Michael Clarke-Pearson Eagle Project

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Describe the project you plan to do.

I will build a trail on school owned property behind East Chapel Hill High School (ECHHS). The 1 75-yard long and two-yard wide trail will link a network of permanent trails to the baseball and practice fields the school just constructed. The trail will begin at the base of a pond, along which another trail already runs. Heading west, the trail will travel up a hill along a broad ridge line. The grade of the land is mild—in 75 yards the land rises only 30 feet. Once at the top of the hill, the trail will turn WSW and continue through the woods for another 100 yards until it reaches the clearing where the school practice fields begin.

To complete the project, a trail will be cleared through the wooded land following the ridge line and the course which I have planned, which avoids large trees, rocks and other obstacles. The path will need to be cleared of shrubs, fallen trees, stumps, and rocks. Next, the trail will need to be refined by raking away leaves, filling in stump holes, eliminating minor roots, and leveling any uneven sections. Finally, the trail will be prepared for erosion prevention by laying 4x4 timbers secured by rebar laterally across the pathway. This project aims to build a trail which will stand under heavy use, not erode during or after heavy rains, and serve the high school for years to come.

I plan to hold workdays with both scouts from my troop and with interested high school students. By allowing students to help build the trail, an opportunity for community service, which is a graduation requirement, will be opened to them.

My project will be of benefit to the group because:

The trail will have many benefits to both the high school and the surrounding community. Primarily the course will allow cross-country races to be held on campus. When ECHHS opened in 1996, a few trails were built around the stadium and two ponds that the school owns. While these trails once served the school well, a second phase of construction limited access to the ponds and trails. No longer could cross country meets be hosted on school property, for any course that was proposed would be loopy and confusing. The trail I propose will give access to these ponds from another side, which will make possible an on-campus cross-country course. The course will be able to hold large, invitational meets where several teams will run at once. In fact, this very fall the cross-country team will be hosting the conference cross-country meet, where eight teams will run together. The team will also use the trail for everyday training runs. Other athletic teams will also use the trail for conditioning purposes. Aside from athletic use, science classes will find the trail to be useful for studying ecosystems on campus, and provide access to the ponds where environmental and biological science classes will study.

The trail will benefit local neighborhoods as well. It will be a place where people can come to walk dogs, run, and enjoy themselves. The trail will become a shortcut for one neighborhood, Chandler's Green, to the high school practice fields, a park across the street, and a local convenience store. The use of the trail will go beyond solely a high school facility, it will be accessed by the surrounding community as well.

PROJECT DETAILS:

Regarding the trail's route (see map):

I have met with Ms. Amanda Justus, the ECHHS cross-country team's head coach, about the route the trail will take through the woods. Taking into consideration the lay of the land, the position of the existing trails and fences surrounding the practice fields, and a five kilometer racing course which has been loosely sketched, we determined the best route the trail can take.

First of all, the hill that the trail moves up is in many areas ridden with sudden rises and dips where water drains down to the pond. At first, while looking at the map, it seemed like a trail could be cleared which moved across the hillside at some points and up it at others, forming a 'switchback' as it progressed up the hill. After walking the land, we realized that a trail which followed the ups and downs in the hillside would not only be difficult to run, but it would travel across areas which would be wet and possibly prone to erosion after rain. By following a ridge, the trail is avoiding all possibilities of heavy erosion. It also avoids areas of the land where hurricane damage left fallen trees piled up in ways which would call for extensive clearing. The ridge is a feature that will allow a steady, even trail which doesn't have any sudden dips or rises across gullies.

Ms. Amanda Justus showed me her idea for a cross-country course, which would include running around the outside of the baseball field and practice fields in a large loop. Where this loop finishes, the trail will begin, which would then lead to the existing trails which eventually lead around to the track. Since the trail will terminate in the corner of the practice field, runners will run straight into the woods from the loop around the fields, and will avoid all sharp turns or quick cuts to avoid fencing. The fences which surround the practice fields eliminate any other possibilities.

Regarding Erosion Control:

I spoke with Mr. Rick McVay, head groundskeeper for the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school system, about necessary erosion control measures. For a trail like the one I plan to build, where there is no excavation of the land, minimal erosion control will be needed. Mr. McVay did recommend the use of lateral 4x4's across portions of the trail to prevent ruts from forming down the trail and to prolong the life of the trail. After speaking with Mr. McVay, and directly after two days of steady rain, I walked along the trail's planned route. The only portion of the land which will need timber ties is the 75-yard section which moves up the hill. In this area, I plan to lay 10 evenly spaced 4x4's (at 7.5 yard intervals) across the trail, each secured with 3/4 in. rebar. To keep the grade of the trail even, dirt will be backfilled above each timber to make individual 'terraces' which will hold back loose soil from erosion and also form the trail into a series of steps. On the portion of the trail which travels along the top of the hill, no timbers will be necessary. The land in this section spreads flat in all directions and drains well.

