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Training & Education

Hosted by AmericanTrails.org

See the complete list of current Featured Training Providers.

See currently scheduled training opportunities on the National Trails Training Partnership Calendar

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Trail Management Process course

photo of class

Mechanized equipment training for Federal lands

(photo by Cam Lockwood)

For current training schedules see the NTTP Calendar and BLM's National Training Center

Trail Management: Plans, Projects and People teaches a collaborative process including planning, design layout, construction, maintenance, monitoring, crew leadership, interpretation, operations, and safety. Field exercises include trail layout, construction and maintenance techniques.

The course is currently supported by both Bureau of Land Management and U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service. See the online NTTP Training Calendar for scheduled offerings. The BLM developed and funded the interagency course with input from various partners of the National Trails Training Partnership. The goal was to create a class where agency trail staff, contractors, and volunteers will learn to achieve sustainable and accessible trails of all kinds, using the best practices of the trail management process (TMP).

Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

1) Apply the project management process to trail projects,

2) Apply information on laws, funding, planning, and NEPA in the trail management process,

3) Keep accessibility in mind while managing trail projects,

4) Identify the customers and come to consensus on issues,

5) Provide leadership, training, and supervision to trail crews,

6) Develop a strategy to use a variety of media to deliver key trail information to visitors,

7) Design, layout, and document a trail on the ground that meets trail management objectives,

8) Safely construct and/or maintain a trail so it meets a trail plan/management objective,

9) Prepare a plan to monitor visitor use, environmental conditions and facilities for a trail system,

10) Determine data needs and select an appropriate data collection method.

Tuition is prepaid for the following agencies: Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service. The Federal Highway Administration, in addition to Federal Agency sponsors, provides annual funding for this course which is used to help off-set tuition costs. All others will be charged $425.

Target Audience: This course is specifically designed for those who have beginning to intermediate trail management and leadership responsibilities. This might include those responsible for trail management, such as but not limited to: recreation planners or officers, operations officers, crew leaders, special interest groups, trail volunteers, resource specialists/technicians, and park rangers/managers recreation and forestry technicians, engineers, and engineering technicians. Note: historic trail managers may find this course useful, although a separate module will eventually be incorporated.

The TMP course can be taught anywhere in the country with sponsorship from appropriate local and agency partners. See currently scheduled opportunities to take the TMP course on the NTTP Calendar. Contact Pam Gluck at American Trails if you are interested in hosting the course in your area: (530) 547-2060 or nttp@americantrails.org.

The National Trails Training Partnership

American Trails, P.O. Box 491797, Redding, CA 96049-1797 • (530) 547-2060 • Fax: (530) 547-2035 • nttp@americantrails.org • www.AmericanTrails.org

The National Trails Training Partnership is an alliance of Federal agencies, training providers, nationwide supporters, and providers of products and services. Visit the online calendar of training opportunities, access hundreds of trail-related resources, read the news, learn how you can help, and see training resources in your state.

This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration under Cooperative Agreement DTFH61-06-H-00023. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration.

Related Pages:

Training & Education

Trail Management Process course

The National Trails Training Partnership