Learn the historical and contemporary sources of grassroots opposition to rail trails and several principles for accommodating critics.
Presenter: Silas Chamberlin, PhD, Regional Advisor, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Despite the proliferation of rail trail projects throughout the country, many trail developers face criticism from from small but vocal groups who believed trails violate private property rights and attract crime, vandalism, and other nuisances. Only by understanding the origins of this opposition can trail developers anticipate, and when possible, accommodate the critical reactions to railroad abandonment, and public ownership. Learn the historical and contemporary sources of grassroots opposition to rail trails and several principles for accommodating critics.
Age and Dementia Friendly Design Considerations for Physical Infrastructure
posted Oct 3, 2023
Inclusive design can address functional needs arising from dementia.
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?
Why Trails Matter: Resilience to Wildfire
posted Aug 9, 2023
Trails connect suburban and rural communities to wild places, and they can play an important role in landscape resilience, as wildfire becomes more frequent in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) where homes are increasingly being built.
2022 CDT Small Business Survey
posted Feb 14, 2023
From August to December 2021, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition surveyed 136 small business owners in 38 communities located along the Continental Divide Trail to learn more about how the Continental Divide Trail impacts their businesses, the local economy, and their support for public lands.