I went to Lowes Hardware Store on 15-501 to investigate timbers, rebar, and discounts. Lowes will provide a ten percent discount on a one time purchase for the project. Lowes sells pressure treated 4x4 timbers in twelve-foot lengths, which will be cut in halves to make 6-foot timbers. They also sell 3/4 inch rebar in two-foot lengths, which is just long enough to secure the timbers into the ground. 3/4 inch holes will be drilled into the 6-foot timbers, 1 foot from each end. Using a sledgehammer the rebar will be pounded through the holes in the timbers into the ground.

Funding Notes:

I have met with the ECHHS principal Dave Thaden for suggested funding resources. I also approached the ECHHS athletic booster club and asked if they would fund the project. Since the materials are cheap and I have already negotiated a discount with Lowes, I felt confident they would be willing to support my project. Also, since the cross-country team needs little money from the booster club (being a low-cost sport) I was sure they were a good source of money to investigate. Ms. Patty Pieper, who is currently the president of the booster club and plans to run uncontested in next year's elections, was willing to sponsor the costs of the timbers and rebar.

Materials and Budget:

Five 12-foot, pressure treated 4x4's at $10.49 each: $52.50 Twenty 2-foot, 3/4 inch rebars at $.39 each: $8.00

Total: $60.50 10% discount: $54.45

Other Materials:
axes, bow saws, clippers, pickaxes, shovels, rakes, chainsaw, circular saw, drill with 3/4 inch bit, sledgehammer, cooler, first aid kit, extra gloves

Notes on Workdays:

Workdays will be held during two of the hottest months of the year, so measures must be taken to keep workers hydrated, cool, and with enough energy. First of all, workdays will be held either before noon or after 5 PM to avoid the hottest afternoon hours. Sufficient water will be brought to every workday and kept in a cooler. Volunteers will be encouraged to wear light colored shirts and hats to keep cool, fortunately, the trees will provide most of the shade. Volunteers will also be encouraged to wear plenty of sunscreen, and sunscreen will be available at each workday for those who forget or need a second layer. On the hotter of the days, workdays will be limited to two hours so risks of heat related injuries will be diminished.

At every workday there will be at least one adult present (my father, the cross country coach(es), and/or a(n) (assistant) scoutmaster) and two or three on days when there are many volunteers present. A first aid kit will always be present, as well as a cellular phone in case of emergencies. Volunteers who will be using axes, saws, or other hazardous tools will be reminded of safety precautions before they use them. Use of any power tools will be done under direct adult supervision, and chainsaws will be used by their adult owners only, and always with proper eye and ear protection.

Volunteers will be generated from both my troop and a list of possible cross country runners in the fall. Since the trail will benefit the cross-country team the most, I feel runners should be given the opportunity to volunteer.

Project Time line: Phase 1: clearing the pathway: completed during the 2n6, 3r0, and 4th weeks of July estimated hours: 40

During these two weeks in July the workdays will focus on clearing a 6-foot wide trail. All shrubbery, fallen debris, low-hanging tree limbs, small saplings (4 inches in diameter or less) and logs crossing the trail will be eliminated. Some of the larger tree trunks may be laid alongside the trail; all other debris will be pulled into the adjacent woods. Depending on the volunteers that are available to work, two, three, or four workdays may need to be held. Volunteers will be asked to bring work gloves, boots or heavy shoes, bow saws, clippers, axes, or pickaxes. On one of these workdays, Mr. Ray Garlington, assistant scoutmaster, will have a chainsaw to clear a large fallen pine from the pathway and saw any other fallen trees or logs which are in the way. When this phase of the project is complete, two people will be able to walk side by side along the pathway with ease.

Phase 2: refining the trail: completed the first and second weeks of August estimated hours: 40

This phase will focus on clearing the pathway of stumps, holes, minor roots, rocks, and excessive leaves. Workers will be asked to bring gloves and boots/heavy shoes, clippers, pickaxes, axes, shovels, and rakes. To make the path suitable for running, all stumps will have to be cleared, even if it means digging around a stump, chopping it out, and filling in the hole. Areas which are uneven and bumpy will be made level by filling in low sections with dirt from higher areas. Stump holes will be filled in a similar fashion. Again, depending on the numbers of volunteers, 3 to 6 workdays may need to be held. Loose leaves will be raked to the sides of the trail, but the underlying topsoil will not be disturbed. Once this phase is finished, people will be able to walk or run along the trail without having to dodge stumps, rocks or holes.

