Hosted by www.AmericanTrails.org

March 5, 2007 NTTP Meeting Notes

Minutes of National Trails Training Partnership, March 5, 2007
Reno, Nevada at Trailbuilders Conference

Meeting convened at 3:15 p.m.

ATTENDEES:

• Christopher Douwes, FHWA
• Stuart Macdonald, NTTP Program Manager for American Trails
• Pam Gluck, American Trails
• Roger Bell, PTBA
• Woody Keene, PTBA
• Mike Passo, American Trails Board
• Tony Boone, Arrowhead Trails
• Patty Ciesla, Volunteers for Outdoor California
• Scott Linnenburger, IMBABy phone: Gerry Wilbour, PTBA

Showed presentation on NTTP goals, actions, accomplishments, and plans (Stuart Macdonald)

Discussion:

Promoting good work and better trails along with highlighting trail contractors as a resource. Stuart stated that American Trails can publish technical articles online as part of the NTTP website. Looking for good illustrated articles and photo essays on trail design, construction, and management. Contractors can write up a project briefly, include good photos, and include a blurb about their company. With the high placement in internet search engines, these pages hosted by www.AmericanTrails.org show up well in searches.

Tony Boone noted that his article on crusher fines trail surfacing is still generating inquiries. He feels it is more valuable to do an article than to buy an ad, or to be listed as a contractor on the NTTP website.

Colorado Outdoor Training Initiative

The goal of COTI is helping raise the general level of trail quality, both for volunteers and land management agency staff. Tony raised the concern that COTI is competing with contractors by providing training for free. How should contractors be involved with these kinds of volunteer groups. Concerns that volunteers are not building quality trails in many cases. At the same time, some groups see "intimate handbuilt trails" as better than those more efficiently constructed with mechanized vehicles.

Woody Keene described a project in Virginia where a key element of the work was doing an assessment of the existing trail system. It included a trail building seminar and four days of mechanized trail building. Identified work that is appropriate for volunteers and work that needs more skills. The idea is to avoid continuing past mistakes in trail building.

Stuart discussed using project money for trails: including some training as part of an actual trail building and maintenance project. Christopher stated that project funds can be used on training.

TRAINING and RESOURCES roudup

Mike Passo is working with state of FL to do Universal Trails Assessment Process training.

Troy Scott Parker: have we ever sat down and tried to figure out what people need, when they don't know what they need? Writing another book in the next year of two.

Patty Ciesla: beginning phases of scheduling training for 2007. Will make available for potential volunteer crew leaders; 1.5 to 2 days of training. Looking for more partners on training. Crew Leader Training for Monument Fire Training Facility in Monument, Colorado

Tony Boone: training for Wyoming Youth Corps, trained people in the Philippines on sustainable trails. Has a presentation.

Woody Keene: did BLM training; Eastern States Regional Ubniversity includes trail training; doing presentation for NC chapter of American Society of Landscape Architecture because most new subdivisions include trails. Using ASLA education funds.

Stuart mentioned need for college level curricula for trails and greenways, Landscape Architects are a good example of a profession that needs trails in their education.

Meeting adjourned at 6 p.m.

National
Trails Training Partnership:

Who we are
Featured training
Training by state
Calendar
Search the training database

More resources:

Bibliography
Quotations
Glossary
Acronyms
Tools
Trailbuilding
Wildlife and trails
Planning
Maintenance
Volunteers
Products & services

Do you need training?
Do you have training opportunities you'd like to publicize?
Are you a trails expert who can teach trail skills to others?
The National Trails Training Partnership wants to work with you to make training more available.

Contact us!