Entry Level Performance

• Demonstrate understanding of the typical types of compliance and permitting that can apply to a trail project
• Demonstrate understanding of the permit systems and agencies and their potential site-based requirements as they relate to trail project implementation

Full Performance Level

• Identify applicable permits and compliance review process on the local, county, regional, state, or federal level
• Implement any permit related site-based requirements
• Facilitate and effectively communicate compliance measures during any permit related site-based inspections

Expert Level Performance

• Integrate knowledge of applicable compliance and permit reviews into the trail planning and design process to assess project feasibility, as well as guide timelines/phases and cost estimates
• Provide documentation to support compliance and permit review processes and identify additional resource surveys and inventories if necessary
• Provide recommendations that ensure compliance during the implementation phase including direction provided from the permitting agency

Learn More

Documents and Media for Compliance and Permitting

Wildlife Crossing Structure Handbook Design and Evaluation in North America

This handbook provides numerous solutions to wildlife-vehicle interactions by offering effective and safe wildlife crossing examples.

Designing Near Wetlands, Streams, Forests, and Other Environmental Resources

This presentation discusses the seven biggest considerations for planners and designers when designing near wetlands, streams, forests, and other environmental resources.

Approvals, Permits, and Compliance

This webinar will walk through the typical processes, jurisdictions, timelines, and documentation needed to get a conceptual trail project through approval and implementation.

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Trail Skills Training Library

Recorded Trainings for Compliance and Permitting

OPDMD or Wheelchair: Where Can They Go?

The webinar will address the difference between Wheelchair and OPDMD (Other Power Drive Mobility Devices), explain the ADAs Assessment Factors, clarify Legitimate Safety Requirements, how to develop Policy and the importance of Training.

Plan Trails to Minimize Wildlife Disturbance

A summary of best practices for trail groups who plan, design, and manage nonmotorized trails to minimize disturbance of or conflict with wildlife, specifically large carnivores.

Navigating NEPA in Trail Development

This webinar is a deeper dive into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as an extension of a past webinar: Approvals, Permitting and Compliance (2023). This webinar will help answer key questions related to NEPA and trail development.

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.

Systemic Condition Analysis and Management for Multi-Use Trails

This webinar addresses the critical need for cyclical assessment and repair of a multi-use trail system to keep up with the usage and level of service demands from the public with a limited budget.

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Further Education

Training Programs for Compliance and Permitting

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…

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