Trail Monitoring
The Bighorn Recreational Trail Monitoring Project 2003-2010.
In 2003, AWA initiated a project called the Bighorn Recreation and Impact Monitoring Project. With the growing threat to landscape integrity from human use and the recent legislation legalizing motorized activity in the area, trail monitoring is crucial within the Bighorn Wildland. The project was designed to identify and assess the current status of recreational activity in the Wildland and document the local physical and environmental impacts that these recreational activities are having on the landscape.
- Project Description
- Results
- 2009
- 2007
- 2005
- Executive Summary
- Bighorn Wildland Continues to Face Recreation Challenges
- Recreation Monitoring Reveals Improvements and Persistent Problems in Bighorn
- Recreation Damage in Bighorn Shows Current Activities Not Sustainable
- 2004
- Executive Summary
- Poster
- News Release: Government Failing to Manage Recreation Impacts in Bighorn
- Trail Damage in Bighorn Needs Long-Term Solution
- 2003
Trail Braiding |
Trail Braiding |
Rutting and erosion |
Severe rutting of primary trail causes users to create new trails and increase damage |
Severe rutting and erosion cause divergence of water and deeper troughing |
Trail through stream bed |
Deep and wide equestrian trail |
Stream erosion, soil compaction and devegetation |
Deep equestrian trails |
Severe root exposure will likely cause tree mortality |
Frolic area |
Root exposure due to severe erosion |
Illegal recreational type |
OHV activity in dry water body (ephemeral lake) |
OHV damage – systematic site |
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AWA is grateful for the support we receive from TRAFx Research Ltd. for our on-the-ground monitoring work in the Bighorn.
Since 2003 AWA has successfully used TRAFx vehicle counters to monitor motorized vehicle traffic levels in our study areas. Learn more about the TRAFx Vehicle and Off-Highway Vehicle Counters at http://www.trafx.net/.
