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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Low Maintenance A low maintenance surface is the fourth option for the Trott Brook Trail Development Project. A low maintenance trail can be used for snowmobiles and horses. A low maintenance trail will have a surface of topsoil or woodchips rather than gravel or asphalt. This surface has a mild grade prepared by hand labor of light machinery. The trail should be less than ten feet to minimize speeds and increase safety. The trail should be mowed to define the boundaries and signs should be posted to keep riders on the trail. Preparation costs for a chip-bark trail are approximately $7,000 which include clearing, preparation, and installation for a 1" thick chip top layer. Additional Treatment Options Additional treatment options for trail construction are beneficial in many circumstances. In erosive areas, filter fabric and retaining walls are recommended to improve soil stability. To combat invasive weeds, a soil sterilant can be applied to the trail before the surface. These options are highlight~d below and their costs are listed in Table 3. Filter Fabric The use of filter fabric is widespread in the landscaping industry. Filter fabric is a plastic based porous cloth used to prevent erosion. Filter fabric is most commonly used in construction of gravel trails but is also used under asphalt surfaces and behind retaining walls. The fabric is used in both wet and dry climates. Filter fabric is the first layer applied in trail construction. After laying the filter fabric, woodchips or crushed rock are used to build up the level of the trail. Filter fabric can be used in a single layer or between layers of trail surface material. The benefits of filter fabric include reducing erosion, preventing weed growth, and strengthening trail surfaces. The filter fabric prevents mixing of soils and degradation from expansion and contraction of frost. The fabric inhibits weed growth by preventing roots from penetrating the trail surface. Filter fabric is used to help reduce erosion by allowing water to infiltrate and by trapping sediment. Soil Sterilant A soil sterilant is a root inhibiting herbicide often used when developing a trail system in woodland areas. When a soil sterilant is applied under a trail surface it inhibits the growth of roots. Mono Bor-Chloride is a common soil sterilant used by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This product is applied before the gravel or asphalt is laid. To prevent 17