(1) Plants.
(2) Boring plants.
(3) Boring plants whose leaves and stems hide the ground, so it isn't even more boring.
(4) Usually plants, boring or otherwise, grown to keep the soil from eroding. In other words, plants who are willing to take a bullet for the sake of dirt. Gotta respect that. Most of these plants are low-lying, inconspicuous things. Maybe grasses and some ferns, sure, but also low shrubs and so on, like juniper, ivy, heather. The area covered by the living, above-ground parts of plants. And then leaf litter, tree bits, mulch, and chopped bark too — some of that hardy macho-type stuff. All this keeps the land around your trails looking good.
(5) You. Stretched out, unconscious, snoring.
"No," said Sally. "Sleeping until noon does not qualify you as ground cover. Unless we mulch you. Now get up and hike."
Have anything worth adding? Then try sosayseff@gmail.com
Me? So guess what I'm like. Just try.
Etc...
so says eff: sporadic spurts of grade eff distraction
definitions: outdoor terms
fiyh: dave's little guide to ultralight backpacking stoves
boyb: dave's little guide to backpacks
snorpy bits: nibbling away at your sanity
last seen receding: missives from a certain mobile homer
noseyjoe: purposefully poking my proboscis into technicals