Trail Management
The
Georgia Appalachian Trail Club and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have a
long-standing partnership to manage and maintain the Appalachian Trail in
Georgia.
The USFS furnishes supplies, materials, equipment, and expertise regarding statutory and regulatory guidelines, and the GATC furnishes volunteer labor for construction and maintenance of the AT.
With Appalachian Trail Conservancy support, GATC also furnishes supplies and materials for construction projects. Since 1979, GATC has corrected specific erosion problems with waterbars, log or rock steps and cribbing, grade dips or minor relocations so as to harden the entire Georgia Trail.
Under a memoriam of understanding, GATC is responsible for the following trail maintenance activities, described in detail in the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club Plan for Management of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia:
Trail Shelters and Campsites
GATC routinely cleans and maintains the shelter system, and with USFS
district coordination, develops and maintains off-trail campsites as needed
to reduce and control the environmental impact of misuse along the trail
corridor.
Trail Signs and Trail Markings
Originally, all trail signs, blazes and metal AT markers were placed by
the GATC. Subsequently trail signs indicating location and distance became
the responsibility of the USFS. Trail blazes continued to be the
responsibility of the GATC.
Bridges and Stream Crossings
Where the Trail crosses permanent or intermittent watercourses or poorly
drained areas, GATC may make improvements for hiker safety and convenience,
such as drainage ditches, stepping stones, cribbing, bridges, or similar
construction.
Trail Heads and Parking
GATC checks each major access point periodically and informs the appropriate
partner of needed facilities, repairs, and/or maintenance to preserve the
wilderness character of the AT and to insure hiker safety.
Tools
GATC provides all tools necessary for trail work to volunteers and assumes
responsibility for the storage, upkeep and maintenance of these tools.
Water Sources
GATC identifies, inspects and cleans water sources at every shelter and at
reliable sources along the trail. GATC also determines the general condition
of all water sources on a regular basis.
Trail Monitoring
GATC volunteers hike the entire length of the Trail in Georgia each year for
the purpose of evaluating its conditions and planning its maintenance
program for the year.
Trail Safety
GATC considers safety to be of prime importance in carrying out its trail
management and maintenance duties. GATC members and guests are encouraged to
practice safe work habits, wear appropriate protective clothing and utilize
protective equipment as they pursue their maintenance activities. GATC
members will receive first aid/CPR, chain saw, and or crosscut saw training
before using these saws in any GATC maintenance activity.
Shelter Sanitation
With the dramatic increase in Trail and shelter use in the 1980s, the GATC
became more concerned with the public health aspects of impacted areas along
the Trail and began installing open style privies at shelter sites beginning
at the most heavily used sites, Springer and Blood Mountain shelters. After
a trial of the moldering privy at the Gooch Mountain shelter (2001-2002),
GATC and USFS agreed to install this type of privy at all shelters in
Georgia.