If you have ever been to Camp El Tesoro and walked our trails, you know that erosion can really affect the way the paths move and wind through the camp. That’s because erosion is the process of moving solids (such as rock and dirt) from one place to another. This can happen naturally through wind, rain, ice, gravity, and even by living creatures.
Discovery Trail at Camp El Tesoro
Erosion is completely natural, but the disturbance on the Earth has been dramatically increased by humans. The best way to limit your impact on the Earth is to help it to remain as green and beautiful as possible. That means walking on the middle of trails, not the sides where plants are trying to grow. That also means not creating your own trails through the woods and limiting the amounts of plants you damage by walking on them.
Trail to the Brazos River
Weathering, as opposed to erosion, is the process where rocks, soil, and minerals get broken down into smaller pieces. While weathering can occur in many different ways, the most common type we see at Camp El Tesoro is people breaking up rocks.
Sandstone of Mt. Loma
We are very lucky to have Mt. Loma at our camp. From the top you have a great view of the whole camp and surrounding area. Mt. Loma has been a popular hiking destination since the camp opened in 1934. The predominant type of rock that makes up Mt. Loma is sandstone. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock that is made up of small rock grains or minerals. Depending on the exposure of the sandstone to the natural elements, it can be very easy to weather down. Sometimes just rubbing the rocks with a stick can cause them to turn to sand! When we’re talking about a great hill that many generations have had a chance to visit, it’s important to keep the rock as intact as possible so that we can still have a Mt. Loma for 77 more years!
Campers on Mt. Loma at Camp El Tesoro
Erosion and weathering are natural processes, but human impact has sped up the effects of erosion tremendously. One of the things that Camp El Tesoro is doing to help lessen our effect is building water bars. A water bar is a feature designed into trails or roadways to help prevent erosion. The bars help to break up the distance that water can travel, slowing it down so it causes less damage to the path. They are often built diagonally across the surface so that it directs the flow of water away from the trail.
Water Bars on the Nature Trail at Camp El Tesoro
Questions about the post:
- What does the term erosion mean, and why can it be harmful?
- What does the term weathering mean, and what is an example of weathering?
- Sandstone is a type of sedimentary rock. What are the other two major types of rocks?
- What is the job of a water bar?
- Why are water bars important?
Thank you! This is a really helpful post and should provide some needed information for all who participate in activities at Camp El Tesoro.
By: Jane Lovedahl on February 14, 2011
at 2:15 pm