The Tuscarora Trail is part of a trail system intended for long distant hiking and backpacking as well as day hiking. The Tuscarora Trail System consists of a trail corridor, a trail with side trails, shelters, campsites and privies, PATC trail centers and cabins used by the general membership and work crews, water sources, and trailheads and access trails. The trail passes through land owned by PATC, private individuals, businesses or institutions, cities, towns, counties, states, and the federal government. Landowners are referred to collectively as trail partners. Policies and standards of trail partners bind and guide PATC trail construction and maintenance.
Issues concerning the trail involve primarily the acquisition of trail land and easements and the construction of new sections of trail and new shelters. Many areas of the trail are located on public roads or on land that is not protected. The acquisition of trail corridor in order to protect the trail is a slow process as volunteers seek to gain the confidence and willing cooperation of landowners. However, the highest priority for the acquisition of land and easements in establishing a corridor should be given to relocating the trail off roads. The trail should be protected within a corridor that is at least one thousand feet wide with a minimum easement of four feet to the extent possible.
The Club’s goal is to develop cooperative agreements with public land partners or to negotiate fee simple purchase or easements from a willing seller where the trail is on private land. However, it is recognized that less restrictive easements, or agreements, may have to be accepted in order to relocate the trail from public roads to optimum natural locations.
Officers & Relevant Responsibilities
Supervisor of Lands
The Supervisor of Lands coordinates the development of policy and the planning, acquisition, management, and disposal of Club tracts and easements.
Lands Acquisition Committee
The Chair of the Lands Acquisition Committee supervises the acquisition of land and easements through purchase, gift, or exchange.
Other Issues
Forest Health
Another issue of the trail is created by the very nature of the forested lands within the trail corridor. Many of the hardwood trees are affected by one parasite or another. As they die, the over-story decreases more, resulting in an explosion of the under-story—briars, poke weed, nettles, and so forth.
These issues present the Club with serious challenges. The problems demand more and more effort by the volunteer committee members, overseers, and work crews and greater expenditure of funds to support the volunteers.
Volunteer Recruitment
Recruitment of volunteers also appears to be a problem in areas of considerable distance from the Washington, DC metropolitan area, where the Tuscarora Trail is located. The Club has to concentrate on recruitment of volunteers from less populated areas west of the Blue Ridge to support the Tuscarora Trail system.
