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.
Retaining Walls
Skill Definition
Construct stone or wood retaining walls to bolster unconsolidated soils, gain elevation, or transition tread from rocks/natural barriers
Entry Level Performance
- Demonstrate understanding of basic retaining wall construction technique (material preparation, stacking, joinery, and fill)
- Safely perform tasks to further the construction of a stone or wood retaining wall with supervision
- Stabilize (set) stone or wood materials with supervision
Full Performance Level
- Safely work to construct a stone or wood retaining wall in an identified location, to construction specifications independently
Expert Level Performance
- Provide layout and planning, identifying and/or applying identified construction specifications to retaining wall construction
- Interpret construction specification to be site specific, and plan accordingly (rise/run, batter, core material, etc.)
Resources for Retaining Walls
Documents and Media
• Video Trainings
• Training Programs
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Find Workers
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Documents and Media for Retaining Walls
Stonework: Techniques and Projects
Discover the lasting satisfaction of working with stone. Master stonemason Charles McRaven covers everything you need to know about working with different types of stone to create a variety of durable and elegant features. Clear enough for the…
Stone Primer
Stone Primer is both a practical handbook and an inspirational guide for the budding stonemason.
North Country Trail Handbook
The North Country National Scenic Trail (NST) extends for thousands of miles across seven states. Its layout, design, construction, and maintenance require the participation of a myriad of individuals and groups.
Rock Retaining Walls
Learn fundamentals of rock construction including an emphasis on effective and safe use of rock bars, the critical tool for all rock work. We’ll tackle basic rock placement techniques for rock walls to last the ages. Recommended after taking Course…
Trail Skills Training Library
Recorded Trainings for Retaining Walls
Porous Flexible Pavement, Asphalt, or Porous Asphalt: Lessons Learned for Multi-Use Trails in the District of Columbia
This webinar will discuss the various types of materials used for paved, multi-use trails in the District of Columbia. We will discuss different projects where we used flexi-pave, asphalt, or porous asphalt and our experience with each material. How…
Further Education
Training Programs for Retaining Walls
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 75 trainers on TrailSkills
with Retaining Walls experience
Alexander De Lucia
Bretton Woods, NH
Director of Trails & Recreation Management
Appalachian Mountain Club
Hire Workers
There are 280 workers on TrailSkills
with Retaining Walls experience
Carol Summers
Hyattsville, MD
Park Trails Manager II
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County Department of Parks (M-NCPPC)
Dawn Packard
Edina, MN
Morgan Hartsock
Glen Jean, WV
Roads & Trails Maintenance Supervisor
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
Suggest a Resource
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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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