For Thomas Schoen, the impact of climate change on trail building isn’t theoretical. It’s already reshaping how, and whether, trails get built.“I find it’s becoming more and more of a discussion,” says the First Journey Trails owner. “People are just making that connection. This is exactly 10 years ago that it started affecting me and my business.”
That timeline matches up with a turning point in British Columbia.
“In 2017 we had the big wildfires in B.C.’s interior and my hometown, Williams Lake, we all got evacuated,” he says. “And that really led to those changes that we as trail building companies now have to implement.”
When building stops overnight
The most immediate impact shows up on job sites. Schoen points to projects halted mid-build due to wildfire closures or unsafe air quality.
“An example would be shutting down or putting a pause on an ongoing construction project because of wildfires,” he says. “It’s just a health concern for builders working so hard within this thick, heavy smoke.”
Of course access may also be an issue. But it’s that uncertainty that can destroy small companies.
“Is this crew shut down for three days or for three weeks or for three months?” he asks. “You don’t know. As a business owner, it becomes a nightmare.”
Trails built for a different climate
Schoen argues that beyond operations, climate change is also altering how trails are designed from the ground up.
“We have to plan very differently,” Schoen says. “We’re looking at drainage very differently. We have these really crazy rain weather events where there is so much water running off the trails.”
That means more infrastructure and higher costs.
“More culverts, more French drains, rockwork,” he says. “All those type of things.”
It also means more planning before a shovel ever hits dirt.
“You might even have to engage with outside consultants, with wildfire specialists,” Schoen says. “The cost goes up simply because it requires a lot more careful planning.”
Building trails that fight fire
In some cases, trails themselves can become part of the solution.
“You can work with fuel breaks. Basically you’re creating more defensible space,” Schoen says.
That might mean wider corridors, cleared underbrush or repositioning trails entirely. Working with wildfire specialists before building has benefits.
“If we’re told to just move this trail 200 metres up the mountain, then we could…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…