Mechanized vehicle trail survey: Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Connery B. 1987. Mechanized vehicle trail survey: Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Copper Center, Alaska
Mechanized vehicle use has been occurring for nearly a century within the boundaries of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The earliest trails date back to the late 1800's when stock drawn equipment and the first powered vehicles were used in settling the newly acquired Alaskan territory. Trail construction occurred sporadically over the next 100 years paralleling periods of mineral exploration, homesteading, business and community development, seismic exploration, and recreational access. Trails continue to be used to provide access to inholdings, sport fishing and hunting areas, mining operations, scenic recreation areas, and for subsistence activities. Resulting disturbances to affected environments include shifts in vegetation composition, thermal and surface erosion, and water collection or ponding in areas with subsided substrates. The resource information necessary to minimize these problems and address management concerns in WRST are now available with the completion of this inventory.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Connery, Bruce
- Date of Issue
- 1987
- Units
- WRST
- Keywords
- Ecological Impacts, Erosion-Sedimentation, Inventory, Management, mechanized vehicles, Recreation/Aesthectics, season of use, Sedimentology/Stratigraphy, soil and terrain characteristics, substrate disturbance/damage, trail network, Visitor Impacts