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NTTP Meeting Notes - February 17, 2006

Minutes of the National Trails Training Partnership meeting held in Reno in conjunction with the 2006 Trailbuilders Conference.

NATIONAL TRAILS TRAINING PARTNERSHIP MEETING
Professional Trailbuilders Conference - Reno, Nevada

February 17, 2006 (9:00 am - 12:00 pm)

M I N U T E S

Introductions

Dianne Olson, Tread Lightly! and Pam Gluck, American Trails, welcomed the group. Dianne Olson and chaired the meeting.

Attendees

• Dianne Olson, Tread Lightly!
• Pam Gluck, American Trails
• Stuart Macdonald, NTTP and American Trails
• Jamie Schwartz, USDA Forest Service
• Steve Elkinton, National Park Service (via phone)
• Christopher Douwes, FHWA, Recreational Trails and Enhancements Programs
• Trudy Arckell, Backcountry Horsemen of America
• Gerry Wilbur, PTBA
• Roger Bell, PTBA/American Trails
• Clay Malcolm, COTI
• Woody Keen, PTBA
• Scott Lindberger, IMBA

1. Trail Updates

Scott Lindberger (IMBA):

Trail crew care schedule to be finalized next week

9 trail building schools at NPS sites

National Forest Foundation grant for front country trail building

Trail Solutions in Maryland $75K for trails (March & May) Training for state parks

Talking with FHWA on writing a book on trail management

Talking with BLM on developing video training resources

Forest Service video on trail building: complement to trail solutions book

Woody Keen (PTBA, IMBA)

This Trailbuilders Conference has been most successful and best conference, with more workshops attached (1/3 of attendees participated in workshops)

Looking for new location for conference after 2007 in Reno

1/3 public sector, 1/3 private sector, 1/3 trail master plans/education/development in attendence

3 day mechanized trail building workshop in Virginia

Need for accreditation process (peer review process)

Clay Malcolm (COTI)

New executive director

Schedule similar to 05

Crew leader, restoration trainings, crew leader instructor trainings

Skills courses are potential for COTI

Materials are being cleaned up, made less "Colorado Centric"

Coalition for Recreational Trails

Submit nominations for trail awards

Pam Gluck (American Trails)

Planning for National Trails Symposium (Oct 19-22, 06)

8 mini workshops for focused areas of interest (hands on planning)

Call for presentations for Symposium is out; want to encourage NTTP partners to submit training session proposals

National Trails Awards: submit nominations by May 21st

Expanding menu of trainings: UTAP and Developers forum

Working with COTI to revise materials for national implementation

Hope to document COTI model for other states to use

Roger Bell (PTBA/American Trails/Private)

Raffling off John Deere ATV for Symposium

Growing potential for developing new trail systems in housing developments

80% of his business is design build, largely with developers

Gerry Wilbur (PTBA)

Will continue to improve conference and quality of training provided

Conference scheduled February 20, 2007, in Reno

Discussing developing trail guidelines for the industry

Need to create and document a skill set for people who are doing trail work and trail management for local and state agencies

Jamie Schwartz (USDA Forest Service)

Training 101 scheduled for 2 sessions in '06

Providing appropriate training for audience: USFS fire management defines training as beginner, intermediate, and advanced

Christopher Douwes (FHWA)

Available on NTTP website

Working to make Federal university-level curriculum on bike/pedestrian issues available

Official use of funds for training

Only about half of States are using their educational funds at all

States can fund training regarding:

• Assessment of trail conditions for accessibility and maintenance
• Educational projects (up to 5% of funds)
• State administrative funds can be used for staff training

Dianne Olson (Tread Lightly!)

