| 9/2/2009 3:56:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Applewood Nature Preserve is located in South Maplewood. photos by Cody Zustiak/Review
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| Applewoods sustainable trails curve around the natural contours of the park, which allows hikers to be fully engulfed in nature. |
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Applewood trail construction reaching conclusion
Cody Zustiak
As hikers make their way through the trails at Applewood Preserve, they may notice something new.
The city of Maplewood is in the final stages of finishing construction for a "sustainable" trail at the neighborhood preserve. The city's open space task force and the parks and recreation department launched the project, which has been in the works for more than a year.
Despite initial fears that the project might only be partially completed this year, it was reported at the Aug. 24 city council meeting that the trail will be finished by the end of September.
What's 'sustainable'?
Applewood is located in southern Maplewood, west of Century Avenue between Linwood Avenue and Highwood Avenue. New Century Development borders the preserve to the east.
It is a 24-acre natural area, with a 4-acre play area for children. The preserve is known for its rolling hills, its habitat for birds and wild animals and its namesake apple trees.
There are entrances at Matterhorn, O'Day Street, Promontory Place and Oak Circle. More than a mile of hiking trails and a short asphalt trail for biking help highlight the natural beauty of the park.
A sustainable trail is a "soil-service" trail that can carry visitors into an area surrounded by natural preserve with little impact on the nearby ecosystem.
These new trails provide a scenic route of the preserve, as they meander around natural contours instead of cutting through the park in a more straightforward manner.
They're also easier to maintain, as they rise and fall gradually, instead of going straight up and down like older plank trails.
However, hikers have found that some trails they're used to following have been closed off as the soil trails have been put in place.
City employees have blocked the old trails with brush and warning signs.
The council seemed pleased that improvements are being made and that a target end date for the project is nearing closer.
Sustainable trails are meant for walking and hiking, not biking. They provide fewer disruptions to natural areas and are less expensive compared to limerock or asphalt.
Maplwood Natural Resources Coordinator Ginny Gaynor presented council members with pros and cons for this type of sustainable trail.
Some pros are that it's narrow, which lends a sense of being a part of nature. The trails are also easier feet and joints compared to harder surfaces.
The cons are to be expected from dirt trails: general upkeep needs to be done more often. Trails need to be mowed and they can get soft or muddy during spring thaws and after a heavy rain.
Signs vandalized
Signs blocking off older trail routes have been vandalized as construction as the updated trails have finished.
"We are not sure if it's because of routine vandalism or people are sending a message that they want to bike those trails," Gaynor said.
Those looking to experience the trails won't have much longer to wait, and the council is sure that residents will enjoy them.
Cody Zustiak can be reached at staffwriter@lillienews.com or 651-748-7824
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