Best Management Practice Goal: The water trail actively engages local communities and trail users, who provide support and advocacy for the maintenance and stewardship of the water trail.
The National Water Trails System is a network of water trails open to the public to explore and enjoy. The system also serves as a community of water resource managers that benefit from information sharing and collaboration. National Water Trails are a sub-set of the National Recreation Trails Program. National Water Trails have been established to protect and restore America’s rivers, shorelines, and waterways; conserve natural areas along waterways; and increase access to outdoor recreation on shorelines and waterways. The Trails are a distinctive national network of exemplary water trails that are cooperatively supported and sustained.
The National Water Trails System connects Americans to the nation’s waterways and strengthens the conservation and restoration of these waterways through the mutual support and cooperation of federal, state, local, and nonprofit entities. In establishing a national system of exemplary water trails, these trails have become a catalyst for protecting and restoring the health of local waterways and surrounding lands. They are building a community that mentors and promotes the development of water trails and shares best management practices with other water trails.
These seven BMPs are explored in the attached PDF.
Key questions and examples of community support best management practices.
Key questions and examples of conservation best management practices.
Key questions and examples of education best management practices.
Key questions and examples of maintenance best management practices.
Key questions and examples of planning best management practices.
Key questions and examples of public information best management practices.
Key questions and examples of recreation best management practices.
posted Aug 23, 2023
What would it take for all Americans to be able to go out their front doors and within fifteen minutes be on trails that wind through their cities, towns or villages and bring them back without retracing steps?
Public Lands and the Continental Divide Trail Study
posted Feb 14, 2023
The primary goal of this study was to understand who uses the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), how they use it, their preferences, and the economic impact of the CDT in the region. Additional data were also collected regarding protecting public lands and using the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado.
Pacific Crest Train Assn. Crew Leadership: Managing Volunteers
posted Aug 17, 2022
For students with moderate to extensive trail building experience who want to lead trail crews and work parties. Not a construction techniques class; this is about effective leadership. Students will have classroom and field work in the following topics: work day responsibilities, risk assessment and safety, tool safety and tool talk, leadership and team building, practical experience leading volunteers.
The Influence of Layout on Appalachian Trail Soil Loss, Widening, and Muddiness
posted Jul 15, 2022
This research investigates the influence of layout and design on the severity of trail degradation.
