Assessing Safety and Suitability of Old Trails for Hiking Using Ground and Drone Surveys

Abstract

Hiking is a popular recreational activity and to cater to public demand, it is apt to increase the number of hiking trails. Various methodologies have been proposed to evaluate the suitability of forest trails to be constructed as hiking trails, but they can be costly and require relevant knowledge in analyzing digital information through a high-throughput dataset. Therefore, there is a need to come up with a simple method to obtain first-hand information on the trail condition, particularly considering the aspects of safety and suitability to hikers, using both on-ground and aerial observations. In this study, we introduce a new assessment approach to analyze and select old forest trails to be reconstructed as new hiking trails. This is useful for park managers who prioritize safety, comfort, and aesthetic features of the recreation site for their visitors. Trail condition assessment was carried out along the trail whereby a 2×2 m sampling plot was constructed at every 100 m. Aerial drone survey was conducted to produce an ortho-mosaic that revealed the percentage of exposed trail from above. Potential phytotourism products and scenic spots were identified and recorded for their locations along the trail to promote the aesthetic value of the recreation site. A strength distribution plot was prepared based on the trail condition, canopy coverage, and aesthetic features along the trail that were categorized using three altitude ranges (n ≤ 150 m, 150 < n < 250 m, n ≥ 250 m a.s.l.). This is to assess the trade-offs in safety, comfort, and aesthetic features along the trail. The development of this methodology offers a direct and cost-effective, yet informative approach to evaluate the quality of a potential hiking trail, thus could effectively aid in the promotion of nature-based tourism.

Long-term monitoring of vegetation cover changes by remote sensing, Cadillac Mountain summit, Acadia National Park

“…While more discussion is needed on whether flying these machines should be permitted in national parks (https:// www.nps.gov/articles/unmanned-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm), we expect that the versatility of UAVs and drones will play an important role in visitor impact monitoring and recreation resource management in protected areas in the US and worldwide (Ancin-Murguzur et al 2020;Lee et al 2020;López and Mulero-Pázmány 2019).…”

Attitudes and Views of Citizens Regarding the Contribution of the Trail Paths in Protection and Promotion of Natural Environment

“…Trail paths attract visitors to rural and mountainous areas; they can come into contact with the area's heritage, thus, extending their stay and turning these areas into more attractive places for visitors [32]. Further, they are considered infrastructures that provide access to natural areas that are protected and, thus, should provide access to these areas for recreation while not disturbing these areas [3] and offer aesthetic comfort and safety [33]. According to Muntasib et al [34], the paths are also used for running, as a result of which they become a pole of attraction for athletes from other countries, increasing tourist traffic, in the development of the marketing of the area as well as the promotion of the latter [35].…”

A Platform for Difficulty Assessment and Recommendation of Hiking Trails

“…Similarly, SuisseMobile 11 provides online apps mapping pedestrian trails and respective technical information. Moreover, regional tourism offices offer complementary services with more detailed and accurate information, sometimes exploiting third party companies such as Outdooractive 12 or Snukr 13 . To collect and maintain up to date information about hiking trails are expensive and robots/humans-intense activities [6,13].…”

“…Moreover, regional tourism offices offer complementary services with more detailed and accurate information, sometimes exploiting third party companies such as Outdooractive 12 or Snukr 13 . To collect and maintain up to date information about hiking trails are expensive and robots/humans-intense activities [6,13]. Nevertheless, this detailed information is crucial to provides hikers with crucial indications about the trails they are willing to undertake.…”