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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

 

 

State Trail Program Award: Minnesota

Outstanding State Recreational Trails Advisory Committee

 

By law, every state must have a recreational trails advisory committee with diverse representation in order to receive RTP funding. But there is a big difference between having a committee and having an engaged, active body of enthusiasts who work in partnership with state officials and others to provide good trails for all.

The Minnesota Recreational Trail Users Association— MRTUA— is made up of volunteer members representing a variety of trail user groups. There are 30 volunteers on the committee, three from each of 10 trail activities. This diverse group of trail users has the potential for conflict between recreation types; however, MRTUA's diversity has led instead to thoughtful and high quality policy direction relating to the RTP. MRTUA members are volunteer leaders on statewide trail issues and also within their recreation type.

MRTUA identifies common needs among the different groups using trails in Minnesota, and constitutes a broad political base to support trail opportunities in the state. MRTUA has been designated as Minnesota's official advisory committee for RTP, an unusual situation.

An important MRTUA function is to advise the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on the distribution of RTP funding. MRTUA evaluates 90+ RTP grant applications annually, comes to a consensus on these applications and makes its recommendations to the DNR, which has the final responsibility for awarding grants but has typically embraced the group’s recommendations.

 

MRTUA has promoted cooperation among user groups, kept trail issues on the political agenda, promoted statewide cooperation between recreation user groups, and provided valuable direction and project selection for RTP funding. All of this has been completed with the highly dedicated and energetic volunteer organization.

In its nomination of MRTUA for this award, the Minnesota DNR said: “MRTUA is one of the finest examples of success in how an RTP advisory committee can successfully engage its constituents to result in successful program guidance. MRTUA has received requests to explain to other states’ advisory committee our model of success. In addition, MRTUA's volunteer board received the President's Volunteer Service Award in 2007 for 900 hours of volunteer service.”

 

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