Calling that trail fix "smart thinking" IGNORES the bigger picture. Changing paths can really MESS with animals and where they live. These projects often end up creating new issues instead of fixing old ones.
Honestly I used to be on your side about this stuff. Then I saw a reroute near me that actually fixed a washed out trail and gave deer a clear path to their water source. Sometimes you have to change things to stop the real damage.
Good design often solves more than one problem at once. You see it in things like city planning that moves water away from streets and into green spaces. That trail fix is the same kind of smart thinking.