Track Work - Do it right!

Track work is a relentless pursuit, especially in a places where the bush fights back.

Annual growth of bush and scrub can be extra-ordinary, espeically in wet years. Monster Bracken fern, (wo)man eating bush lawyer, sprawling matagouri. And, let's not forget, those lovely weeds that proliferate in crag areas like thistles, stinging nettle and the odd assortment with seed heads that stick to most everything in and out of the pack.

My new pet peeve is about bracken fern. Some people are cutting it into varying lengths sticking out of the ground with sharp points (usually 45 degree angle) that can easily puncture skin. A worse case scenario would be for one to penetrate the hand, foot or even an eye. You might be laughing and thinking my assertion is absurd, but wait for it! If it can happen, usually it will happen. Paul Hellebreckers of Wanaka DoC told me a yarn about a woman who fell onto a tree trunk that was cut into a point about 200mm off the ground. The trunk punctured her forehead and the woman was implelled for some length of time until final rescue. That is one way to get the point through your head.

The general advice is to cut all trunks and stems at or very near ground level to a flat surface. When pruning trees, cut the limb near flush to the trunk unless hedging is desirable.

It is usually possilbe to simply pull bracken and pesky weeds out of the ground. This is especially beneficial on the track surface, where bits of woody material sticking out of the ground create a slippery walking surface.

Additionally, it is essential to remove plant materials from the track so that a single well formed path is created. Leaving plant material on the track disguises it causing people to wander off path.

Normally, it is just as fast to do the job correctly the first time and the work effort is long lasting.