Trail Skills College Course Curriculum
To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum.
Decommissioning Trails
Skill Definition
Demonstrated ability to plan and implement the closure, reclamation, and revegetation of a trail segment
Entry Level Performance
- Demonstrate understanding of the basic techniques of trail decommissioning including stabilizing and revegetating
- Perform material management, staging, tread stabilization including recontouring old trail to original slope as appropriate, and revegetation with supervision
Full Performance Level
- Perform material management, staging, tread stabilization including recontouring old trail to original slope as appropriate, independently
Expert Level Performance
- Assess and plan the closure, reclamation, and revegetation toward natural hydrology, slope, and vegetation, along with planning management techniques to minimize further use.
Resources for Decommissioning Trails
Documents and Media
• Training Programs
Find Trainers •
Find Workers
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Documents and Media for Decommissioning Trails
Trail Decommissioning & Wildland Restoration
Learn how to put a campsite and section of trail to bed so that it returns to nature without erosion. Some call this “trail magic,” or “Zen and the Art of Wilderness Gardening” because, if properly done, the old scars disappear, replaced by a…
Further Education
Training Programs for Decommissioning Trails
IMBA Trail Management Schools
This school is typically two days in length with IMBA instructor(s) traveling to your location to deliver the class to staff or members. Instructors arrive the day before to assess the site and do any necessary preparations. Organizations, clubs, or…
IMBA Trail Care Schools
Trail Care Schools equip volunteers and organizations with the skills necessary to maintain modern mountain bike trails in partnership with the local land management. This course will begin with sustainable trail design principles, such as drainage…
Sustainable Trail Building One Year Certificate Program
In this one-year certificate program, you’ll have boots-on-the-ground at Northwoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston, VT for three individual week-long intensive classes. You will grow your knowledge base and connect with trail building…
Trail Academy
Trail Academy is our free class series that teaches students how to tackle any trail-related challenge. Courses are hosted both in the field and online, and are a great starting point for anyone looking to become a certified Trail Crew Leader or…
Trail Sustainability Institute
The Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) is NWTA’s internal training classes for everything related to trail building. We want to make sure our trail builders are knowledgeable in not only how to build/maintain fun trails, but ensure those trails…
Trails Certificate
Gain insight into best practices related to the design, construction and maintenance of trails. Learn about and apply techniques that can enhance, rehabilitate and protect trails and greenways. Participants will also learn about trail…
Skill Library
Trail Construction
Trail Sustainability Principles
Safety/Site Management
Construction Specifications
Corridor Clearing/Site Preparation
Corridor Clearing: Pruning/ Side-Cutting/ Brushing
Corridor Clearing: Felling/tree removal; Chainsaw/ Crosscut
Corridor Clearing: Material and Debris Management
Hand-Built Trail Construction
Mechanized Trail Construction
Trail Finishwork
Water Management/Drainage Features
Water Crossing Structures
Retaining Walls
Tread Hardening and Surfacing
Decommissioning Trails
Custom Trainings
There are 73 trainers on TrailSkills
with Decommissioning Trails experience
Hire Workers
There are 277 workers on TrailSkills
with Decommissioning Trails experience
Marc Hildesheim
Post Falls, ID
Program Director
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC)
Alexander De Lucia
Bretton Woods, NH
Director of Trails & Recreation Management
Appalachian Mountain Club
Suggest a Resource
Contact Us
Know of a good resource for this skill? Let us know! From webinars, to workshops, to PDFs, we'd like to add them to our resource library.
Let us knowTrail Skills Collaborators
