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Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments

Year 2015, Special Issue, 67 - 73, 31.01.2015
https://doi.org/10.21657/tsd.32964

Abstract

Erosion in recreational areas is often triggered by vegetation removal as a result of activities like
walking, horse-riding, camping, motor vehicle use, mountain bike riding, and development of visitor
facilities. Sandy soils in two geomorphic settings were investigated for potential differences in erosion
patterns and conservation practices. On a coastal sand dune (100% coarse sand) leading to a popular
beach, fencing provided regulated access via rill-eroded, 2 m-wide paths over slopes ranging from 6.5
to 10 degrees and slope lengths from 35 to 45 m. Conservation measures on back-dune paths included
repeated spreading of off-site silt/clay-based fill and/or road metal, later replaced by concreting. On the
seaward-facing paths where potential erosion rates were estimated to be >10 times those on adjacent
vegetated areas, a below-surface board-and-chain system was replaced on some paths by low
maintenance solid-surface plastic pavers. In a second area, relic cliff-top dunes were traversed by a 26-
km walking track with non-vegetated and unfenced pathway segments 1-3 m wide. Soil texture of the
cliff-top dune was dominated by coarse sands (coarse:fine:silt of 91:9:<1 in the study area) which were
eroded by wind, water and mass downslope transfer from walkers' footfalls. Despite gentle slopes (<5
degrees), combined erosion processes resulted in hollowing of pathways below adjacent surfaces to
depths of up to 40 cm. Where path surfaces became uncomfortable for walkers, or deep gullies
developed, visitors widened paths by trampling adjacent vegetation. This study found that costly
installations on eroded pathways are feasible for well-frequented, beach-fringing dunes, but not for
lengthy walking tracks with long gentle slopes extending for kilometres; and erosion patterns and
conservation measures on sandy soils differ in contrasting geomorphic and recreational environments.

References

  • Capararo, G., Mitchell, P., 1995. Fantastic plastic – geotextiles stabilise a walking track. Aust. J. Soil Water Conserv. 8, 21-25.
  • Ciccarelli, D., 2014. Mediterranean coastal sand dune vegetation: influence of natural and anthropogenic factors. Environ. Manage. 54, 194-204.
  • Cole, D.N., 1986. Recreational impacts on backcountry campsites in Grand-Canyon-National-Park, Arizona, USA. Environ. Manage. 10 (5), 651-659.
  • Cole, D.N., Spildie, D.R., 1998. Hiker, horse, and llama trampling effects on native vegetation in Montana, USA. J. Environ. Manage. 53, 61-71.
  • De Luca, E., Novelli, C., Barbato, F., Menegoni, P., Iannetta, M., Nascetti, G., 2011. Coastal dune systems and disturbance factors: monitoring and analysis in central Italy. Environ. Monit. Assess. 183, 437-450.
  • Department of Agriculture and Department of the Environment, 2012. Maroubra Beach dunes on the mend. http://www.nrm.gov.au/funding/approved/pre- 2008/nsw/sydm/2006-03.html Accessed 24 January 2014
  • Dragovich, D., Bajpai, S., 2012. Visitor attitudes and erosional impacts on the Coast Walk, Royal National Park. Proc. Linnean Soc. NSW 134, B113-B118.
  • Gager, P., Conacher, A., 2001. Erosion of access tracks in Kalamunda National Park, Western Australia: causes and management implications. Aust. Geogr. 32, 343-357.
  • Kutiel, P., Eden, E., Zhevelev, Y., 2000. Effect of experimental trampling and off-road motorcycle traffic on soil and vegetation of stabilized coastal dunes, Israel. Environ. Conserv. 27 (1), 14-23.
  • Monsef, H.A., Abahussain, A., 2013. The impact of camping activities on soil degradation in Kuwait. J. Environ. Inform. 22 (2), 102-111.
  • Morgan, R.P.C., Duzant, J.H., 2008. Modified MMF (Morgan-Morgan-Finney) model for evaluating effects of crops and vegetation cover on soil erosion. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms 32, 90-106.
  • Newsome, D., Milewski, A., Phillips, N., Annear, R., 2002. Effects of horse riding on National Parks and other natural ecosystems in Australia: implications for management. J. Ecotourism 1, 52-74.
  • Olive, N.D., Marion, J.L., 2009. The influence of use- related, environmental, and managerial factors on soil loss from recreational trails. J. Environ. Manag. 90, 1483-1493.
  • Phillips, N., Newsome, D., 2002. Understanding the impacts of recreation in Australian protected areas: Quantifying damage caused by horse riding in D’Entrecasteaux National Park, Western Australia. Pacific Conserv. Biol. 7 (4), 256-273.
  • Randall, M., Newsome, D., 2008. Assessment, evaluation and a comparison of planned and unplanned walk trails in coastal south-western Australia. Conserv. Sci. W. Aust. 7 (1), 19-34.
  • Randall, M., Newsome, D., 2009. Changes in the soil micro-topography of two coastal hiking trails in south-western Australia. Conserv. Sci. W. Aust. 7 (2), 279-299.
  • Randwick City Council, 1996. Maroubra Beach: Plan of Management overview. Prepared for Randwick City Council by Hassell Pty. Ltd. 37p.
  • Wilson, J.P., Seney, J.P., 1994. Erosional impact of hikers, horses, motorcycles, and off-road bicycles on mountain trails of Montana. Mountain Res. Develop. 14, 77-88.
  • Wimpey, J., Marion, J.L., 2011. A spatial exploration of informal trail networks within Great Falls Park, VA. J. Environ. Manage. 92, 1012-1022.
  • Zierholz, C., Hairsine, P., Booker, F.,1995. Run-off and soil erosion in bushland following the Sydney bushfires. Aust. J. Soil Water Conserv. 8, 28-37.

Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments

Year 2015, Special Issue, 67 - 73, 31.01.2015
https://doi.org/10.21657/tsd.32964

Abstract

Erosion in recreational areas is often triggered by vegetation removal as a result of activities like
walking, horse-riding, camping, motor vehicle use, mountain bike riding, and development of visitor
facilities. Sandy soils in two geomorphic settings were investigated for potential differences in erosion
patterns and conservation practices. On a coastal sand dune (100% coarse sand) leading to a popular
beach, fencing provided regulated access via rill-eroded, 2 m-wide paths over slopes ranging from 6.5
to 10 degrees and slope lengths from 35 to 45 m. Conservation measures on back-dune paths included
repeated spreading of off-site silt/clay-based fill and/or road metal, later replaced by concreting. On the
seaward-facing paths where potential erosion rates were estimated to be >10 times those on adjacent
vegetated areas, a below-surface board-and-chain system was replaced on some paths by low
maintenance solid-surface plastic pavers. In a second area, relic cliff-top dunes were traversed by a 26-
km walking track with non-vegetated and unfenced pathway segments 1-3 m wide. Soil texture of the
cliff-top dune was dominated by coarse sands (coarse:fine:silt of 91:9:<1 in the study area) which were
eroded by wind, water and mass downslope transfer from walkers' footfalls. Despite gentle slopes (<5
degrees), combined erosion processes resulted in hollowing of pathways below adjacent surfaces to
depths of up to 40 cm. Where path surfaces became uncomfortable for walkers, or deep gullies
developed, visitors widened paths by trampling adjacent vegetation. This study found that costly
installations on eroded pathways are feasible for well-frequented, beach-fringing dunes, but not for
lengthy walking tracks with long gentle slopes extending for kilometres; and erosion patterns and
conservation measures on sandy soils differ in contrasting geomorphic and recreational environments.

