Pennsylvania Trail Design & Development Principles
A compilation of best practices and guidelines for the planning, design, construction, and management of your trail employing sustainable design.
Trail Sustainability Principles
Skill Definition
Understand and apply principles of trail sustainability to all components of a trail construction project
Entry Level Performance
- Demonstrate understanding of trail sustainability as it relates to physical durability, resource conservation, user expectations and experience, and ongoing management
Full Performance Level
- Apply trail sustainability principles to all components of a trail construction project (i.e. drainage, sheet flow, slope, soil types, users, maintainability)
Expert Level Performance
- Assess and integrate local conditions and situations into the application of sustainability principles (i.e. trail users types/skill levels, soil type, localized weather trends, resource concerns, management regimes, stewardship capacity, etc.)
Resources for Trail Sustainability Principles
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Media
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• Training Programs
• Calendar
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Documents and Media for Trail Sustainability Principles
Introduction to Foundations of Sustainable Trails: A Trail from Start to Finish
A Trail from Start to Finish is an introductory, short "micro-learning" targeted to developing trail workers. Anticipated to take about 15 minutes to complete, this microlearning discusses what it means for a trail to be sustainable and describes…
Sustaining Wildlife With Recreation on Public Lands
A Synthesis of Research Findings, Management Practices, and Research Needs
The Art of Sustainable Trail Management
Learn the basics of developing and managing natural surface, share-used trail systems.The webinar is geared primarily towards beginning and intermediate level trailbuilders: including volunteers, agency staff, and professional trail crews.
Foundations of Sustainable Trails: Tread and Alignment
Explore foundational concepts related to the principles and applications of trail tread and alignment—all through the lens of developing and maintaining a sustainable trail. This course will introduce basic trail design elements as well as processes…
Trail Skills Training Library
Recorded Trainings for Trail Sustainability Principles
Trailblazers Wanted: Intensive Training for Tomorrow’s Trail Technicians
Whether you’re an aspiring trail technician or an organization looking to develop your team, this webinar will show you how to find the right training to suit your needs—and start blazing trails like a pro.
IMBA’s Trail Development Process: Building Community-Driven Trails
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) experts will guide you through an overview of the seven critical steps of the Trail Development Process, from initial access and community engagement to long-term stewardship.
Choosing the Right Aggregate: Matching Material to Trail Use and Terrain
Help attendees evaluate site conditions and user needs to select the most appropriate material—reinforcing your team’s technical expertise and the value of well-engineered materials. Trail uses include both pedestrian and vehicular pathways in rural…
Pressure Treated Wood for Trail Structures
This webinar will discuss the proper understanding of treated wood and construction details.
Sustainable Equestrian Trails From Grant Funding to Project Success
This webinar aims to introduce you to the fundamentals of managing a sustainable horse farm. This is part two of a two-part series related to sustainability.
Barn to Trail: Managing Sustainability on Equine Properties
Hosted in partnership with the Equine Land Conservation Resource, this webinar aims to introduce you to the fundamentals of managing a sustainable horse farm. This is part one of a two-part series related to sustainability.
Further Education
Training Programs for Trail Sustainability Principles
Foundations of Sustainable Trails e-Course Series
This five-part series of online micro-learning courses is intended to provide those new to the trails workforce with a baseline understanding of terminology and concepts that give them a solid foundation to support future trails education and…
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…
Chinook Associates Trail Consulting
Chinook Associates offers stewardship skills workshops covering recreational trail planning, design, construction, maintenance, and visitor management. Courses are available either in-person, with fully customizable content combining classroom…
Trail Technician 1 Exam
The Trail Technician multiple-choice exam evaluates foundational knowledge in trail development, aligned with the progression from entry-level to full Trail Competency standards.
Trail Fundamentals Video Series
The Professional TrailBuilders Association (PTBA) has launched the development of the Trail Fundamentals Video Series—a free, entry-level educational resource designed to support sustainable trail development and trail trainings worldwide.
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…
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
Training Calendar
Upcoming Trainings for Trail Sustainability Principles
Custom Trainings
There are 53 trainers on TrailSkills
with Trail Sustainability Principles experience
Richard Edwards
Morgantown, WV
Assistant Director of Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure
West Virginia University
Rick Landenberger
Morgantown, WV
Service Associate Professor and Science & Management Specialist for the West Virginia Land Trust
West Virginia University
Hire Workers
There are 280 workers on TrailSkills
with Trail Sustainability Principles experience
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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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