National Trails Training Partnership Minutes

Partnership Meeting, November 27-28, 2001 -- BLM National Training Center

Attendance:

• Diane Bush, Facilitator
• Cam Lockwood, Co-Convenor and Federal Partner USDA Forest Service/Trails Unlimited
• Pam Gluck, Co-Convenor Private-sector and American Trails
• Kate Bickert, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
• Dana Bell, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
• Roger Bell, Western Trailbuilders Association
• Carl Colonius, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
• Christopher Douwes, USDOT Federal Highway Administration
• Steve Elkinton, USDI National Park Service
• Jan Hancock, Backcountry Horsemen Association of America
• Ann Hill, USDI BLM National Training Center
• Stuart Macdonald, State of CO, National Association of Trail Administrators and Web Master, American Trails
• Emily McAllister, Tread Lightly!
• Georgette McNally, Arizona State Parks
• Jim Miller, USDA Forest Service
• Deb Salt, USDI Bureau of Land Management
• Jim Schmid, USDOT Federal Highway Administration
• Gary Werner, Partnership for the National Trails System

DESIRED OUTCOMES OF NTTP PARTNERS PRESENT:

• Clarity of resources (documents, training materials, NASCC)
• Understand roles & responsibilities
• Specific action items
• Sub-committees -- identification of appropriate subcommittees
• Teams -- all on same page
• Understand group & individual organization resources
• How to integrate NTTP with existing agencies
• How we can get training out to the states/local levels -- management
• Good understanding of American Trails responsibilities
• Arranged 2002 meetings
• Who's missing from NTTP
• How far off the trail does NTTP go -- who is NTTP -- stay focused

REVIEW OF NTTP HISTORY: Deb Salt

Initiated in 1999 by BLM in response to Trail Training Needs Assessment Report followed by an Interagency Trails Training Needs Assessment. Reports found that trail work by most field staff was by the seat-of-their-pants with little or no formal training. Initial NTTP meeting held in September 1999 followed by meetings in February 2000 and September 2000.

Early work included development of committees, a draft MOU, website and a Gateway event and NTTP session at the 2000 National Trails Symposium.

Work in 2001 included completion of a Private-sector Partnership Agreement, development of a training opportunity form and data collection of training opportunities, and continued development of the NTTP website.

The NTTP partners recognized and expressed their appreciation to Deb Salt and the BLM for their foresight and efforts to establish the NTTP.

PRESENTATION OF THE NTTP PRIVATE-SECTOR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

Pam Gluck, Executive Director of American Trails and 2001 Co-convenor, presented to all partners the NTTP Private-Sector Partnership Agreement with Signatory Pages from 10 of the 13 private-sector partners. Signatures are pending from the International Mountain Bicyclist Association, Leave No Trace, and Student Conservation Association.

FEDERAL MOU

Christopher Douwes, updated the Partners on the status of the federal agency MOU. All agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, Federal Highway Administration, National Park Service, and Army Corps of Engineers have expressed interest in an interagency MOU supporting the NTTP.

• Agency solicitors have expressed FACA concerns with the NTTP.
• With completion of the Private-Sector Partnership Agreement the interested Federal partners will rework their MOU.
• An agency MOU will back-up state multi-agency cooperative efforts and further legitimize the NTTP.
• Purpose/Value: National Agreement backs up state/local actions to work together. Various agreements with private-sector organizations allow financial support for specific work. Helps to legitimize the NTTP.
• Effort will be made to announce the MOU at a national event.

2000-2001 GOALS - ACCOMPLISHED

• Held Gateway event at 2000 National Trails Sumposium
• Completed Private Sector Agreement
• Established & managed a website through American Trails
• Established and began building the Trail Training database

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

• TRAIL EXPERTS -- STEVE ELKINTON
  • Initial "Expertise" request form compiled and distributed in October 2001.
  • Results of initial request shared with Partners.

