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.
Published June 2020
County of Los Angeles Trails Manual
The purpose of this Trails Manual is to provide an accessible resource that can be used for trail planning, design, construction, and maintenance within the County of Los Angeles
TRAILS SAFE PASSING PLAN: STOP, SPEAK, and STAND BACK
Horses are prey animals and naturally can be afraid of unfamiliar people and objects. Horses have natural "flight“ survival instincts and prefer to move their feet towards an exit route. Therefore, people with horses should pass at a walk while other trail users remain STOPPED until passed.
Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona Crew Leader Manual
This manual has been written to aid crew leaders working with trail work volunteers. It assumes the following priorities, in order of importance, for every volunteer trail work event: 1) Safety, 2) Enjoyment, 3) Quality product, 4) Productivity.
Colorado Trail Foundation Crew Leader Handbook
As a crew leader you represent the CTF. One of your main jobs is to convey the CTF’s thanks to the volunteers for their commitment to making and preserving The Colorado Trail as a national treasure.
