filed under: skills & competencies

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Trail Construction Skills and Competencies

Specific skills used in trails and greenways work: construction of trails; construction of various trail elements; construction of trailheads and related facilities.

by American Trails Staff

Skills for Natural Surface Trail Construction

• Tools and safety for hand trail construction
• Mechanized tools and safety for trail construction
• Construction of off-highway vehicle routes and trails
• Selecting and using trail hardening techniques
• Selecting and building improved surfaces
• Performing trail relocation, revegetation, and road to trail conversion

Skills for Trail-related Facility Construction

• Constructing drainage and water control elements
• Rigging and hoisting, mechanical advantage, and overhead zip and high-lines

Skills for Accessible Trail Construction

• Surfaces and materials for accessible trails

Skills for Urban Trail and Bike/Ped Facility Construction

• Materials and paving installation
• Construction management for bicycle/pedestrian facilities
• Road and railroad crossings

Skills for Trailhead Facility Construction

• Restroom siting and installation

Skills for Design of Structures

• Construction of hand-built backcountry bridges
• Puncheon, corduroy, and turnpike construction
• Building boardwalks
• Building rock walls and steps
• Selecting rocks and moving large rocks with the griphoist
• Tools to split and dress stone, including hammer drills, hand star drills, hand chisels, and stone hammers

Published December 2019

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