American Trails

Trail Planning Technology

Recorded Training

Webinar Trail Construction Trail Maintenance Project Planning and Design Program Administration

Learn how to use a variety of mobile and desktop based technologies to assess, plan, and design trails across the country.

Presented by:
Jon Altschuld, Founder and Principal, Chinook Landscape Architecture, LLC
Tony Boone, COO, Timberline TrailCraft

This webinar will provide an overview of how the presenter’s use a variety of technology tools on trail planning projects. The uses range from Data Collection, to Design and Mapping, to Presentation and Sharing, and encompass hardware such as clinometers and GPS units, phone apps, drones imagery and mapping, and a variety of software such as GIS, Adobe products, 3D modeling, and online platforms for sharing the final deliverables created with these tools.
Learning Objectives:
Three categories of trail technologies (Data Collection, Design and Mapping, Presentation and Sharing).
Publicly available data sources for property and terrain information.
Strategies for determining which technologies to use on a project.
Webinar Resources
Earth Explorer
Pix4D Cloud
Sketchfab
StoryMaps
WebMaps and WebApps
Book: Drone Technology in Architecture, Engineering and Construction: A Strategic Guide to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operation and Implementation
Hugh Duffy Resources
1992 Mountain Trails Management: An Outline (National Park Service) (pdf)
1992 Mountain Trails Management: An Outline Appendices (National Park Service) (pdf)
1992 Reference Manual #77 Backcountry Management (National Park Service) (pdf)
1991 Developing Sustainable Mountain Trail Corridors (Colorado State Trails Newsletter) (pdf)
1992 Forecast Vision for a Trails’ Renaissance in Research & Information Gathering, Page 12 (National Park Service) (png)
2014 American Trails Webinar 1 of 3 – Foundations of Mountain Trail Sustainability (pdf)
2014 American Trails Webinar 2 of 3 – Fundamentals of Mountain Trail Sustainability (pdf)
2014 American Trails Webinar 3 of 3 - Towards A Mountain Trail Sustainability Ethic (pdf)
Hugh A. Duffy ASLA Emeritus Sustainable Mountain Trails Key Resources (pdf)
Hugh A. Duffy Sustainable Mountain Trails Résumé 9.9.2022. ("Words Matter. Every Word Matters!" - Hugh A. Duffy) (pdf)

Trail Competencies

Trail Construction
• Construction Specifications
• Water Management/Drainage Features

Trail Maintenance
• Maintenance Specifications
• Drainage Features/Water Management

Project Planning and Design
• Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
• Land Use Plan Alignment
• Corridor Planning
• Trail Specifications
• Field Design: Trail Alignment Identification and Marking
• Trail Plan Development
• Implementation Plan

Program Administration
• Education and Public Outreach
• Inspections/Monitoring

Relevant Trail Types

Bookmark

Learning Credits and CEUs

Learning credits will be available to attendees and are included in the registration fee. The length of the session will determine the number of hours/credits given. In order to obtain credits, attendees must fill out an evaluation survey for each session they attend, as well as complete a learning credit tracking form noting each session they are requesting credits for (or a quiz if virtual). This form (and complete instructions) will be available online as well at registration. Email the conference host or [email protected] with any questions.

American Trails is a certified provider and can offer the following learning credits and continuing education opportunities: AICP CM, LA CES (most HSW approved), NRPA CEU Equivalency Petition, and CEU/PDH Equivalency Petition for other accepting organizations.

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