Durable Surfaces
Disperse or Concentrate?
Provide visual reinforcement of walking impacts on established trails versus pristine landscape. Demonstrate dispersed versus concentrated impact on pristine landscape.
Goal
Participants will understand how to stay on established trails and disperse traffic when off-trail.
Time
20 minutes.
Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- identify established trails
- identify durable and non-durable ground cover
- explain the value of dispersing off-trail traffic.
Materials
- inkpad or 'sharpie' marker for each group of 5-6
- plastic army man or tiny figure with sponge glued to feet for each participant (optional)
- 2 copies of Durable Surfaces Worksheet #1 for each group
- 1 copy of Durable Surfaces Worksheet #2 for each group
Motivator
Recognizing the amount of damage done to non-durable surfaces helps us focus on identifying and using the most durable surfaces available.
Presentation
Give each group their ink and stamps.
Hand out Durable Surfaces Worksheet #1 to each group.
Explain that your group is taking a walk through the woods on a trail at the bottom of the worksheet when the woods open up to a beautiful meadow.
Ask each group to 'ink their feet' and walk across the meadow to the far forest. (Or, just draw a line where they would walk)
While they are doing this, distribute the two copies of Durable Surfaces Worksheet #2.
When they have all walked across the meadow, hopefully staying on the path, ask them to look at the next worksheet.
Explain that they continued their hike deeper into the wilderness and came to another meadow, but the faint trail they were following disappeared.
Ask the audience how they should cross this meadow. Hopefully, someone will say hikers should spread out and disperse traffic.
Ask them to again 'ink their feet' and walk across the meadow to the far forest two different times. On one sheet, have a person lead the way and everyone else follow his path. On the other sheet, have everyone take their own path.
Reflection
- Did everyone stay on the path when it was available?
- What impact differences are noticable between the dispersed and concentrated traffic when there is no trail?
- Did anyone walk through the marshy area? (staying on the grassy area would be better)
- What do you notice at the point where the trail disappears? (many footprints as people find their own paths)
- If traffic increases in this area, what may happen? (the packed trail will extend into the meadow and eventually connect naturally to the other side.
