Ongoing Training Program In Person Training

Sustainable Trails Development

Summary

The Sustainable Trails curriculum welcomes students from various fields who are interested in trails development, programming and management, as well as design.

Trail Competencies Covered

Trail Construction
• Trail Sustainability Principles

Trail Maintenance
• Trail Sustainability Principles

Project Planning and Design

Program Administration
• Contract Administration
• Funding/Grants
• Education and Public Outreach
• Agreement Development

Overview

Program Overview

The demand for sustainable trails has increased in recent decades, and outdoor recreation can be a major economic driver for communities. Knowledge of sustainable trails has also increased in recent decades. While there are professional organizations offering short trainings, this curriculum is both more in-depth and more accessible.

The graduate certificate program in Sustainable Trails Development provides a great synergy with local trail development and programming efforts, including WVU’s 2020 International Mountain Bicycling Association Trail Accelerator Grant. The Mon River Trails were inducted to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in 2020, Blue Ridge Outdoors proclaimed WVU the best large college for outdoor adventure in the southeast and Mid-Atlantic, and Morgantown was selected in 2021 as the pilot city for the Youth Cycling Coalition.

The curriculum covers:

Advocacy: benefits of trails, funding sources, fund-raising, planning for skills progression and shared-use

Design/build: site-responsive design, sustainability, construction materials/costs

Post-build: volunteer/ community engagement, interpretation, and ongoing assessment/maintenance

The extra flexibility of a graduate certificate program allows students to complete the program either on its own, or with a traditional graduate degree. Let WVU open doors to a better path forward.