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2009 RTP Achievement Awards

Award-Winning Trail and Greenway Projects

 

The members of the Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) have selected the winners of the "Annual Achievement Awards" in recognition of outstanding use of Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funds. The award winners were recognized at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. on June 10, 2009 at the U.S. House of Representatives Rayburn House Office Building, during the annual celebration for Great Outdoors Week.

Learn more about the Recreational Trails Program

 

 

Giant's Stairs Trail Project (Maine)

Education and Communication

• Sponsor/Partner: Town of Harpswell/Maine Conservation Corps
• Congressional District: Chellie Pingree (D-1-ME)
• Senators: Olympia Snowe (R) and Susan Collins (R)

 

The project was designed to rehabilitate and stabilize the Giant’s Stairs Trail, located on town-owned property on the southeastern shore of Bailey Island. Many challenges presented themselves in the design of this project. This 2.5 acre parcel had very tight corridor boundaries, ledge cliffs and ocean, and property boundaries with abutting house owners. Many times the trail had less than a ten-foot corridor to run through to fulfill staying on town-owned property.

It was a difficult project and the community’s opinions of “management” for the trail varied greatly. The crew was placed in the forefront of this discussion and took a lot of time to give good information and explain the important focus of this construction process to community members, who were not necessarily in favor of any improvements to the trail or wanted a “less intrusive” approach. The crew performed this task flawlessly.

This project was completed by a Maine Conservation Corps Mini-Team, or three-person crew, working in conjunction with local volunteers from Bowdoin College, the Boy Scouts, and community members. Because of the great support from local individuals, the crew was able to complete the entire project in one season instead of the original two-phase plan. RTP funding of $20,000 allowed the Town of Harpswell to contract with an experienced Maine Conservation Corps crew and provide excellent materials and volunteers.

The new trail out to Giant Stairs will provide sustainable access for the 10 to 15 thousand people who visit Bailey Island each year to walk one of Maine’s greatest sections of coastline.

Contact: Town -- Terri Sawyer, 263 Mountain Road, P.O. Box 39, Harpswell, ME 04079, Phone: 207-833-0058; MCC -- Steven Gaffney, 124 State House Station, Augusta ME 04333, Phone: 207-624-6088

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coalition for Recreational Trails:

The Coalition for Recreational Trails, a national organization representing the nation's major trail interests, has been working since 1992 to build awareness and understanding of the Recreational Trails Program, to support its implementation and to help insure that it receives adequate funding. The Annual Achievement Awards are part of the Coalition's ongoing effort to promote and celebrate this highly successful program, which has greatly enhanced the quantity and quality of trail experiences available to the public. For more information about CRT and its members, go to: www.funoutdoors.com/coalitions/crt.

 

Annual achievement awards presented by the Coalition for Recreational Trails:
2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000