Illegal paths
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Illegal paths are tracks or paths which may have been illegally cleared or constructed. Sometimes these have no signage indicating the track is closed for use, other times there is track closed signage. Blanket signage such as "keep to formed tracks only" relies on the difference in construction between informal and authorised trails. A map at the trailhead may show all the legal trails. A map of legal trails may be available from a Parks Service office or online.
Why should closed tracks exist within OSM?
If a walking track had been in active use with some clear evidence on the ground of the path, but was never officially authorised and now closed for use, then such a feature exists in real life per Good practice#Map what's on the ground it can be mapped in OSM.
- From a research perspective it may be interesting to know details around such tracks which are in existence
- In emergency situations, knowing where there may physically be a path, albeit unmaintained and closed for use, might be useful
- For navigation, where the closed track meets the open track, routers can give instructions like continue straight at the intersection.
- For walkers navigating on the ground, sometimes track closure signage is vandalised and destroyed, by storing this data within OSM consumers can see the track is closed instead of just assuming it's an unmapped official walking track.
- A deleted track in OSM is not visible to future mappers, once deleted someone is bound to find the visible track on the ground and upon not finding anything in OSM will rightly re-add the missing feature. Having something mapped prevents this or at least allows them to see the history behind the object.
Why shouldn't closed tracks exist within OSM?
- Mapped trails encourage traffic, trafficked trails are more likely to be mapped, there is a feedback loop, this can be very damaging to fragile environments
- They may be used for planning hikes, meaning that trails may be added to a planned route when inappropriate.
- Once closed, trails may quickly become indistinguishable from the native vegetation, meaning directions at "intersections" are at best superfluous, and at worst confusing. However using disused:highway=path is generally better than deleting the path in this scenario.
- Following on from the above, they may hinder conservation and restoration efforts.
- OSM's goal of portraying what is on the ground is admirable but OSM should also strive to be a "good citizen", to do no harm.