Recreational Trampling of Vegetation: Standard Experimental Procedures

In order to promote an increased ability to compare results from different studies, a standard protocol for controlled trampling experiments is suggested. The procedure will provide information on both damage to vegetation in response to short-duration trampling and subsequent recovery over a one-year period. Changes in vegetation cover, vegetation height, bare ground cover, and the cover of individual species can be assessed. It is designed to be efficient both in area and in time requirements? Each vegetation type to be examined will require a total area of about 30 m2; treatments and measurements will require about three to four person-days of time. The protocol was developed after extensive trials and discussion in the USA and UK. It can be applied in a wide variety of vegetation types.