Trail Mix

by Tim Rensema, Natural Resources

“Port Ludlow – A Destination Hiking Village”     

With the completion of the Larry G. Scott Memorial Trail, the Trails Committee will be concentrating on maintaining the more than thirty miles of trails we have constructed. Like any network or system, it must be maintained to ensure it functions as designed. This is a big job.

What does maintenance entail? To begin with, we have trail representatives for all our trails called Stewards, who report back to the committee on much needed maintenance. These reports generate project design which are then accomplished through “Fun Days”, where we go out and complete the project. If the project entails purchasing materials, then that needs to be done first, and then placed on the trail site. We have a rather large backlog of projects to get done. A key project we will have is the completion of two entrances to access the Interpretive Trail through the new Falls Terrace development. These will be completed in conjunction with the construction of this development and coordination with Port Ludlow Associates in the next year or so.

However, with us deep in summer, our principal maintenance requirement is cutting back blackberry (and other weeds) from our trails, so no one is attacked by the dreaded Himalayan Blackberry Cane, with its blood thirsty thorns. Also cutting back the stinging nettles is paramount to a comfortable walk on our trails. Grass, of course, is important to cut on many trails. This requires mowing and weed whacking throughout summer. Our stewards are instrumental in alerting our mowing folks in keeping our trails clear.

Finally, we have about twelve bridges of various sizes that we need to keep functional. Some are very short, while others, such as the Cart Path, are long and complex. Keeping them clear of vegetation is just one aspect to maintenance we have. In many places we have asphalt or gravel pathways or heavy use of wood chips to absorb unwanted drainage. These types of projects are ongoing due to poor drainage or other factors. In many places, we need to continue to improve our ditching to drain the trails of excess water. If you walk the trails, you know where these areas are.

On another front, Jim Mueller led the attack against the invasive and toxic plant, tansy ragwort, on July 11, successfully (with many others) removing most of the plants from our roadways and trails. This was the second phase of our fight against invasive plants in Port Ludlow. Next spring, see how much Scotch Broom has taken over the roads of Kitsap, Jefferson, and Clallam counties, then compare that to Port Ludlow. We are slowly eradicating them from our community.

It will be a busy year for us to update our trails to make them more enjoyable and safer. If you see an issue while walking the trails, please notify Jerry Keck, Chair, at jnkeck@gmail.com. Thanks very much.