
published Mar 2014
Recreational trails and rivers can really help boost a community’s tourism traffic. This guide is designed to help leaders of these Trail Towns take advantage of the economic opportunity brought by the attraction of trails and rivers. It will help you transform your town into a more inviting and memorable tourist destination as well as a better place for residents to live, work and play. The elements in this guide are only suggestions. Feel free to modify or adapt these ideas in Assessments I & II to best suit your town. After all, your approach should be as unique as your community.
published Jan 1999
This casebook presents data and examples that can help leaders and concerned citizens make the economic case for parks and open space conservation.
published Mar 2011
by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)
In 2009, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) began a multi-year project to ensure that residents along the Compton Creek bike, equestrian and walking trails were involved in using and supporting their trails, as well as to provide opportunities for programs and activities.
published Oct 2019
by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)
American communities today are at a crossroads. For the past 70 years, the automobile has been the dominant mode of transportation and has received the lion’s share of federal and state transportation investment. Engineers have prioritized maximum car throughput and free-flowing speed or level of service as markers of transportation efficiency and success. Now, communities across America are looking for ways to strike a better balance so that residents might have more transportation choices and a higher quality of life. Multimodal transportation systems that prioritize human-centered mobility are in high demand.
published Jul 2016
by National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
A national study on Active Transportation and Parks and Recreation.
published Dec 2018
Greater Des Moines Water Trails will annually pour tens of millions of dollars into the regional economy, a new analysis shows.
published Jan 2014
Water trails are a unique form of recreation – in its simplest form it consists of floating with minor balance and navigation. However, the ability to reach the water’s edge is probably one of the largest obstacles to participation.
published Feb 2001
This literature review discusses how urban form affects public health, specifically through the ways in which the built environment encourages or discourages physical activity levels.
Aug 30, 2013
Expanding the traditional trail organization into an effective multi-modal initiative to get improved trail, sidewalks, bike lanes, and the support needed in your community.
published Apr 2004
This study examines the value of public investment in bicycle facilities.
published Jan 2016
by Children and Nature Network
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the creation of nature-rich urban environments, including schoolyards with natural play spaces and gardens, can help improve physical and mental health, cognitive skills, creativity, and social bonding.
published Apr 2019
Economic Impact Analysis shows new bike master plan will save 36 lives every year, add $500 million to the regional economy, and create 12,000 jobs.