Visitors trample Shenandoah National Park
By Lynn Davis , College of Natural Resources
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Shenandoah National Park attracts visitors from all over Virginia and surrounding states. Beginning just 75 miles southwest of the nation’s capital, it encompasses the Appalachian Trail and Skyline Drive for almost 100 miles. The mixture of trails to hike, views to see, and diverse animal and plant life provides irresistible allure, and ensures that repeat visits will not be dull, “been-there, done-that” outings.
If we are to continue to have that natural world to enjoy, however, some trail re-routing will be required. Jeff Marion, natural resources recreation adjunct professor in Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and U.S. Geological Survey leader of the Cooperative Park Studies Unit, headed a large-scale project to examine and protect rare plant species found in Shenandoah.
Team project members included Steve Lawson, assistant professor of forestry, and Kerry Wood, an employee of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy with a B.S. in natural resource recreation management from Virginia Tech. The National Park Service provided housing and financial support, and participated in the field work.
The idea was born when a local heritage organization helped arrange the research because new areas of the park were being damaged by foot traffic.
Shenandoah National Park encompasses about 197,000 acres in Virginia. All but about 4,000 acres is covered with vegetation. The cliffs throughout the park are composed of two main rock types, and most of the rare or endangered plants grow on the greenstone cliffs.
The research team’s mission was to assess and evaluate all types of visitor use of and impacts on the cliffs and associated recreation sites and trails, which will lead to changes to protect the Shenandoah salamander and endangered plant species. Marion was responsible for measuring the cliff vista, rock climbing sites, and trails and noting the damage to them. He also developed and applied long-term monitoring procedures for the park. Wood observed visitors and their behaviors while on cliff-associated recreation sites. The research also included a survey of all the visitors about their cliff-based recreation activities.
The three basic groups of park-goers are backpackers, hikers, and rock climbers. Backpackers and hikers are present throughout the park; rock climbing is found at only 12 sites. It significantly impacts six of the sites at which research was conducted, with Little Stony Man Cliffs and the Old Rag Mountains being the two major climbing sites.
“Most of the damage to rare plants results from trampling,” says Marion. Hikers cause the most damage, accounting for 70 to 90 percent, he says. “Hikers are on the trail to see the view, and thus stop and linger, whereas backpackers and rock climbers do not stop for long, if at all.”
People stray from the trail to look at points of interest or get an unobstructed view, often following unofficial trails that were not designed into the layout of the park. “Mountaintops receive the brunt of the damage due to greater traffic,” says Marion. “Cliff tops also generally have the best views, so people tend to access them to see above the forests.”
The concentration of foot traffic along the greenstone cliff tops leads to the trampling of rare plants and is a significant concern for park managers.
Marion and his team proposed a number of solutions to be carried out by the park’s administrators. Several informal (visitor-created) trails have been closed, with more closings planned. These closings are intended to be permanent. “The trails designated for closing will be small trails created by hikers who use them as shortcuts,” says Marion. “No formal trails will be affected.”
Other trails, such as shorter spur trails that branch off specifically to enable visitors to catch a certain view, would be rerouted to avoid endangered plant species.
Marion also proposed that campsites be moved farther from the cliff tops, and recommended reducing the available parking at one site in an effort to limit the amount of human traffic on the cliff top at one time. The research team recommended that cedar logs be strategically placed to restrict traffic and prevent people from damaging large areas by spreading out laterally.
The park will begin to educate its 1.2 million annual visitors with help from the Leave No Trace program, which strives to teach people how to enjoy the outdoors by adopting low-impact hiking and camping practices. Visitors will be taught to avoid problem areas and not to step off the carefully marked trails. They’ll also be encouraged to watch where they’re walking and step on rocks when possible. Rock climbers may be asked to rappel down cliffs instead of hiking on steep, eroded trails.
The researchers and park managers hope to keep as much of the park available to the public as possible. “The park does not function solely as a measure of protection for natural resources, but also as a preserve for people to enjoy nature,” says Marion.
