Project Planning and Design Skills Include:

Trail Sustainability Principles

Understand and apply principles of trail sustainability to all components of project planning and design

Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project

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

Stakeholder Engagement

Identify stakeholders from interested individuals, agencies, and organizations to inform an outreach strategy and engage stakeholders in a transparent, authentic, and meaningful way

Land Use Plan Alignment

Identify elements of the general management, forest, or comprehensive resource management plans as they relate to the trail project

Corridor Planning

Collect, analyze and integrate spatial data and field collected data to identify potential areas (broad corridors) that meet the project purpose and need, and establish potential areas of avoidance

Trail Specifications

Identify trail specifications (i.e. tread surface, trail width, trail corridor height, grades, cross slope, turning radius, obstacles/protrusions, and structures) that match the project purpose, need, and resources

Conceptual Trail Plan Development

Integrate and assess the data collected during the trail planning process (i.e. trail use, stakeholder input, land use plans, spatial data/analysis and field data) to develop a conceptual trail plan that identifies trail corridor, site-specific trail specifications and matches the project need, purpose and resources

Field Design: Trail Alignment Identification and Marking

Delineate the trail alignment, width, height, grade and structures appropriate to the intended trail use in the field with field flagging and GPS

Project Cost Estimation

Estimate the cost of project construction, maintenance and related oversight, permitting and planning (including tools, consumables, volunteer and staff time, contractors and consultants, equipment, materials)

Trail Plan Development

Transfer field-delineated trail design (location, alignment, structures), along with construction process, materials, notes, and special conditions into a trail planning document that will guide the trail development process

Compliance and Permitting

Ensure compliance with applicable permitting requirements at the federal level (National Environmental Protection Act/NEPA, Section 106 of the Antiquities Act, the Historic Preservation Act, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/NPDES, US Army Corps of Engineers) and state, regional, county and local level (Erosion & Sediment Control/E&SC, Stormwater Pollution Prevention/SWPP, and other regulations related to wildlife, natural heritage, archeological/cultural resources, and environmental resource protection)

Implementation Plan

Accurately interpret specifications, construction process notes, and construction documents to develop an implementation plan based on available labor and funding

Interpretation

Identify specific interpretive and educational opportunities on trails to contextualize the visitor experience (e.g., history, habitats, scenery, flora/fauna), and make recommendations for interpretive method

Trail Inventory and Assessment

Inventory and assess existing trails and their conditions, identifying causes of trail degradation (e.g., water, grades, soil conditions, users, and/or use patterns) and the appropriate actions to address the deficiencies

Operations and Maintenance Plan Development

Transfer field data, spatial data, and land management plan information into an operations and maintenance plan that will direct ongoing trail management including: maintenance specifications, seasonal maintenance schedule, operational protocols, and risk management protocols

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Documents and Media for Project Planning and Design

Sustainable Trail Bridge Design

Designing trail bridges based on trail-specific Trail Management Objectives (TMOs) is essential for providing the desired trail experience, for ensuring user safety, and for maximizing bridge longevity.

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.

Signs, Trails, and Wayside Exhibits

This sourcebook is a comprehensive, visual guide to planning, designing, and fabricating effective wayside exhibits, information signs, and trails. Over 400 photographs from interpretive sites around the world illustrate effective techniques for…

Trail Fundamentals and Trail Management Objectives

This publication provides comprehensive guidance and instructions for applying Trail Fundamentals and Trail Management Objectives. This recently published version includes the original 2008 content, along with updated photos and formatting.

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.

Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails

This guidebook was written to help designers and managers apply FSORAG and FSTAG to their work and to pro- vide guidance for integrating accessibility into outdoor recreation site and trail projects.

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Trail Skills Training Library

Recorded Trainings for Project Planning and Design

Making the Case for Tourism-Oriented Mountain Bike and Adaptive Recreation

This presentation provides an overview of an economic impact analysis for an accessible tourism-oriented mountain bike trail network in Tennessee’s State Park system.

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.

Connecting Recreational Benefits with Transmission Corridors: Partnerships, Collaboration, and Multifunctionality

Researchers will share their findings, including case studies and best practices, and discuss how co-locating recreational amenities alongside transmission infrastructure can enhance community well-being, generate sustainable economic growth, and…

Nonprofit + Trail App Partnerships: Creating a Unified User-Friendly Trail Map

Attendees will learn how Piedmont Land Conservancy is bridging the gap by teaming up with the AllTrails Public Lands Program to create a unified and user-friendly trail map in North Carolina.

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.

Trailblazing Accessibility: Ensuring Equitable Access to Natural Spaces for Those with Disabilities

This webinar will present information on how outdoor spaces can pose safety and accessibility concerns for those with various disabilities and will introduce solution-seeking methods of dismantling accessibility barriers that are applicable to…

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Further Education

Training Programs for Project Planning and Design

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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