DEFINITION
A trail or walking path designed to provide exercise, access to nature and educational opportunities for participants. Many popular trails are focused on environmental education and host school group tours as well as the general public.

Interpretive trails can also provide the participant with insight into the ecology, history, geology and archeology of the area.

AKA
Interpretive trail, Environmental Education Trail, Nature path

RELATED FUNCTIONS
Well designed, low-impact educational trails can provide an opportunity for exercise, direct contact with nature, information and educational opportunities, open space, and protected habitat for wildlife

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Performance can be measured by criteria such as: quality of plant/wildlife habitat adjacent to the trail system, diversity of wildlife, degree of impact resulting from human use, number of visitors utilizing the trail (and number of schools), accessibility (ADA), maintenance and upkeep, and degree of behavior change resulting from exposure to education.

ILLUSTRATION

A sign on an interpretive trail.



CASE STUDIES
Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
other weblinks, books, articles, etc. related to this element
In the United States, the civil war era military parks (Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chickamauga & Chattanooga, etc ...) usually include some sort (either walking or driving) opportunity for the visitor to relive history.