The Zero Grade Trail provides access to some of the oldest research and forest management demonstration areas in the eastern United States. Four cutting treatments and an uncut control were applied in 1949. The original objective was to compare "good" and "poor" forestry practices. The current objective is to quantify long-term stand dynamics as affected by the different treatments, which are: single-tree selection, diameter-limit cutting, and commercial clear cutting.
As
the name implies, the trail was located to minimize the effect of the rugged
terrain. Original construction was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps
in the 1930s and was upgraded in 1994 to universal access design standards
for remote forest settings. The trail is approximately ¼-mile long. Try
it - it’s an easy stroll.