• TRAILS TRAINING -- DEB SALT
  • NTTP Committee has not had the opportunity to work during 2001
  • Presentation of BLM/FS Trails Management Course. First course design meeting held in November 1999 and a second held in August 2000. Currently the planning group is working on the lesson plans. The first hands-on week-long pilot course will be conducted at Grand Canyon National Park in May 2002. Deb would like NTTP in some way tied in with the course. Instructors are needed.
  • Draft course information provided to the Partners for review included:
    • The Trail Management Course Draft Schedule, revised 11/27/2001,
    • The draft course description, and
    • Draft planning lesion for Administration: Law, Planning Process, and Environmental Review.
    • Questions raised by the Partners regarding the course:
    • Course outline
    • Distribution of information
    • How can partners share what training they are doing
    • Course marketing
    • How does the course work for volunteers
    • Announcement &endash; Ready to release now

     

• WEB SITE -- STUART MACDONALD
  • Live presentation of the web site
  • Printed web materials including:
    • Information sheet on NTTP information
    • Information sheet on joining the NTTP partnership
    • Initial NTTP sign-up form
    • Trail Training Opportunity Form, and
    • Information sheet on Resources, tools, and contacts for trails training.
    • NTTP logo
  • Stuart is currently working on a calendar and searchable database

   

• AMERICAN TRAILS
  • Website -- review of development and content (Stuart Macdonald)
  • Funding -- FHWA, BLM, FS
  • Goals
  • Proposed Organizational Structure
  • Positions
  • Roles
  • Responsibilities
  • Benefits

(NOTE: There was extensive discussion regarding an effective organizational structure. For discussion notes please see "Compilation of Notes & Unedited Discussion" available on request. Partners continued with discussion on Wednesday-- see LOOSE ENDS: Structure-- Roles & Responsiblities.)

GOALS FOR 2002-2003

• Definition of terms -- structure
• Role of NTTP with the BLM/FS Trail Management Training Course
• Complete Federal Partner MOU
• Needs assessment among private-sector interest
• Build catalog of training opportunities
• Build Trail Expert list
• Promote NTTP within organizations & groups
• What partners can do for NTTP
• High level News Release
• Established state trail training programs
• Promotion of AT Web Site Training Opportunity clearinghouse

TEAM DEVELOPMENT

2002 TEAMS (previously referred to as Committees)

NOTE: 2001 Co-convenors will contact all partners unable to attend and encourage them to select a Team or Teams to work on.

1. EXPERTISE TEAM

• Lead: Steve Elkinton -- steve.elkinton@nps.gov
• Ann Hill
• Cam Lockwood
• Gary Warner
• NASCC
•  

TASKS

• Take database to next level. Get nomination form to all NTTP partners with form to include
  • Desired level of visibility
  • Desired level of pay
  • Experience in training skills
• Lead to keep confidential information
• Contact CA Trail Course developer, Don Beers, for texts, speakers, advice
• Link to American Trails bibliographies on trails texts, CDs, etc.
• Through Stuart look for good state training & expertise models

2. ASSESSEMENT TEAM -- NEEDS & GAPS

• Lead: Gary Warner -- nattrails@aol.com
• Kate Bickert
• Dana Bell
• Harry Bruell (NASCC)

TASKS

• 1. Identification of training needs of private organizations
• 2. Assess funding availability
• 3. Identify list of target audiences for training
• a. Volunteers
• b. Youth leadership
• c. Training programs
• d. Community activists

3, PUBLIC RELATIONS & OUTREACH TEAM

• Lead: Dana Bell -- danafbell@cs.com
• Georgette McNally
• Jim Miller
• Emily McAlister
• Stuart Macdonald
• Kate Bickert
• Jan Hancock

TASKS

• Develop a list of target audiences for public relation & outreach efforts
• Initial roll-out/high level news release
• Promote NTTP within organizations and groups
• Seek and distribute training opportunities
• Act as an advisory group to for FHWA NTTP American Trails Information Dissemination Project:
  • Task A -- Partnership Development
  • Task D -- Promotion
• Submit a Session Application for the 2002 Trails Symposium