Phase 3: adding the timbers: 3rd and 4th weeks in August estimated hours: 25

This phase will include cutting, drilling, and laying the 4X4 timbers along the trail. To prepare for adding the timbers, they will be cut to length and drilled at my home. Under the supervision of my father, another boyscout and myself will cut the 1 2-foot timbers into 6-foot lengths and drill 3/4 inch holes in each timber. Then, the timbers will be brought to the trail and laid along the trail in the specified section. Before they are secured, the timbers will be laid across the trail to plan the position of each. Using a sledgehammer, the rebar will be hammered through the timber into the ground. Next, the soil on the upper side will be loosened and filled in the gap behind the timber. Once in place, the timbers will not be standing above the lay of the trail but will instead form a broad 'staircase' up the hill. The timbers will be placed with enough distance between each so runners won't have to alter their stride to run up or down the trail.

CARRYING OUT THE PROJECT

Log of Workdays:

Workday 1 : July 9, 1999 Man hours worked: 14

Today we began the preliminary clearing of the trail. Five peers, one adult, and I each worked two hours to clear the first sixty yards of the trail. Beginning from the baseball fields, we cut down all trees and shrubs which were in the marked path of the trail. I had previously marked the path which the trail followed to avoid any large trees and obstructions in the path, so it was unnecessary to cut down any prominent trees. Once sawed, the trees were dragged to the periphery of the trail and into the adjacent woods. After one volunteer's suggestion, we began to use the tree trunks to border the trail.

Workday 2: July 12 1999 Man hours worked: 4

Two peer volunteers, one adult, and I continued to clear the trail today. We finished clearing the flat section and began clearing the trail down the hill. Work processed well until one volunteer was stung by a bee. Fearing that an underground hive was near the trail, I called work for the day after one hour. Later I returned to the area, and realized that there was no such hive, and that the bee sting had been merely an unlucky event. However, while walking the trail, I noticed an old fallen barbed wire fence that travels roughly the same path as the trail. I will be sure that all the old, rusted barbed wire is removed from the area before the trail is ever used.

Workday 3: July 16 1999 Man hours worked: 14

Five volunteers, one adult, and I finished clearing the trail after two hours of work today. We were not bothered by any bees, which reaffirmed my suspicion that no bee hive exists near the trail. Once the trail was completely cleared, we began to address the issue of the barbed wire. Wearing gloves, we pulled the barbed wire from the ground where it had been buried and disposed of it in a school dumpster. As work continues on the trail, I am sure we will encounter more wire, and we will take the proper safety measures to dispose of it correctly.

Today Phase 1 of the project was completed. Aside from the large tree trunk which crosses the trail near the baseball fields, the pathway is cleared widely enough so that two people can walk it side by side. I estimated that forty man hours would be needed to finish clearing the trail, and it took thirty two. The project also runs ahead of the proposed time line, which estimated that this phase would be completed by the last week in July.

Workday 4: July 20, 1999 Man hours: 16

Six peers, one adult, and I began work clearing the trail of stumps and raking the surface. The group split up into three groups: three volunteers cut stumps out of the trail, two followed them with shovels to fill in any stump holes generated, and three with rakes to clear the trail of general debris and maintain an even grade along the path. We focused on the first 30 yards of the trail today, and when we were finished the section was cleared of any obstructions which may cause a runner or walker to trip.

Workday 5: July 23, 1999 Man hours: 11

Today we continued to clear stumps, fill in holes, and refine the trail. Five volunteers, one adult, and I worked for over 1 ~/z hours each. While raking the trail we encountered more barbed wire which was pulled from the ground and disposed of. One volunteer was able to distinguish the old fence posts to which the wire was attached, and he worked with leather gloves to pull the wire from the ground.

Workday 6: August 3, 1999 Man hours: 6

We continued to clear the trail today, and focused on the section closest to the baseball field. Two volunteers spent time digging around a large stump which obstructs the pathway. Unfortunately, the stump is so large that it would take substantial excavation to eliminate it, and a chainsaw will serve better to level the stump to a point that it no longer is in the way of the trail.

Workday 7: August 4, 1999 Man hours: 12

Today we split up into three groups. Two volunteers and I were able to clear the trail of every small stump which may cause a runner to trip. Three volunteers focused on filling in the stump holes along the trail, and made progress over the first hundred yards of the trail. The remaining two volunteers raked the trail, clearing the ground of general debris and evened out the pathway.

Workday 8: August 5, 1999 Man hours: 12

Since the trail is now clear of stumps, the seven volunteers who helped today were all able to work on filling in the stump holes and grading the trail's surface. The method of leveling dirt from higher areas along the trail to use as fill for the stump holes and lower areas seems to be the best method to ensure an even trail. Along the first thirty yards of the trail, where we have already leveled the surface to a point where it is suitable for running, the trail has maintained its integrity, even after several strong thunderstorms. Along the majority of the trail, water is not pooling up after a rain but draining successfully instead. There are two spots where water seems to be kept from draining properly because the stump holes were not evenly filled in, but today we had the opportunity to correct these areas. When we left today, the trail was cleared of all stump holes, and all general debris was raked from it.

