published Jun 2015
This report, a publication of the Forests on the Edge project of the Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry Deputy Area, examines the growth in population within 50 and 100 miles of national forests and grasslands. To understand how recreation pressure might increase in the future, the report also estimates future growth in recreation visits to NFS lands by local residents.
published May 2015
Multi-use trails are becoming an economic catalyst and vital contributor to the quality of life for communities all across the nation. This document looks at key factors as to why this is, and takes these factors as a basis into a case study on the Tammany Trace (the ‘Trace’), a 31- mile rail-to-trail conversion in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.
published May 2015
by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)
The purpose of this study is to provide a preliminary assessment and concept plan for developing a shared-use path along the New York Avenue corridor within the defined study area. Conducted as the first phase of determining feasibility for trail development, this preliminary assessment did not include extensive stakeholder outreach but can be used to inform future public participation and stakeholder outreach efforts in the next phase of planning.
published Apr 2015
by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), Alta Planning + Design
This report is an inventory and analysis of existing trails in agricultural settings, with a focus on trails that are most comparable to the context of the Santa Paula Branch Line (SPBL) in Ventura County.
published Mar 2015
by Federal Highway Administration
A report on the use and benefits of Federal Recreational Trails Program funds across the United States.
published Feb 2015
by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)
The 24-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail extends along the banks of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers in one of America's most storied cities, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
published Jan 2015
During the period August 2012 through November 2012, the University of Idaho, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR), surveyed Idaho’s registered off-highway-vehicle (OHV) owners. The goal of the survey was to determine the economic importance of OHV use in Idaho during the previous 12 months. The survey sample was drawn from IDPR-registered OHV owners. OHV activities not related to recreation (e.g., work) and out-of-state visitors could not be sampled. Trips and expenditures for OHV recreation in Idaho would be higher if nonresident OHV recreation could be estimated.
published Dec 2014
This report addresses both the technical and political challenges of how communities are paying to maintain trails, bike lanes, and sidewalks. It examines agency maintenance policies and provides examples of communities who’ve successfully made these facilities a priority.
published Dec 2014
The core components of this foundation document include a brief description of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the nature and purposes of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, significance statements, fundamental resources and values, and interpretive themes. These components are core because they typically do not change over time. Core components are expected to be used in future planning and management efforts.
published Sep 2014
by American Council of Snowmobile Assns. (ACSA)
Many snowmobile trail managers are facing new management challenges related to OHV use that have been evolving over the past ten to fifteen years. This evolution has included significant growth in overall OHV numbers, the addition of wider side-by-side utility vehicles (UTVs), and some OHVs now being equipped with tracks. Consequently a growing number of local administrators must evaluate what’s best for their local area: continuing to provide only ‘single use’ motorized trails for snowmobiles – or integrating concurrent snowmobile/OHV use onto some groomed trails.
published Sep 2014
This survey will not only aid Trail managers and local officials in managing the existing trail and its users, but aid future planners in locating and designing trails that maximize benefits while reducing impacts.
published Jul 2014
The analysis indicates that the nearly $1.7 million in spending conducted by the Hatfield-McCoy Trails for day-to-day operations generated an additional $1.6 million in economic activity within the State, for a total operational impact of $3.3 million. Even more notably, the Hatfield-McCoy Trails bring non-local visitors to the area whose spending is estimated to generate an additional $19 million in economic activity in West Virginia. Together, the total estimated economic impact of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails is more than $22 million.