4, DEVELOPMENT & FUNDING TEAM (FUNDS/SCHOLARSHIPS/ETC.) -- (on hold)

5, CERTIFICATION & STANDARDS TEAM

• Lead: Cam Lockwood -- trailsunlimited@juno.com
• Gary Warner
• Carl/Marty O'Brian
• Steve Elkinton (advisor)
• TASKS -- on hold

2002 CO-CONVENORS

• Government: -- FHWA -- Jim Schmid/Christopher Douwes
• Private-Sector: -- National Assoc. of State Trail Administrators -- Stuart Macdonald

STEERING COMMITTEE TASK LIST:

--TASK -- (PERSON) -- TIME

-- History of NTTP (Deb Salt)

-- Summary of Decisions (Dana/Steering) -- January 2002

-- Notes of 2001 Meeting (Dana/Jim & Jan) -- ASAP

• Meeting Summary -- To all electronically -- ASAP
• Compilation of all notes -- By request

-- Federal MOU mailout (Deb Salt) -- 12/07/2001

-- Develop Agency MOU (Christopher/Jim, Deb Salt, Jim Miller, Steve Elkinton ) -- 02/18/2002

-- National Announcement (Pub.Rel.Team, Jim Miller & Stuart Macdonald) -- no date

-- Promotion of NTTP (All) -- On-going

-- Expand Trail Expert list (ExpertiseTeam) -- On-going

-- Create fact sheet for support orgs (Stuart Macdonald) -- 12/15/2001

-- Process to involve NTTP in BLM/FS Training course( Deb Salt) -- 05/02

-- Develop List Serve -- delete

-- Set up web page passkeys -- delete

-- Generic NTTP business card (American Trails) -- January 2002

-- NTTP logo on Web with new URL (Stuart Macdonald) -- 12/15/2001

-- Develop workplan budget (Pam/Christophe) -- 11/2002

-- Training information to AT (All )-- On-going

-- Web Trends Quarterly Report (Stuart Macdonald) -- Quarterly

-- Quarterly NTTP Reports (Stuart/Jim Schmid) -- Quarterly

LIST THREE THINGS I CAN DO TO PROMOTE NTTP IN MY ORGANIZATION

Each attending partner developed a list of three things that they planned to do over the next year to promote NTTP within their own organization. A copy of all "things" that partners are going to do will be sent by a separate e-mail. Diane Bush, our facilitator, will also be mailing out cards in approximately 3 months as reminders of our personal tasks.

LOOSE ENDS

STRUCTURE -- ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Steering Committee: Signatory Private-Sector Partners and Agency Advisors
  • Active participation in Team work is required.
  • Meeting participation is not mandatory to retain a position on the Committee
  • Annual selection of an Agency & Private-sector partners as co-convenors
• Co-Convenors: One private-sector and one agency advisor
• Teams
  • Voluntary groups of NTTP partners and advisors working on specific tasks
  • Tasks decided by the each team, requested by the Steering Committee or requested by the Co-convenors
• Communication process
  • Internal collective communication
  • Proposed major team action shared with the Co-convenors prior to action
  • Proposed action shared with Steering Committee when deemed necessary by the Co-convenors

FUNDING -- DATABASE FOR FUNDING OPPORTUNIES:

• Is "Funding" for NTTP projects or is "Funding" for others training efforts
• At this time "Funding" is identifying needed or desirable money for sustaining NTTP and for funding specific NTTP projects.
• It would be worthwhile for NTTP to develop a basic outline for:
  • How current training efforts funded
  • Who has resources
• Need some idea of annual cost of NTTP

RESOURCE SHARING -- Eldon Clapp, BLM National Training Center

• Initial resources for NTTP
• NTC Courses:
• Community Based Planning
• Alternative Funding
• Wise & Effective Use of Volunteers
• Learning Community -- communication/social networks