August 8, 1999

Today, cross country coaches Ms. Amanda Justus, Mr. Don Clarke-Pearson and I walked along the trail to evaluate the progress which has been made. We were pleased to see that the drainage along the trail was excellent. After two large thunderstorms that passed through the area in the past week, and a summer which has seen several strong rains, none of the trail was eroding. Even on the hill, where the trail travels straight down a hill to the pond, there was no erosion. I took notes on areas of the trail which still need improvement:

--A large stump still remains near the baseball fields which we were unable to dig out.

--The fallen pine tree which crosses the entrance to the trail near the baseball fields needs to be cleared.

--There are still a few low spots in the trail along the flat section near the baseball field which seem particularly wet after hard rains.

--The portion of the trail nearest to the ponds needs to be evened out. After the leaves were raked from this part of the trail it is evident that the ground in this area is particularly uneven.

With a clear pathway, Ms. Justus and I were also able to reevaluate the necessity for timber ties along the hill. Considering that the trail is draining well along the hill after substantial storms and also that the timbers may pose a safety issue to runners which could trip on them, we agreed that timber ties would do nothing to improve the trail, but may instead cause problems. Since the timber ties were originally intended to prevent the trail from eroding, and the trail shows no evidence of erosion, we decided to temporarily not use them. After a few more months of rain and use, we can again assess the situation and may possibly use timber ties after all. Since I have not bought the timber ties or rebar, this change of plans will not cost anyone.

Workday 9: August 24, 1999 Man hours: 23

At cross country practice this week I have been encouraging team members to come to a workday to improve this year's cross country course. Twenty students and four adults came out to help this morning. While many of these man hours were spent refurbishing the existing trails, about half of the 46 total man hours were worked on my section of the trail. An area of focus was the hill section, where the trail needed leveling and better grading. Several volunteers worked to fill in stump holes and uneven areas of the trail. Others helped by laying tree trunks along the sides of the path. Mrs. Erica Wilson, the mother of a student and cross country runner, brought a chainsaw and cleared the large pine tree from the entrance of the trail. She also cut at the stump which we were unable to dig out by sawing it flat and close to the ground. Workers came in after her and filled in the holes around the stump so that it does not stick up above the level of the ground.

Assisted by:
Name    Dates Worked    Hours Worked
Creighton Irons    July 9, 20; Aug. 24    5
Katherine Zeman    July 9, 16, 20    5
Ben Parker    July 9, 12, 20; Aug, 24    5
Brian Garlington    July 9,16; Aug. 3, 24    6.5
Matt Curtin    July 23; Aug. 5, 24    5
Jared McCarthy    August 24    2
Ryan Erickson    July 12, 16, 23    4.5
William Hodge    July20; Aug. 24    3
Perry Blackshear    July 16; Aug. 24    2
Sharzad Resvani    July 16, 20, 23; Aug. 3, 4    6
Sam Gupta    July 20, 23; Aug. 3, 4, 5, 24    9
Travis Merrit    July 23; Aug. 24    2.5
Ben Freese    Aug. 4, 5    3
Stefanie Freese    Aug. 4, 5    3
Natasha Mishin    Aug. 4, 24    2.5
Lauren Long    Aug 4    1.5
Caitlin Collins    Aug. 5    1.5
Liz Shiefer    Aug. 5,24    2.5
Amanda Justus (coach, adult)    July 9, 16, 23; Aug 3, 24    8
Don Clarke-Pearson (coach, adult)    July 12, 20; Aug. 4, 5, 24    9
the following people worked August 24 only.
Matt Bettis    Meredith Costa
Adrienna Frieberger    Janice Kang
Lyndsay Kelly    Nick Leinesh
Josh McCann    Sarah Stevens
Lauren Wilson    Erica Wilson (adult)
Sam Collins (adult)

Changes:

The only change from my original plans was the omission of the timber ties from the sloped section of the trail, which was intended to be the third phase of the project. I initially planned to put in the timber ties as an erosion control measure, but after discussing the matter with the cross country coach, who, as the permanent coach at the school, will maintain the trail for years after I have left, the timber ties have been deemed as less of a benefit and more of a danger.

Several reasons support this decision. First and foremost is the safety of the runners. The nature of cross country running is to push the physical limits of the runner, and to have several tired runners having to deal with a series of extended steps would pose a danger of stumbling and tripping.

Since the trail is now cleared and has been used, I and others are now able to evaluate the project. For an entire season, cross country races have been held on the course, including the conference meet, where more than 100 runners were racing at once. On the day of the conference meet, a heavy rain made several sections of the course muddy. However, the section of the trail where timber ties were intended to be placed held up well. There was no point in the season where erosion was noted in this section or in any other section of the trail. This makes me confident that my decision to omit the use of the timber ties was correct.