demand for mountain biking must be addressed, including exploring opportunities to promote areas outside of national parks while minimising environmental impacts and other challenges associated with the creation and use of informal mountain bike trails in protected areas.

Planning Challenges and Opportunities in the Conservation of National Trails: The Case of the Israel National Trail

This study examines the planning challenges and opportunities in conserving national trails, focusing on the Israel National Trail. National trails offer crucial benefits, including health promotion, social connectivity, cultural education, ecological conservation, and economic growth. Despite their value, these trails face sustainability challenges from environmental impacts, resource constraints, and competing interests, often exacerbated by weak statutory protections. Using a case study approach, this study analyzes three decades of case law and planning committee decisions, uncovering real-life conflicts and challenges in trail conservation. This study uncovers issues like difficulties in preserving the trail’s national identity, risks of route diversions, failure to realize ecological and economic potential, and inefficiencies in planning due to a lack of statutory footing. This study contributes to the emerging field of national trail research by proposing a retrospective methodology for identifying sustainability challenges based on practical realities and by emphasizing the need for comprehensive and transparent planning to ensure the sustainable future of national trails. Legal case studies prove to be a valuable tool for identifying conservation challenges and a significant database for developing a sustainable planning strategy. This methodology serves as a useful and globally relevant tool.

Tourist Trampling on a Peripheral Plant Population Restricted to an Urban Natural Area in the Capo Sant'Elia Promontory (Sardinia, W-Mediterranean Basin)

Urban natural areas provide important ecological services such as biodiversity conservation, as well as opportunities for people to connect with nature and preserve cultural heritage. However, the increasing demand for access to natural areas and the expansion of human recreational activities, such as hiking and biking, pose threats to these ecosystems, especially for animal and plant species, finally resulting in biodiversity loss. This study explores the intricate link between human trampling, plant density, and the morphological and reproductive characteristics of Globularia alypum L., a plant with a peripheral population in Sardinia restricted to a natural area within an urban context. The study examined trampling effects on 75 plots along a frequently used path crossing the plant's core population. Similar environmental conditions were assumed, with differences attributed to human trampling intensity and plant density, and morphological and reproductive traits were measured within each plot. Our results showed that human trampling caused differences in the morphological traits of plants, whereas, in contrast, reproductive traits are less vulnerable to human trampling than morphological ones. As a result, trampled areas may experience decreased plant recruitment, which can have long-term implications for plant population dynamics. Understanding the relationship between trampling effects and the sensitivity of peripheral plant populations is crucial for effective conservation and management strategies.