City of Toronto - Natural Environment Trails Visitor Survey

The purpose of this survey is to obtain information on use and management of the Natural Environment Trails in the City of Toronto. Natural Environment Trails are natural surface (dirt) trails usually found in forest and ravine settings.

This survey will take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. All information resulting from this study will be kept strictly confidential. This is an anonymous survey. No personal information will be collected.

Q1. Natural environment trail preferences

What is the primary activity that you do on natural environment trails? Please select one:

Dog walking
Running / Jogging
Walking / Hiking
Nature Appreciation / Bird Watching
Biking
Other

Why do you use Natural Environment Trails? Check all that apply:

To be close to nature
To exercise
For adventure / challenge
To commute (For example: to work, school or run errands)
To do an activity with friends / family
To experience solitude / relax
Other

What type of natural environment trail do you prefer? Select one:

Wide trails without steep sections or challenging features
Narrow trails with some steep sections and challenging features
Narrow trails with many steep sections and very challenging features

Q2. Location of natural environment trails

D. Please indicate the areas where you have used natural environment trails within the last year.

1. Etobicoke Creek Watershed
2. Mimico Creek Watershed
3. Humber River Watershed
4. Don River Watershed
5. Highland Creek Watershed
6. Other

Q3. Use of natural environment trails

E. On average, how often do you use natural environment trails in each season? Select 1 column for every row:

Spring	Daily 2-3 Times/week Once/week 2-3 Times/month Once/month 6 times/year or less Never
Summer	Daily 2-3 Times/week Once/week 2-3 Times/month Once/month 6 times/year or less Never
Fall	Daily 2-3 Times/week Once/week 2-3 Times/month Once/month 6 times/year or less Never
Winter	Daily 2-3 Times/week Once/week 2-3 Times/month Once/month 6 times/year or less Never

How much time do you generally spend on the trails each visit?

Less than 30 minutes
30 minutes to 1 hour
1 - 2 hours
More than 2 hours

How did you find out about these trails?

Word of mouth
Newspaper/Paper
City of Toronto Website

Recreation Group

Community Group

Other

Q4. Access to the trail system.

What mode of transportation do you typically take to get to the trailhead or starting point of the natural environment trail?

Bike
Walk
Public Transit
Car
Other

How long does it typically take you to get to the trailhead?

Less than 10 minutes
10-30 minutes
30-60 minutes
Over 1 hour

Q5. Condition of the natural environment trails.

Thinking about the trails you use most often, how would you rate the overall condition of the trail?

Very poor condition Poor condition Moderate condition Good condition Very good condition

What types of trail conditions have you observed on the trail you use most often? Check all that apply:

Erosion
Garbage
Poor, uneven surfaces
Damaged / trampled vegetation
Weedy vegetation
No signs or broken signs
Poor access to certain trails or areas
Physical barriers
Vandalism
Other

Please select your top three priorities for improving Toronto's natural environment trails? Select three:

Repair erosion problems or reroute trails
Repair muddy trails or reroute trails
Remove rocks and roots from trails
Plant native vegetation along trails
Control weeds next to the trails
Install trailhead maps and trail intersection signs
Add new trails
Improve trail linkages / link trails together
Close damaged trails for restoration and reroute trails
Improve trail etiquette
Other

Q6. Interactions with other trail users

Have you personally encountered any conflicts with other trail users?

Dog walkers	Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always
Runners/Joggers	Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always
Walkers/Hikers	Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always
Bird/Nature watchers	Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always
Bikers	Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always
Others	Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always

Q7. Please tell us about yourself.

What is your age group?

Under 18 yrs 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 or over

Gender

Female Male

What is your postal code? Enter the first 3 characters for postal code (eg. M5V)

Q8. Do you have any comments about the natural environment trails?

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey!

If you have any questions about this survey, or would like further information, please do not hesitate to call

or email trails@toronto.ca

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