Project Selection
This guide will provide your organization with information and tips about how to select the most appropriate volunteer stewardship projects.
Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
Skill Definition
Use primary data (e.g., stakeholder outreach, trail use data, trail counters) and secondary data (e.g., planning documents, natural and cultural resource survey information, and site-specific resource limitations including soils, hydrology, geology, slope) to define the purpose of the proposed project, the need that it will meet, and its feasibility
Entry Level Performance
- Demonstrate understanding of primary data (e.g., stakeholder outreach, trail use data, trail counters) and secondary data (e.g., planning documents, natural and cultural resource survey information, and site-specific resource limitations including soils, hydrology, geology, slope) that are considered when defining the project purpose, need, and feasibility
Full Performance Level
- Demonstrate ability to define the project purpose, need and feasibility, integrating primary data, secondary data, and site-specific resource limitations.
Expert Level Performance
- Implement a cohesive and comprehensive planning process that results in defining a project purpose, the need that it will meet, and the project’s feasibility based on current and potential resources (human, skills, funding, etc), opportunities, and constraints
- Communicate the project purpose, need, and feasibility effectively to all stakeholders
Resources for Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
Documents and Media
• Video Trainings
• Training Programs
• Calendar
Find Trainers •
Find Workers
Learn More
Documents and Media for Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
Trail Skills Training Library
Recorded Trainings for Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
Tell the Economic Story of Your Conserved Lands and Trails Without Hiring an Economist
Understanding the range of economic benefits from your land conservation and trails program can help you coalesce support among local and state officials, expand your circle of allies and partners to include economic developers and the local…
Outdoor Recreation Roadmap: A Community-Led Approach to Leveraging Your Natural Assets for Economic Success and Local Renewal
Learn how to make the outdoor recreation economy work for your community to generate more awareness and buy-in, make quick progress that can be sustained over time, and create meaningful changes that make a difference for your community’s business…
Wilderness Trails: Special Places, Special Considerations.
This webinar will provide some basic information on trails in federally-designated Wilderness, examples of practical experiences, and resources to learn more. Presented by: Pete Irvine, retired, USDA Forest Service Dan Abbe, Wilderness Specialist,…
Trail Planning Technology
Learn how to use a variety of mobile and desktop based technologies to assess, plan, and design trails across the country. Presented by: Jon Altschuld, Founder and Principal, Chinook Landscape Architecture, LLC Tony Boone, COO, Timberline TrailCraft
The Science of Sustainable Trail Design and Management
This webinar will describe the three most common forms of trail impact, identify the most influential factors to develop and maintain sustainable trail networks, and discuss methods for rating trail sustainability. Presented by: Jeffrey Marion,…
Feasibility Study of the 90-Mile Multi-Use Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail
This webinar will discuss the ins and outs of a feasibility study done on the 90-mile multi-use trail to interpret early California history in San Mateo County.
Further Education
Training Programs for Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
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…
Sustainable Trails Development
The Sustainable Trails curriculum welcomes students from various fields who are interested in trails development, programming and management, as well as design.
PCTA Trail Skills Course
Because wildfires, wind storms, floods, gravity, and vegetation growth are constant threats to the PCT, the annual maintenance and reconstruction of the trail is a never-ending and monumental undertaking. Such work, historically carried out by…
Advancing Trails Webinar Series
American Trails brings agencies, trail builders, planners, architects, advocates, and volunteers the latest in state-of-the-art information on all aspects of trails and greenways. Our webinars focus on a variety of trail topics, usually applicable…
Skill Library
Project Planning and Design
Trail Sustainability Principles
Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
Stakeholder Engagement
Land Use Plan Alignment
Corridor Planning
Trail Specifications
Conceptual Trail Plan Development
Field Design: Trail Alignment Identification and Marking
Project Cost Estimation
Trail Plan Development
Compliance and Permitting
Implementation Plan
Interpretation
Trail Inventory and Assessment
Operations and Maintenance Plan Development
Training Calendar
Upcoming Trainings for Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
Custom Trainings
There are 71 trainers on TrailSkills
with Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project experience
Marc Hildesheim
Post Falls, ID
Program Director
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC)
Leanna Joyner
Asheville, NC
Senior Director for Partnerships and Trail Operations
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Lydia Yuhas
Middlefield, CT
Assistant Trails Coordinator
Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA)
Hire Workers
There are 262 workers on TrailSkills
with Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project experience
Morgan Wendt
Saint Paul, MN
Off-Highway Vehicle Specialist (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
Benjamin Widdison
Eugene, OR
Corporate and Foundation Relations Associate
Partnership for the National Trails System (PNTS)
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
