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 trail maintenance
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 trail maintenance projects (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
Documents and 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.
Introduction to Trail Maintenance
An online PCTA training covering the fundamentals of trail maintenance.
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
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.
Trail Assessment for Accessibility and Sustainability
This webinar will explore the process of assessing natural surface pedestrian trails for accessibility and sustainability and will focus on developing new trails as well as conversion of existing trails.
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.
Innovative Approaches for Sustainable Trails: Crawford Path Case Study
This webinar will discuss new, innovative approaches for a more sustainable future on trails.
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.
Further Education
Training Programs for Trail Sustainability Principles
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 Maintenance
Trail Sustainability Principles
Safety/Site Management
Maintenance Specifications
Corridor Clearing/Site Preparation
Corridor Clearing: Pruning/ Side-Cutting/ Brushing
Corridor Clearing: Bucking, Felling/ Hazard Tree Removal; Chainsaw/ Crosscut
Corridor Clearing: Material and Debris Management
Tread Maintenance - Hand tools
Tread Maintenance - Mechanized Equipment
Drainage Features/Water Management
Training Calendar
Upcoming Trainings for Trail Sustainability Principles
Invasive Plants: identification and management for trails
April 24 - 25, 2025
Old Fort, North Carolina
Custom Trainings
There are 23 trainers on TrailSkills
with Trail Sustainability Principles experience
Walt Bready
Blairsville, GA
Richard Edwards
Morgantown, WV
Assistant Director of Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure
West Virginia University
Hire Workers
There are 68 workers on TrailSkills
with Trail Sustainability Principles experience
Dustin Walker
Prince Frederick, MD
Environmental Protection and Compliance Coordinator
United States States Fish & Wildlife Service
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