References

  • Capararo, G., Mitchell, P., 1995. Fantastic plastic – geotextiles stabilise a walking track. Aust. J. Soil Water Conserv. 8, 21-25.
  • Ciccarelli, D., 2014. Mediterranean coastal sand dune vegetation: influence of natural and anthropogenic factors. Environ. Manage. 54, 194-204.
  • Cole, D.N., 1986. Recreational impacts on backcountry campsites in Grand-Canyon-National-Park, Arizona, USA. Environ. Manage. 10 (5), 651-659.
  • Cole, D.N., Spildie, D.R., 1998. Hiker, horse, and llama trampling effects on native vegetation in Montana, USA. J. Environ. Manage. 53, 61-71.
  • De Luca, E., Novelli, C., Barbato, F., Menegoni, P., Iannetta, M., Nascetti, G., 2011. Coastal dune systems and disturbance factors: monitoring and analysis in central Italy. Environ. Monit. Assess. 183, 437-450.
  • Department of Agriculture and Department of the Environment, 2012. Maroubra Beach dunes on the mend. http://www.nrm.gov.au/funding/approved/pre- 2008/nsw/sydm/2006-03.html Accessed 24 January 2014
  • Dragovich, D., Bajpai, S., 2012. Visitor attitudes and erosional impacts on the Coast Walk, Royal National Park. Proc. Linnean Soc. NSW 134, B113-B118.
  • Gager, P., Conacher, A., 2001. Erosion of access tracks in Kalamunda National Park, Western Australia: causes and management implications. Aust. Geogr. 32, 343-357.
  • Kutiel, P., Eden, E., Zhevelev, Y., 2000. Effect of experimental trampling and off-road motorcycle traffic on soil and vegetation of stabilized coastal dunes, Israel. Environ. Conserv. 27 (1), 14-23.
  • Monsef, H.A., Abahussain, A., 2013. The impact of camping activities on soil degradation in Kuwait. J. Environ. Inform. 22 (2), 102-111.
  • Morgan, R.P.C., Duzant, J.H., 2008. Modified MMF (Morgan-Morgan-Finney) model for evaluating effects of crops and vegetation cover on soil erosion. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms 32, 90-106.
  • Newsome, D., Milewski, A., Phillips, N., Annear, R., 2002. Effects of horse riding on National Parks and other natural ecosystems in Australia: implications for management. J. Ecotourism 1, 52-74.
  • Olive, N.D., Marion, J.L., 2009. The influence of use- related, environmental, and managerial factors on soil loss from recreational trails. J. Environ. Manag. 90, 1483-1493.
  • Phillips, N., Newsome, D., 2002. Understanding the impacts of recreation in Australian protected areas: Quantifying damage caused by horse riding in D’Entrecasteaux National Park, Western Australia. Pacific Conserv. Biol. 7 (4), 256-273.
  • Randall, M., Newsome, D., 2008. Assessment, evaluation and a comparison of planned and unplanned walk trails in coastal south-western Australia. Conserv. Sci. W. Aust. 7 (1), 19-34.
  • Randall, M., Newsome, D., 2009. Changes in the soil micro-topography of two coastal hiking trails in south-western Australia. Conserv. Sci. W. Aust. 7 (2), 279-299.
  • Randwick City Council, 1996. Maroubra Beach: Plan of Management overview. Prepared for Randwick City Council by Hassell Pty. Ltd. 37p.
  • Wilson, J.P., Seney, J.P., 1994. Erosional impact of hikers, horses, motorcycles, and off-road bicycles on mountain trails of Montana. Mountain Res. Develop. 14, 77-88.
  • Wimpey, J., Marion, J.L., 2011. A spatial exploration of informal trail networks within Great Falls Park, VA. J. Environ. Manage. 92, 1012-1022.
  • Zierholz, C., Hairsine, P., Booker, F.,1995. Run-off and soil erosion in bushland following the Sydney bushfires. Aust. J. Soil Water Conserv. 8, 28-37.
There are 20 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Deirdre Dragovich This is me

Publication Date January 31, 2015
Published in Issue Year 2015 Special Issue

Cite

APA Dragovich, D. (2015). Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments. Toprak Su Dergisi67-73. https://doi.org/10.21657/tsd.32964
AMA Dragovich D. Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments. TSD. Published online January 1, 2015:67-73. doi:10.21657/tsd.32964
Chicago Dragovich, Deirdre. “Soil Erosion and Conservation in Two Geomorphic and Recreational Environments”. Toprak Su Dergisi, January (January 2015), 67-73. https://doi.org/10.21657/tsd.32964.
EndNote Dragovich D (January 1, 2015) Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments. Toprak Su Dergisi 67–73.
IEEE D. Dragovich, “Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments”, TSD, pp. 67–73, January 2015, doi: 10.21657/tsd.32964.
ISNAD Dragovich, Deirdre. “Soil Erosion and Conservation in Two Geomorphic and Recreational Environments”. Toprak Su Dergisi. January 2015. 67-73. https://doi.org/10.21657/tsd.32964.
JAMA Dragovich D. Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments. TSD. 2015;:67–73.
MLA Dragovich, Deirdre. “Soil Erosion and Conservation in Two Geomorphic and Recreational Environments”. Toprak Su Dergisi, 2015, pp. 67-73, doi:10.21657/tsd.32964.
Vancouver Dragovich D. Soil erosion and conservation in two geomorphic and recreational environments. TSD. 2015:67-73.
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