NTTP PARTNER SHARING:

• How many hits on the website -- will try to track
• Recognition for work by 2001 for co-convenors
• NOHVCC Workshop program status and need for solution-oriented environmental and resource stakeholder experts to participate in NOHVCC OHV Management Workshops
• Western Trailbuilders Association Conference
• Rails-To-Trails: despite September 11 conference went well. Great interest in resources.
• CA mechanized trail training program being developed/Trails Unlimited
• AT: NTTP PowerPoint developed by Cam and AT
• AZ State Parks: Handout & possible AZ OHV workshop in 2002
• BCH: Newsletter
• NASCC: Conference & material
• WTA: Conference, partnership of value

POTENTIAL OTHER PARTNERS

• Coalition for Recreational Trails
• National Recreation and Park Association
• American Recreation Coalition
• American Pedestrian & Bicycle Professional
• American Society of Landscape Architects
• What are we getting out of NTTP?
• How do we handle "registration" on NTTP Website
• Modify "registration" form to allow interested party to note their interest, resource, and/or expertise

NEXT MEETING:

• Monday, November 11 --Tuesday, November 12 through noon
• In conjunction with the 2002 National Trails Symposium, Florida

WRAP-UP -- QUESTIONS RAISED & ANSWERED:

• Who holds the Corporate Memory?
  • 2001-2002 American Trails
• How do new members join & participate?
  • Contact co-convenors
  • Need to establish protocol
• How do we promote NTTP within individual organizations?
  • Distribution of releases, website address, and needed information
• How does individual partner information get to the group?
  • Responsibility of co-convenors
  • E-mail and/or mail
• How do training organizations bring information to the table?
  • Training opportunity forms
• How do we get curriculum into the university system?
  • University contacts
• Kate Bickert -- data on colleges offering recreation curriculum
• Glen Haas -- adaptability to CO curriculum
• Clemson University program
• How does NTTP benefit volunteers?
  • Desirable to have some way to monitor -- is NTTP of benefit
  • Explore is there a better way to get training out to publics
• What are we getting out of NTTP?
  • Need to develop for potential partners & sharing with respective constituents
• Does NTTP train or is a goal for NTTP to do the actual training OR does NTTP identify, announce, and encourage training?
  • Does not have ability to do former at least at this time.

RECOGNITION FOR 2001 CO-CONVENORS:

Steve Elkinton and Partners expressed their appreciation for the 2001 Co-convenors, Cam Lockwood (Trails Unlimited) for the Forest Service and Dana Bell (American Trails board member) for American Trails with Pam Gluck, Executive Director, American Trails.

DISTRIBUTED MATERIALS THROUGHOUT THE MEETING:

• American Trails
  • PowerPoint "What is NTTP"
  • Outline "American Trails Information Dissemination Project &endash; Work Plan"
  • Copies of NTTP Website pages
  • 2002 National Trails Symposium Announcement postcard
• Arizona State Parks
  • Newsletter "Arizona Trail Association News," Summer 2001
• BLM National Training Center
  • BLM/FS Draft Trail Training Course description
  • BLM/FS Draft Trail Training Course schedule
  • BLM/FS Draft Trail Training Course Administration session
• Federal Highway Administration
  • Brochure "A Walkable Community"
  • List "Recreational Trails Program Publications"
• National Park Service
  • Report on Expert Identification, First Round, November 2001
• National Association of Student Conservation Corps.
  • Handout "What are Youth Service & Conservation Corps?"
• Tread Lightly!
  • Newsletter "Trails," Third Quarter, 2001
• Western Trailbuilders Association
  • Handout "Trail Training Resources and Trainers"

MEETING ADJOURNED: 12:00 Noon

(For a copy of the complete sets of notes taken by Dana Bell, Steve Elkinton, and Jan Hancock please contact Dana Bell at danafbell@cs.com or American Trails at AmTrails@futureone.com).

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

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