We all love the trails and one of the benefits to hiking is seeing the plethora that nature has to offer. But could our beloved trails also be a major highway of ecosystem destruction? Here I will discuss how trails, while beautiful and great for nature lovers, can also pose a danger to the surrounding habitat if not respected.
Invasive species: What are they?
Invasive species are any non-native organisms that cause damage to the ecosystem. Often, these invasive species have no natural predator in the new ecosystem and can rapidly advance. Invasive species may push out native organisms through competition, spreading of diseases, and habitat deprivation. Also, invasive species may have economic, social, and human health impacts as well.
6 Invasive Species
In the U.S.
| Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) | Hemlock wooly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) | Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) |
| Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) | European Grapevine Moth (Lobesia botrana) | Sudden Oak Death pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum) |
What do Invasive Species have to do with Hiking?
Invasive species relate to hiking not just because they can alter the very trails, we hike on by changing the forest composition, but it turns out trails may actually be the conduit by which invasive species enter the forests in the first place.
For example, mountains tend to be less prone to invasive species in comparison to lower elevation areas but as people disturb the landscape in the mountains it was found that more invasive species were prevalent near those areas (Liedtke et al. 2019). It has also been suggested the size of the trail may affect the invasive species held in the forest where wider trails and roads had more prevalence of invasive species than the narrower trails (Peters 2019).
What could this mean to Hiking?
This means that hikers should be aware that just by having the trail established through human construction there may be a chance that invasive species have been unknowingly invited into the area. Such as, in my hike at the Black Creek Preserve where I saw the effects from the invasive species.
Perhaps wider trails mean more traffic and more possibility for invasive hitchhikers to tag along until they find a nice spot to establish. Or maybe the opening of the forest allows the species to form a foothold in the region and unbalance the ecosystem.
What can we do?
A few steps we can take to lower the risk of spreading invasive species are:
- Brush off bottom of shoes/ boots before and after entering the trail
- Take out what you bring in
- Don’t disturb the plants or animals while your there
- Clean any gear you use before and after hiking
- Make sure the transportation you use is also clean such as the car, bike, or boat
Does that mean we should stop hiking?
I started this blog because I love hiking and want people to love hiking too. But I also want us to be aware that when we go into the woods, we are guests, and we should remember that we are entering the homes of plants, animals, fungi and other organisms. As such, we should take care and wipe our feet, take our things with us when we leave, and not make a mess.
Hopefully, if we all do our part, agencies such as the National Park Service (NPS), United States Department or Agriculture (USDA), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFS) and others can combat these invasive species so that we can all spend more time enjoying our hikes and learning more about the trails and their tales and not have to worry about losing the destinations we love.
Citation:
Peters, Asa John, “Investigating the Role of Recreational Trails in Plant Invasion in Southeastern Connecticut” (2019). Botany Honors Papers. 6. https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/botanyhp/6
Liedtke, R., Barros, A., Essl, F. et al. Hiking trails as conduits for the spread of non-native species in mountain areas. Biol Invasions 22, 1121–1134 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02165-9