USFS Standard Trail Plans and Specifications
The Standard Trail Plans and Specifications reflect current Forest Service trail management efforts and the agency’s Trails Data Dictionary for constructed features and tasks.
Implementation Plan
Skill Definition
Accurately interpret specifications, construction process notes, and construction documents to develop an implementation plan based on available labor and funding
Entry Level Performance
- Demonstrate understanding of a project implementation plan including project scope, phases, and timeline
Full Performance Level
- Assess sources and availability of labor and expertise, as well as funding to define project phases when needed
- Develop an implementation plan that matches available labor and funding with phases when needed
Expert Level Performance
- Create a phasing strategy that integrates site-specific conditions, connectivity, and progression
- Make recommendations to help identify future pools of labor and funding when needed
Resources for Implementation Plan:
Documents and Media
• Video Trainings
• Training Programs
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Documents and Media for Implementation Plan
Trail Planning, Design & Development Guidelines
This 300-page spiral-bound publication, several years in the making, provides a first-ever comprehensive "how-to" guidebook for developing all types of recreational trails.
Equestrian Design Guidebook for Trails, Trailheads, and Campgrounds
This guidebook provides practical guidelines for developing recreation environments that are sensitive to the needs of riders and their stock.
Trail Skills Training Library
Recorded Trainings for Implementation Plan
A Parking Roadmap: Where to Start When Managing Parking for Your Trail
This webinar will break down how successful agencies manage parking, discuss common strategies and solutions to consider, and how to successfully deploy them.
The Third Mode: Connecting Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility
his webinar covers the latest issues and policies in planning and designing urban mobility networks, and how to integrate transportation with greenways and trails to create seamless metro-wide systems.
Trail Planning and Design: Foundations of Success
This webinar will review several common approaches and technologies for trail planning and design projects and provide attendees with real world examples.
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,…
Further Education
Training Programs for Implementation Plan
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…
IMBA Trail Solutions Advanced Trail Building School
Partner with IMBA Trail Solutions and create with confidence. By deploying a complete range of skills–including visioning, detailed design, professional construction, and training for stewardship–our comprehensive approach saves resources.
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
Custom Trainings
There are 55 trainers on TrailSkills
with Implementation Plan experience
Jeremy Poore
Old Fort, NC
Coordinator - Trail Construction and Maintenance
McDowell Tech Community College
Hire Workers
There are 195 workers on TrailSkills
with Implementation Plan experience
Melissa Green
Silver City, NM
Trail Project Coordinator
Gila Chapter Back Country Horsemen of New Mexico
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
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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.
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