Program on the Environment

As the population of Seattle increases, public parks and forests are susceptible to mistreatment and loss of habitat. A phenomenon that contributes to this degradation is social trails. Social trails are pathways of erosion caused by people going off-trail, typically serving as a short-cut or access route to a memorable viewpoint. For my Capstone project, I interned with Friends of Lincoln Park, performing forest restoration by removing invasive species and planting native species. As I worked in the park each week, I noticed approximately 40% of park users exploring the unofficial trails that weave through the park. Since these trails are unmarked, it is reasonable to assume people cannot interpret the difference between official trails and social trails. As someone fascinated by the relationship between modern Americans and the environment, I decided to conduct a survey and evaluate public perception of social trails, as well as possible management methods to mitigate their use. I surveyed people walking through Lincoln Park in-person, as well as general Washington residents online, to try and understand the commonality and perception of this practice. My data revealed that people were generally uneducated as to the difference between official and social trails, were unaware that social trails can be damaging to forest habitats, and were more likely to not use a social trail if there was a sign at the trailhead. This data reveals the importance of environmental education in protecting vulnerable habitats, and opens the door for further research regarding signage as a deterrence method.