C.O. public lands, wildlife habitat damaged as people make their own, illegal trails

After people forge their own paths, land managers and groups like Trail Alliance step in to remove them

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Central Oregon is an outdoor enthusiast's playground, with lots of areas to explore. However, people have found new paths to 'explore' -- and it's hurting the land. Out of the thousands of miles of trails in Central Oregon, it's estimated that 10% are user-made.

Illegal, or non-system trails, include small paths people have walked over, or even developed bike jumps.

Emmy Andrews, executive director of the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, says all types of recreators make these trails.

"The concept (is) that we're sharing the forest with so many other resources -- both human users and wildlife, and archaeological and historical resources," she said Tuesday. "And you know, by just going and building a new trail, you could be unintentionally damaging these resources."

All legal trails go through an approval process before being built. COTA proposes a new trail to the land management agency, and they work together to accommodate all users and wildlife.

Depending on the land, the Forest Service has a formal process, with documentation and public input before allowing an official trail. That approval process can take years.

Illegal trails, once found, also have to get approved. If not, groups like COTA and the Forest Service have to get rid of them, working to restore the land.

"They have to get dealt with in some way," said Andrews. "It's just taking resources away from new trails being approved when the land manager and groups like COTA are having to deal with those non-system trails."

There's a reason certain land is not a designated trail. Jean Nelson-Dean, public affairs officer for the Deschutes National Forest, says these trails are hurting the land.

"It's having huge impacts, very dramatic impacts," she said. "On our wildlife populations, plants, you know -- we're seeing water quality be downgraded, erosion. All of that increases when people do these unauthorized trails."

Illegal trails are hard to regulate, because they look like normal trails. Both COTA and the Forest Service encourage people to know where they're going before getting on a trail.

"There's a lot of opportunity for people to recreate outdoors and experience nature," said Nelson-Dean. "Without destroying nature."