Natural Resource Enterprises
Marsh grass

Business Resources: Trail Riding and Nature Trails

As the demand for structured outdoor activities increases, more farmers and ranchers are considering opening their lands to the public for trail riding and nature trails. The publications on this page give guidelines for starting a trail riding or nature trail business.

These resources have been compiled from various resources and agencies and are provided here for educational purposes only. Please if you find information that needs to be updated, broken links, or if you have an additional resource you feel is pertinent.

  • Trail ridingDeveloping Trails and Tourism on Private Lands in Texas
    Texas Cooperative Extension Service. Steps to take when planning a business include developing a desirable product, considering partnerships, determining price, promoting the business, getting liability insurance and taking into account investment costs. The publication gives detailed information on seven existing ranches and gives sample location maps and a sample trail map. An appendix on liability and a sample waiver form are also given.
  • Equestrian Trail Riding as an Alternative Enterprise: Handbook for Ranchers and Farmers -
    Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Equestrian Trail Riders Association, Texas A&M, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. This publication discusses the many things to take into consideration when planning a trail riding enterprise including the ranch and its facilities, food provided, ride organization, cost, and marketing. Detailed information on liability is given. Information on the average people that participate in trail riding is provided. A real life example is given. 
  • Considerations for Getting Started in the Horse Trail Riding Business
    Kent Wolfe and Christopher Ferland, July 2003. University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development.
  • Recreation Options for your Forestland (1993)
    Bill Hubbard, Delaney Faircloth, and Alan Long. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service IFAS
  • Trails, Bridges & Boardwalks
    Alan Long and Anne Todd-Bockarie, University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service IFAS
  • Recreational Trail Design & Construction (2008)
    David M. Rathke and Melvin J. Baughman. University of Minnesota Extension
  • Trail Construction
    University of Florida

 

 

 Kingfisher

Bird Feeding in Winter

Bird feeding attracts large numbers of multiple bird species into a small confined area. Cleaning bird feeders and stations is very important for the health of our wild bird populations. Close contact with each other and each others’ saliva and feces exposes your visitors to possible infectious diseases. But by cleaning and disinfecting feeders bi-weekly you can keep the exposure to a minimum. Use one part liquid chlorine household bleach in nine parts of warm water (a 10% solution) to disinfect a feeder. Make enough solution to immerse an empty, cleaned feeder completely for two to three minutes. Allow it to air dry and then refill the feeder with fresh seed. At the same time you should clean up the feeding station or the ground below the feeder of waste seed. By doing so, you remove another potential exposure to infectious disease and reduce attraction of scavengers like rodents, squirrels, and even the family dog! Read more of this article "Feeding Birds in Winter"
 

Mississippi State University • Mississippi State University Extension Service • MSU-ES Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Forest and Wildlife Research Center • Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station