Question about trail clearing?

[kcnado]

I was just out at Highland, and noticed it was very leaf covered... I'm not a pro-rider by any means and I know that I would slip out on those leaves big time.

I'm just wondering - If I had a nice day, could I just go out there with a rake and take the leafs to the side, or do I need to communicate formally with some local trail coordinator to do any work?

This is also a general question, can apply for any of my fav trails - Proud Lake, Maybury, Brighton, Pontiac, etc.

Thanks!

[scat silvurz]

As a former TC for Lakeshore Park, I'd often go out there with just a rake and get the leaf debris off the trail - especially in the fall. In my view, it's not anything you'd have to clear with any TC, and it's helpful to clear the leaf debris off the trail since it promotes faster drying of the surface [and prevents those breakaway leaf plates that one discovers too late, if you know what I mean]. I wish more people would grab a rake, and, it's great exercise!

For whatever reason, the leaves really didn't break down that well over the winter at Highland - there's a lot of hardpacked leaves on the trail surface there.

[kcnado]

Thanks! I'm hoping to clear at least one loop this week after work.
The most dirt I ever see at Highland is if I take a hike and wonder to the equestrian trails.

[Sherpaboy]

One consideration is of course when you clear the leafs you need to take them off the side fo the trail too. Besides making the trail look like a bumper pool table. Do not simply rake a few feet of trail and leave the leafs bunched up along the edge of the trail. This will do two things.

1. ) Leafs will simply fall back into the trail

2.) Prevent water from flowing off the side of the trail.

The second is a larger concern because by preventing water to flow off the side of the trail you create an aqueduct that will lead to erosion. Also if the water cannot flow off the trail you get ponding. Ponding will create muddy spots and make the trail 3 times slipperier than if you had just left the leafs alone.

As for Maybury, I'd rather you not rake the trails for us. If you want to help at Maybury please help us control the face slappers and report downed trees. Heck I moved 6 downed trees by myself yesterday with out a saw. This is way more helpful for us a t Maybury.


Whatever you end up with we do appreciate the help

[Spinwheel]

The question about leaf clearing came up a couple of years ago in the REI/Trail School Forum on this website. The consensus was that if you can let the leaves stay on the trail this is best because the leaves will decompose over time and help "re-constitute" the soil and they also act as a natural check dam which slows erosion on a naturally cupped trail bed. Of course, the trail is easier to follow when cleared, on the other hand, most trails that have been ridden a few thousand times are cupped such that they're pretty easy to follow, at least during daylight hours.

[Loren]

There have also been long discussions on the MBTR Trail Building and Advocacy forum about this. The consensus was, it depends I think the arguments can be summarized as:

- Over time, decomposing leaves do add bulk to soil, gradually building up over decades to significant levels. If you clear the trails, that bulk will not be added to the trail, eventually resulting in sunken trail bed as the surrounding topsoil builds in depth.
- Removing leaves helps the trail dry faster, resulting in less erosion and soil displacement in traffic.
- Decomposed leafy matter is light and dusty, and wind and traffic just blows it off a packed trail bed anyway.
- A cleared, defined path helps keep singletrack tight

There also seemed to be a pretty strong soil and geographic dimension to this... in sandy Florida soil, the organic matter was key in keeping the trail dense and solid, but in clay soils leaf covers meant that any rain kept the trail wet for days, and the resulting traffic impact far outweighed any loss in soil.

I don't think we've done any long term tests here in SE Michigan. I suspect that for places with very little traffic density we'd get one answer, and for places with high usage and traffic we'd get another.