Lightly on the Land: The Sca Trail Building And Maintenance Manual 2nd Edition

by Bob Birkby, The Student Conservation Association

* Comprehensive text on building and maintaining trails

* The latest in effective management of work crews of all ages

* How to build "sustainable" trails to fit dwindling park maintenance budgets

* For weekend volunteers, youth group leaders, outing club members, and anyone involved in caring for the land



For half a century, the Student Conservation Association (SCA) has inspired people of all ages to take part in projects that enhance the environment. In settings from city parks to backcountry wilderness, the practical skills presented in its pioneering handbook have been tested in the field by volunteer and professional work crews throughout the nation. Their input enriches every chapter with fresh approaches, new ideas, and modern applications of traditional skills.



In addition to conservation crew leadership and risk management, Lightly on the Land presents the nuts and bolts of trail construction and maintenance; building with rock; felling and buckling; building with timber; bridge construction; and environmental restoration. It gets down and dirty with tools, knots, and rigging. Throughout, it teaches how to build pathways and reshape existing routes to require a minimum of attention over the years -- essential in this era of shrinking park budgets.

Genres: Nature

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Will G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly written overview of trail work.

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was given to me when I was asked to become an Assistant Crew Leader for the Washington Trails Association. Much of what's in here I've learned already from working on the trail, but this is THE manual. The SCA have been doing this for a very long time, and they know what they are doing. Want to know how to fell a tree safely without a chainsaw? How to rig a bear line when you have several hundred pounds of food for a whole camp? How to plant saplings on a slope so that the roots are not exposed by natural erosion? It even includes detailed diagrams for a variety of bridges that can be built by crews in the back country -- some with simply joinery, others with rebar and stakes when they are available.

There really is a very fine science to trail construction and maintenance, and while the WTA has a number of techniques that differ from those presented here, it's also amazing to see written out the skills that I have been learning entirely in a hands-on setting.