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New Rope Corridor open Space Master PI= <br />birds and other wildlife, fishing, and other activities that offer relaxation in contrast <br />to the stresses of urban life. <br />The most active recreational use of the corridor will be trail use. In order to reduce <br />the effect of trails on natural habitats (effects cannot be avoided altogether), carefully <br />designed trails can be located and scaled so as to have minimum effect. Most trails <br />would be narrow and unpaved. Some parts of the corridor, particularly in the Mud <br />Creek portion, can be the location of reasonably wide trails for more active <br />use -- bicycling, jogging, and distance hiking - -as well as for casual strolls. Some <br />portions of a trail connecting the Corps of Engineers land at NC 54 and the Eno River <br />State Park. also could be wide, and other parts of the trail should be narrow nature <br />trails. <br />Finally, the corridor can provide experiences of visual beauty, a natural resource for <br />education concerning the environment, and an open space cushion between the <br />Durham and Chapel Hill urban areas. These uses are real and valuable, but they will <br />be realized less and less if the corridor is abandoned to whatever may happen in the <br />future. <br />B. Planning for the Protection and Use of the Corridor <br />In order to plan effectively both for the use of the corridor and the preservation of its <br />benefits, it is necessary to establish criteria upon which to base the overall plan. The <br />Advisory Committee agreed that the following items should be incorporated into the <br />Master Plan. <br />General Type of Trail to be Used <br />All trail development must be very sensitive to environmental and topographical <br />factors and the critical nature of floodplains. Different areas will require different <br />types of trail surfaces for wetland and floodplain protection. Although this Plan <br />recommends specific trail types in each area, the Plan recognizes that decisions <br />concerning the particular type and design of trail for a specific location will need to <br />be made during the planning process for each particular trail. To allow for ease of <br />construction, to offer the greatest protection to adjacent habitat, and to permit ease <br />of use, strips of land acquired for trails should be about 100 feet wide. <br />Wildlife Corridor Use <br />The goals and values of wildlife protection and encouragement are major components <br />of the Master Plan. Under the Master Plan, wildlife corridors typically will be <br />6 <br />