Since many people have contacted me to say they would like to help with trail cleaning and liked the idea of trail work mentioned in the last article, I thought I would create a short list with a couple of concrete tips on the subject.
- Campa horse that grass grows
Of course, as much as it is desirable that sooner or later even the Italian ultratrail scene chooses to introduce volunteer hours into the requirements for participation in races, because it would all be more organized and structured, my advice is: don’t wait for things to be dropped from above, just do it.
Go out, take care of the path home or one you care about for whatever reason. If you choose one close to home you will be able to maintain it more frequently and regularly. The equipment you need is little, mostly, just elbow grease; - Waste cleaning
For every fool on earth who leaves garbage around there must at least be one who cleans up. It would be nice not only for there to be those who clean it but just to reduce the production of it (always using a single bottle instead of half-liter bottles each time for example).
On the trails where I do maintenance, I find mostly plastic bottles, cartridges from hunters’ rifle ammunition, and very often cigarette pack wrappers, tin foil from sandwiches, and various bottles and cans that disrespectful people leave around.
Remember to take a garbage bag with you, and with gloves take away anything that should not be on the trail;
- Open!
By opening the path, we do not mean the practice of opening new paths; it is not up to you to do that. What is always a good practice, however, is to clean up existing trails that due to disuse or other reasons have fallen into disuse and left with poor maintenance.
By open I am referring to fallen trees blocking the pathway and branches/roots that have grown on the path. To open up I use chainsaws for the actual logs, a handheld hacksaw for the smaller branches, and a sickle bar for the bunches of brambles and gorse.
In addition, I always have a pair of shears in my backpack to go fine-tuning even the smallest twigs, when it comes to “pruning” and not completely removing the plant that has branches on the pathway site;
- No one likes to scavenge
Therefore, I remove the larger and unstable stones that are in the center of the path. In this case the only tool is your hands. If the trail section allows, you can also have fun creating trail marker cairns with the removed boulders. If you have time and imagination you can really create spectacular ones at the limits of physics by playing with balance;
- A smooth little job
In a word: rake!
With a good raking you can remove leaves and pruning debris. You can also go in and “patch” any ruts created by frequent motorcycle or jeep passes.
Remember to place prunings at the side of the path in an orderly manner and far enough away that they will not blow back in the way with a gust of wind; - Watch out for erosion
It was suggested to me by a friend and you have to take it into consideration. Some soils that erode easily need drains where water can run off without going into the trail. You can build gullies or dig them crosswise if the soil bottom and slope require it;
- Bridges for fords
If there is a small ford to cross, you can also lay a small bridge over it by joining two wooden planks with twine or a strand of hemp. Remember that it needs to be stable even for those who weigh a lot and level for those who will cycle through it. It’s easier than it sounds, and if you just need to replace an existing one, take measurements of what’s already there and have a carpenter make some boards the right size. If you are not absolutely sure you know how to do this, forget it and ask someone experienced; - What do I put in my backpack?
Gloves, a canteen of water, something to eat. A pair of shears, a sickle and a small hacksaw. A rake and a pair of hedge clippers, trash bags, music, and a sweatshirt.
Elbow oil is needed it is true, but it is an activity that pays off tremendously in terms of the relaxation it gives you back. Besides, once you finish it, it will be nice to finally go and try it out!
Have fun runners!