“Sustainability on natural surface trail corridors is defined as the characteristic of a travel surface to support currently planned and future uses with minimal impact to the natural systems of the area. Sustainable trails have negligible soil loss or movement while allowing the naturally occurring plant systems to inhabit the area, recognizing required pruning and eventual removal of certain plants over time. Sustainable trails will not adversely affect the naturally occurring fauna. Sustainable trail design will accommodate existing and future uses while only allowing appropriate uses. The sustainable trail will require little rerouting and minimal maintenance over extended periods of time.”

Published in the Colorado State Trails Newsletter in 1991 as Developing Sustainable Mountain Trail Corridors: An Overview.

3 Key Points (the essence of protecting Mother Earth)

  1. supports currently planned & future use
  2. minimal impacts to the natural systems (water cycle, soil movement, and the indigenous flora & fauna)
  3. minimal maintenance and rerouting (except routine clearing of corridor)

Natural/Cultural Resource Management

We passionately believe the stronger a trailbuilder’s past experiences and achievements in protecting natural and cultural resources, the more effective his/her plans and designs will be in successfully balancing the valuable resources with our ever-increasing recreational demands.

Proper planning and design of stacked-loop, shared-use, trail systems is essential in minimizing and managing our current and anticipated human impacts on Mother Earth.

It is our duty to protect our cultural and natural resources for future generations, and sincerely believe the most effective way to accomplish this is through proper trail planning and design.

Tony Boone’s trailbuilding experience is rooted deeply in a land stewardship philosophy that evolved organically from his diverse career at Boulder County Parks & Open Space (BCPOS), in Boulder Colorado from 1987 to 1994.

As a Park Ranger & Natural Resource Specialist he developed, implemented and managed a variety of programs for BCPOS including:

  • Park Ranger Mountain Bike Patrol (1st in Colorado 1989)
  • Boulder Regional Conservation Crewleaders
  • BCPOS Trails Management Plan
  • Liason to Boulder Off-Road Alliance & Backcountry Horsemans’ Association
  • Boulder County Sheriff’s Reserve Academy Ranger Training
  • Biological Weed Management Program
  • Parks & Open Space Management Plans (Walker Ranch, Trevarton Ranch, Beech Open Space, & Betasso Preserve)
  • Walker Ranch Oral History Project, archived at the Carnegie Library
  • Park Ranger Training Program
  • Artifact Cataloging System
  • Indigenous Bird Surveys & Wildlife Transects
  • Vegetation Utilization Studies
  • Creel Census/Fish Stocking
  • Prairie Dog Management
  • Interpretive Programming
  • Agricultural Lease Program
  • Flood Irrigation/Ditch Restoration
  • Stream/shoreline Restoration

”If well-designed, built, and maintained, a sustainable trail minimizes braiding, seasonal muddiness and erosion. It should not affect natural fauna adversely nor require re-routing and major maintenance over long periods of time.”

– Hugh Duffy, National Park Service, Denver Service Center, Guide to Sustainable Mountain Trails: Trail Assessment, Planning & Design Sketchbook, 2007