Forest Trails and Landings


Natural Resources Conservation Service - Indiana – January 2018(ver. 1.0)

Eroding forest trails reduce site productivity and cause water quality problems

Definition

Forest trails and landings are an infrequently used route, path, or cleared area within a forest to provide access on a periodic basis. They are often steeper than permanent access roads and traffic may be limited or eliminated upon completion of logging. Forest trails and landings often do not require an engineering design.

Purpose

Forest trails and landings are used to:

  • Provide access to forest stands for management activities.
  • Minimize on-site and off-site damage to resources during periods of access by controlling erosion during construction, during use, andupon completion ofuse.

Use

Forest trails are used on forested areas where permanent access roads are not needed. Locate trails outside of riparian management zones except where necessary for stream crossings. Landings are used for temporary storage of forest products until they are removed from the site.

Wildlife Considerations Stabilized trails and landings offer an opportunity to provide foraging areas for birds, and shrubs for food and nesting cover.

Additional forbs, selected from the NRCS Seeding Tool, or Indiana Biology Tech Note Upland Wildlife Habitat, can be added to provide additional wildlifehabitat.

Stabilized trails improve water quality and increase property values.

Criteria

Forest trails and landings usually require structural measures to manage runoff and vegetative treatment to reduce soil erosion and sedimentation. Water flow can be controlled using techniques such as outsloping, broad-based dips, water bars, and culvert crossings. Cut and fill slopes and the travel surface can be stabilized with appropriate vegetation or material. Trails that do not concentrate water and that have not been denuded usually do not require treatment. New vegetative plantings should be protected from traffic to insureestablishment.

Water Bars Are installed on skid trails and should be installed at a downslope angle of 30 degrees or less depending on the grade of the trail. Steeper trail grades require less downslope angle. The outlet of the water bar should be open to prevent water from accumulating and be protected by a buffer or filter zone of undisturbed forest floor to clean the sediment out of the water and prevent erosion.

Operation and Maintenance

Upon completion logging trails will be properly graded and outsloped if needed, and the entire disturbed area(s) seeded as needed to control soil erosion following the recommendations on the attached specifications sheet. Trails will be inspected during the establishment period to ensure that drainage systems and structures for water control are properly functioning and that vegetation has attained full coverage.

IDNR Forestry Best Management Practices: 2005 BMP Field Guide

The following information is taken from the Indiana Logging and Forestry Best Management Practices: BMP Field Guide; 2005. This guide represents the cooperative effort ofrepresentatives from logging, sawmilling, forestry, environmental, university, and regulatory agencies and interests. The guide provides a higher level of detail than the Indiana NRCS 655 Forest Trails and Landings Conservation Practice Standard (CPS). Guidelines going above 655 Forest Trails and Landings CPS criteria are not required by NRCS but highly encouraged.

Skid Trails

•Avoid long steep grades greater than 20%. Use steeper grades only for short distances and when large water bars or other diversions are installed and maintained.

•Locate to allow skidding at an angle to the slope, not straight up and down a hill.

•Avoid skidding through stream channels, springs, seeps, sinkholes, and other wet areas.

Skidding Across Streams:

•Cross streams as near to a right angle as possible. Utilize temporary bridges or install culverts where practical. Remove temporary crossings as soon as use is completed.

•Fords may be utilized where stable conditions exist and allow crossing without excessive soil movement into the stream

•If necessary, install temporary crossings in small intermittent and ephemeral streams by placing logs or poles side by side in the streambed. Do so only if:

--Soil is not introduced into the stream

--Stream flow is not blocked or diverted

--Woody material is removed after use.

Closing Skid Trails

•Smooth water channeling ruts and berms.

•Install appropriately spaced water bars and other diversions as each harvest section is completed or shut down - even temporary shutdowns.

•Divert water off skid trails before the trail enters a riparian management zone or crosses a stream.

•Drain each diversion onto stable forest ground.

•Seed skid trails prone to erosion and slow to regrow naturally.

•Mulch and fertilize seeded areas where necessary.

•Return disturbed recreation trails to preharvest condition or better.

•Install a visible traffic barrier to prevent use by off-road vehicles

•Logging debris in combination with water bars or other diversions can be placed on skid roads for erosion control. Brush and logs need to be limbed sufficiently to allow ground contact.

Log Landings

Well planned and managed log landings minimize impacts to the site, protect water quality, enhance visual quality, and often increase operation efficiency and safety. They also can be attractive, long-term assets to a property.

•Minimize soil disturbance and clear only the size of landing needed.

•Clear high stumps, dead snags, and other hazards.

•Construct water diversions to drain water away from the landing and onto a stable area of the forest floor.

•If leveling is necessary, cut and fill should not obstruct the natural drainage of the area.

•During construction, use temporary erosion and sediment control practices (such as silt fences) where there is significant erosion potential or where there are insufficient buffer strips next to waterways.

Closing Landings

•Remove all trash, containers, equipment and other contractor materials.

•Leave the landing in a usable condition, free of large ruts and logging debris.

•Cut or lop standing snags and unsightly tree tops in visually sensitive areas. Visually sensitive areas may include landings next to roadways, residences, and property access points.

•Seed and mulch landings where there is significant erosion or aesthetic concern. Lime and fertilizer may be needed on some landings to achieve adequate and rapid revegetation. See seeding mixtures and lime and fertilizer rates.

•Install appropriate traffic barriers where needed to prevent off-road vehicle damage to recently stabilized areas.

Table 2. Typical Water Bar Spacing
Slope (%) / Approx. distance between water bars (feet)
1-2 / 500-250
3-5 / 250-125
6-10 / 125-80
11-15 / 80-60
16-20 / 60-40
21-25 / 40-30

Table 2. Recommended Maximum Spacing for Drainage Structures
Slope (%) / Broad-based Dips and Culverts (feet)
1-2 / 300
3-5 / 180
6-10 / 140
11-15 / 125
16-20 / 120
21-25 / 115

Forest Trails and Landings - SpecificationSheet

Landowner: TractNumber: FieldNumber(s):

Purpose
Forest Management
Logging / Erosion Control
Other:
Layout and Dimensions
TotalLength(ft):AverageWidth(ft.): Total area (ac) or 1000Ft.2
Total Length needing Grading & Shaping (ft.): / Total Number of Water Bars:
Total Number of Log Landings: / Total Area in Log Landings (ac.):
Total Area to be Seeded (trails and landings ac.): / Total Number of Culverts and Size:
Additional location and layout requirements:
Location/Stand/Field / Trail Grade (%) / Length (ft.) / Water Bar Spacing (ft.)
Species / Seeding Rate lbs./ac. or lbs./ 1000 Ft.2 / Total =
(Rate X Acres or Per 1000 Ft. 2) / Planting Dates
Apply lime and or fertilizer according to an approved soils test and plan or as recommended by NRCS.
Mulch according to NRCS recommendations.
Site Preparation
Planting Method (s)
Broadcast / Drilled
Maintenance Requirements – Check as Appropriate
Water Breaks Functioning / Trails Outsloped / Inspect Periodically
Trails Properly Graded / Vegetation Established / Access Limited
Certification
Job sheet / Prepared by: / Title: / Date:
Certification / Meets NRCS standards and specifications? Yes No / Title: / Date:
Certified by:

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