Skill Definition

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

Entry Level Performance

  • Demonstrate understanding of trail sustainability as it relates to physical durability, resource conservation, user expectations and experience, and ongoing management
  • Demonstrate ability to read a contour map and interpret trail sustainability and control points (e.g.. identify fall-line trail, contour trail, stream crossings, etc)

Full Performance Level

  • Assess and integrate local conditions and situations into the application of sustainability principles (i.e. drainage, sheet flow, slope, soil types, user type/skill levels, maintainability, local weather conditions, management and stewardship capacity)

Expert Level Performance

  • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate complex and challenging trail sustainability contexts
  • Demonstrate ability to articulate and communicate the compromises and tradeoffs between multiple sustainability issues and principles and inform challenging or controversial management actions

Resources for Trail Sustainability Principles

Documents and MediaVideo TrainingsTraining ProgramsCalendar
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Learn More

Documents and Media for Trail Sustainability Principles

The Art of Sustainable Trail Management
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.

Basic Trail Maintenance
Basic Trail Maintenance

Missoula Technology Development Center. Learn the basics of trail maintenance and how to select the right tool for each task.


Trail Skills Training Library

Recorded Trainings for Trail Sustainability Principles

Current and Future Trends in Equestrian Trails
Current and Future Trends in Equestrian Trails

Sponsored by Tennessee Valley Authority. This equestrian forum offers an excellent format and opportunity to interact with panel experts and learn more about trending equestrian trails topics today and looking forward to the future.

Towards a Mountain Trail Sustainability Ethic ~ Part 3 of 3
Towards a Mountain Trail Sustainability Ethic ~ Part 3 of 3

The goal of a trail sustainability ethic is the protection of natural and cultural resources, inspired by federal land management agency trail management traditions, and implemented with consideration to a wilderness ethic of minimum alteration of…


Further Education

Training Programs for Trail Sustainability Principles

Trail Sustainability Institute
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
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
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
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
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…

Training Calendar

Upcoming Trainings for Trail Sustainability Principles

UX Design for Trails: Digging for Meaning
Baere - Outdoor Experience Creators
Baere - Outdoor Experience Creators
UX Design for Trails: Digging for Meaning

April 12 - 13, 2025

Madison, Wisconsin

Foundations
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
Foundations

October 01 - 02, 2025

Duluth, Minnesota

Foundations
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
Foundations

May 07 - 08, 2025

Winona, Minnesota

Custom Trainings

There are 24 trainers on TrailSkills
with Trail Sustainability Principles experience

Hire Workers

There are 66 workers on TrailSkills
with Trail Sustainability Principles experience

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Contact Us

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.

Let us know
Trail Skills Collaborators
Federal Highway Administration USDA Forest Service National Park Service Bureau of Land Management
American Trails Professional TrailBuilders Association Partnership for the National Trails System Northern Vermont University Northwest Arkansas Community College Eppley Institute Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals Washington Trails Association