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Water Management on Legacy Trails

The SET (Sustainable, Effective, Traversable) Standard

This webinar will discuss the challenges of legacy trails, examine with photos and commentary commonly built trail features, and applying the SET test to them. It will also discuss the renovation of existing features and the construction of new trail features that comply with the SET criteria.

Presented by:

• Robert Fina, Owner, Fina Trails LLC

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Webinar Outline

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The SET test is a useful tool for maintainers, trail crews, and land managers to assess existing built trail features, as well as assessing proposed new features on legacy trails. The feature should comply with the three criteria below:

1. Sustainable
   1. Must last a long time (twenty plus years).
   2. Requires minimal maintenance.
2. Effective
   1. Must work for its intended purpose (such as removing water from the trail).
   2. Must work effectively for a long time.
   3. Must remain effective with minimal maintenance.
3. Traversable
   1. Must be easy for the trail user to cross.
   2. Increases trail accessibility by eliminating difficult obstacles.
   3. Reduces trail widening by eliminating obstacles which often divert user off trail.
   4. More aesthetic. Generally, the feature blends into the background and user does not notice it.

The presentation will discuss the challenges of legacy trails, examine with photos and commentary commonly built trail features, and apply the SET test to them. The presentation will then discuss the renovation of existing features and the construction of new trail features that comply with the SET criteria. Understanding the SET concepts is applicable to anyone maintaining natural surface or aggregate surface trails, wither intended for foot or wheeled traffic.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding of water dynamics that cause erosion and sedimentation.
• Familiarity with the components of the SET test.
• How to apply the test to existing or new features.

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Webinar Resources

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The SET Test - Flush Water Bars (pdf)

The SET Test - Water Bars (pdf)

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Webinar Partners

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Presenter

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Robert Fina, Owner, Fina Trails LLC
Alexandria, Virginia

Robert Fina is the owner of Fina Trails LLC, a trail design, build, and trail skills training company focused on developing sustainable trail systems in the Mid-Atlantic area. His goal is to build, and to teach others to build, trails that will last for generations with minimal maintenance.

Robert has been a passionate parks and trails volunteer for twenty five years , and was recently awarded a Lifetime Membership award for his exceptional service to the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. His focus on safety, attention to detail, and professionalism comes from a lifelong career as a construction company owner in the Washington DC area.

 

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Closed Captioning

We are offering closed captioning for our webinars, thanks to a partnership with VZP Digital. If you are in need of this service, please email us prior to the webinar. An unedited transcript will be sent to all attendees following the webinar.

Learning Credits and CEUs

American Trails is proud to be a certified provider of the following learning credits and continuing education opportunities:

• American Institute of Certified Planners Continuing Maintenance (AICP CM)
• Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES PDH) (most HSW approved)
• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) CEU equivalency petition
• CEU/PDH equivalency petition for other accepting organizations

Learning credits are free for attendees for American Trails webinars and the International Trails Symposium, as well as for other conferences, webinars, and workshops we offer credits for. Learn more here.

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Disclaimer

While we may individually agree (or disagree) in whole or in part with any or all of the participants, the views expressed in these webinars are not necessarily representative of the views of American Trails as an organization or its board and staff. Unless specific situations are noted by presenters, nothing in American Trails webinars should be considered to be interpreted as a standard.

Terms and Privacy Policy

By registering for our webinars, you submit your information to the webinar organizer and associated presenters and sponsors, who may use it to communicate with you regarding this event and their other services. Your organization may also be added to the American Trails Business Directory. You can easily cancel your registration at any time.

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4,161 views • posted 08/23/2023