Master Trainer course is multi day piloting in November 06

Trainer course is now an 8 hour course

Online course on outdoor ethics skills for trail use in development

Trudy Arckel (Backcountry Horseman)

30 million dollars in volunteer hours

Training base for equestrian users (train the trainer model)

Develop Master Trainer in every state

Seeking grant money for all recreational users

Want to assist contractors in wilderness areas on trail work

Always a need for volunteer training &endash; outreach regarding targeted trails, expertise/training required, working on all types of trails (multi-use)

Roger: hybrid training available

Steve Elkinton (NPS)

Need for a specific module for example: staff managing Nat'l Historic Trails (self administering)

BLM interested in working with Arthur Carhart center regarding wilderness

Structural systems developing a training structure regarding specialized needs (historic trails, scenic trails ) and the issues/needs associated with them

Facing loosing expertise and skills in these specialized areas

Kansas City workshop/Nashville are upcoming training locations

2. Branding Training and Resources with NTTP

Purpose: promote NTTP, brand trainings and related resources, "In cooperation with NTTP."

Stuart provided draft of procedures, criteria, and how the process would work.

Clay: COTI is using NTTP identity to promote their training materials.

Concerns regarding criteria:

Ensuring all opportunities are at a high caliber for partners to feel comfortable associating with all involved

Woody: Even professional trailbuilders don't necessarily have teaching skills.

Ensure partner sponsors approve of the branding

Scott: How rigorously is NTTP willing to review potential training opportunity?

Pam: Suggest limit branding to NTTP partners to test procedure

Stuart: encourage marketing of NTTP by more people identifying themselves as members, supporters, and partners of NTTP

Can association with a larger organization led to branding eligibility?

Re word for the purpose of promoting NTTP

Solution:

Step 1: Encourage strong and simple messaging, e.g. "Proud Partner of NTTP"

Step 2: assess ripple effects and what next steps should be in the procedure for stronger wording/association

3. NTTP Marketing

Website Statistics (Handout provided by Pam)

In January, 2006 Amtrails visits to website reached an all time high of 84,462

Each resources page is branded with NTTP logo

Yahoo shows 5500 external links to site

What contributed to increase in visits? If we can isolate the reasoning it may be something that we should focus on

Email distribution list is being developed for promoting trainings

New project to update entire website with better navigation to help visitors find resources among the 1,500 pages.

4. Competencies Committee

Steve will get together with Jamie on the competencies.

Gerry said it is an excellent model and will also work with Jamie and Steve. Woody would like to have some input in this.

Christopher suggested that Nathan Caldwell (FWS) will also be interested.

5. Request for Partners

Tasks:

• List highlighting org/individuals offering trainings that should be included in NTTP Partnership
• List of workshops or conferences to distribute NTTP brochure

6. NTTP Training Initiatives

Competencies committee: forward assignments to committee members

NTTP sessions at upcoming conferences

Trainings states can offer to use RTP funds

Develop menu for states can pick from (including prices) &endash; provided specially by American trails

Offer opportunity to all NTTP partners

Available in the next month to the states

Add an introduction to why states need this type of training

Identify services available

Promote training offered by all organizations and agencies.

Be more specific on why different kinds of training are important. Describe what the organizations like COTI do and encourage people to contact them. Who would different training be useful for, how long should it take, how much would it cost?

7. "Cool Trail Solutions" Photo Gallery Project

Documenting trail problems and solutions through photos. Various ways to do this:

Photo essay

Opportunity to submit photos to website

Database of photos with captions, info, links to info, key words for search options

IMBA is storing photos on protected portion of website for internal use &endash; available to NTTP

Photos can clear up misconceptions

Create topics for photo gallery

Assign topics to member organizations to develop gallery

Photos categorized on "Smug mug"

Link articles existing on website to photo

Include basic information, location, use permission, provided by, what the project is

Create photo awards

8. Three Things

Request for commitments from partners: overall promotion

9. Follow Up:

Next meeting date: June 12 or June 16?

Send dates to partners

Christopher to send RTP funding project/education eligibility

Jamie and Steve to send Pam competencies developed

Adjourn 12:15 p.m.

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