Thawing ATV Trail

Observation: About halfway back into the Russian Mountains, on the trail coming from Chuathbaluk, you can see that most of the trail heading up to the mountains is very eroded due to the very warm temperatures we been having. Because of the warm weather the permafrost is melting and is causing the trail to cave-in. Our community uses this trail to pick berries, and go hunting. With the ground and permafrost so eroded this year it will be difficult to ride on. What might be some of the other effects to the environment as a result of this rise in temperature?

LEO says: This observation echos others we have received related to the vulnerability of thawing soils to erosion, especially along travel routes. On a trip last year to Golovin in Alaska's Bering Straits region I traveled with the environmental staff on a geosynthetic trail put down over the tundra. The trail seemed to work well on the flats and gentle hills and I even picked a salmon berry that was growing between pieces of fabric. It did not however work well on side hills as the fabric slipped on the tundra and was tricky to drive across. Here is a photo from Golovin's trail. Here is a case study UAF Cooperative Extension about the use of Geotextiles for ATV roads in Alaska. The LEO Network members and tribal environmental staff in Golovin Alaska would be another good resource for discussing use of these products for erosion control. M. Brubaker.