5/7/2007

Trail adopters make a difference for outdoor recreation

Maintaining hundreds of miles of trails on conservation areas would be nearly impossible without citizen involvement.

STOCKTON, Mo.-Dave Talley loves trail riding. For him, nothing can match the intimate contact with nature he experiences touring wild areas atop a horse. That is why he worked up a sweat with a hand saw at Stockton Lake in March.

Talley and other members of the Heart of the Ozarks Chapter, Show-Me Missouri Back Country Horsemen have adopted the 14-mile Hulston Mill Trail. The hike/bike/horse trail is part of a trail network the Missouri Department of Conservation administers around Stockton Lake. They are part of the agency's Adopt-A-Trail Program.

Normally, trail maintenance involves picking up litter and trimming trees and bushes periodically to keep the trail open. The March cleanup was a horse of a different color.

"The ice storm in January was worse than anything we have ever had since they started keeping weather records," said Talley. "Trees were just smashed to the ground. We put in 125 hours of work in one weekend. Our group and other chapters got all the trails back open."

Talley trail maintenance is a labor of love for him and other Stockton trail users - including hikers.

"We trail ride out in these wilderness areas, and our main concern is keeping them and taking care of them so we can enjoy that type of recreation. The Adopt-A-Trail Program is the perfect way to do that."

The Ozark Chapter's first project was to clean up the Hulston Mill Trail. The first time out, they gathered more than a pickup load of trash. After that, they picked up whatever new litter they found on periodic rides. Apparently people using the trails felt differently about dropping litter where there was none. Each time, the horsemen and women found less to pick up.

"Now it's a busy weekend if we get two trash bags full," said Talley.

The Ozark Chapter also keeps an eye out for trail conditions that require equipment to fix and for damage to facilities or signs that need replacing. They report these to the Conservation Department for action.

"We trim trees and pick up trash two or three times a year on an organized basis." said Talley. "It's mostly just routine maintenance - cutting branches that grow over the trail and picking up gum wrappers."

He said most of the people in his chapter are 40 or older. In their youth, it was easy to find places to ride along little-used country roads. Most roads are paved now and far too busy for safe riding. The number of suitable trail-riding routes is dwindling.

"Having public areas where we can ride is really a blessing. You get to see things riding horses that you would never see any other way. Wildlife isn't nearly as flighty when you are on horseback as they are if you are on foot.

"We know that in working on these trails, we are going to be able to keep enjoying the wilderness. As a trail rider, you love the horses, and you love having natural areas to ride in. We want to pass that on. We want future generations to be able to enjoy what we have enjoyed."

The Conservation Department has more than 800 miles of trail on 148 areas - more than the agency's staff can keep up with. The Adopt-A-Trail Program gives nature lovers a way of helping maintain their favorite trails and an excuse to visit them several times a year.

Trail adopters include families, Boy and Girl Scout troops, hiking clubs and other organizations with an interest in the outdoors or a strong connection to a particular area.

Volunteers monitor, maintain trails and trailhead facilities. Common work projects include clearing loose rocks, sticks and branches that accumulate on trail surfaces, cutting back limbs and brush, cleaning water bars and drainage ditches, clearing debris from bridges, stairs and viewing decks and picking up trash.

To adopt a trail on your favorite conservation area, contact Conservation Department Recreation Specialist Teresa Kight, (573) 522-4115, ext. 3636, Teresa.Kight@mdc.mo.gov.

-Jim Low-