The Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP) and the High Efficiency Trail Assessment Process (HETAP) collect objective information about trail conditions such as grade, cross slope, typical and minimum clearance width, surface type, firmness and obstructions. Through classroom and practical, hands-on trail assessment experience, participants will learn how to objectively measure trails using UTAP and HETAP. Participants will also learn the details of UTAP measurements, semi-automated wheeled information sensor package measurements, and HETAP 3.0 Software. This workshop will discuss the benefits of objective information, the application of UTAP and HETAP in diverse environments, how to disseminate Trail Access Information (TAI), and how that dissemination meets the requirements of the new federal accessibility guidelines for outdoor developed areas.

Through GIS modeling and analysis, ground truthing, and public facing data presentation the Green Mountain Club and Community Geographics have created a tool that provides valuable insights for long term trail stewardship and climate resilience of legacy trail systems. This session will review the iterative modeling process, field data validation, and results that confirm long held truths in sustainable trail design and provide insights to unseen factors that can influence trail sustainability.

2023 brought together Federal, state and conservation organizations to begin the restoration of the nearly 200 year old Franconia Loop trails. This presentation will cover the work of the World Trails Network -Americas to fund and build the NH State Parks portion of the loop trails. Sustainable trail construction of craftsman stone work and grade reversal drainage by professional trail builders and a volunteer program that will exceed over 500 volunteer days has become a model for collaborative sustainable trail restoration.

Delivering successful trail projects requires a clear understanding of the full trail project life cycle - from early planning and feasibility through design, construction, and long-term maintenance. This session walks through the key phases of trail development, highlighting important decisions, project deliverables, stakeholder coordination, and implementation considerations along the way.

Participants will gain insight into how trail projects evolve across phases, how early decisions influence long-term sustainability and user experience, and how different project components work together to support successful outcomes. Ideal for land managers, planners, nonprofit leaders, and trail professionals, this session provides a practical overview of how trail projects move from idea to implementation.

Vermont’s outdoor recreation system depends on collaboration across municipal parks and recreation departments, trail organizations, nonprofits, and state and federal partners. Yet many professionals lack a shared framework for skills, training, and career pathways. This session introduces the Outdoor Recreation Professional Competency Framework, developed through a national partnership led by SORP. Participants will explore how the framework supports local staff, volunteers, and organizations in building capacity, strengthening partnerships, and advancing workforce development. Through practical examples, attendees will learn how to apply competencies to hiring, staff training, and program delivery in Vermont’s unique recreation landscape.

Over the past year and a half, FPR and the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council with support from CRO Planning and Design has been working to modernize the Vermont Trails System (VTS). The project had three components - consolidating a set of universal best practices for trail management in Vermont, creating a plan for updating the application and membership of the VTS, and recommending next steps to FPR. This session will update the trails community on the project and the future of the VTS.

The session introduces a history of innovation in the pedestrian bridge world, spanning from pre-history to the current state of the art with a particular focus on trail bridges.

Through intentional partnerships with landowners, community members, and historic figures in the Stowe, Vermont region, an example of community-buy in, story telling, and the intentional bolstering of agricultural heritage provides real work examples of how to keep place-based connections authentic, while leaning into the future of the state of Recreation. We’ll examine how farms and trails-based organizations are working together to offer authentic, place-based experiences that extend visitor stays, diversify local economies, and deepen community connections. From trailside agricultural collaborations to joint marketing and community-based third spaces, these partnerships demonstrate how outdoor recreation can amplify and compliment the value of Vermont’s agricultural heritage rather than replace it.

The Long Trail System saw severe impacts from three different 1% chance flooding events between 2023 and 2024. This session will cover successes and lessons learned in the immediate and long-term recovery of trails including: weighing priorities, response protocols, data gathering, securing disaster recovery funding, and the on-going process of repair and recovery.

Learn about upcoming recreation funding opportunities from the state! This session will share information about multiple grant programs that fund everything from trails to playgrounds to pools to trails and more! We'll cover timeline, eligible activities, and funding amounts for each program presented so you can identify which grant program is right for your project, plus share some grant-writing resources.

The Appalachian Trail in New England spans over 700 miles from Connecticut to Maine and is cooperatively managed by federal agencies, maintaining clubs, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). During this session, ATC will describe a region-wide effort to plan and implement a tread assessment process and geospatial analysis designed to support project planning across various land managers and funding sources–an effort that has taken careful coordination and partnership every step of the way.

How do you steward large landscapes while strengthening the communities who live, work, and recreate there? Drawing from the 130,000-acre Maine Woods Initiative, this workshop explores the Appalachian Mountain Club's people-centered model of land conservation that blends land management, recreation, economic vitality, and community partnerships. Participants will examine how intentional community engagement, Indigenous collaboration, public access, and shared governance can amplify conservation outcomes across decades.

(#69) Trail Fundamentals: Core Concepts for Sustainable Trails

Learn how a grassroots trail organization is working to close inclusivity and accessibility gaps in their most popular trail network. After implementing an Inclusive Spaces Audit in Cady Hill Forest, Stowe Trails Partnership is taking small but mighty steps to tackle identified areas for improvement with the help of landowners and land access partners. Explore the audit process and how collaborative thinking can make trail networks more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all.

Recreation organizations are facing increasing pressure to balance access, sustainability, and visitor experience. This session explores how partnerships with AllTrails are helping agencies expand their reach, improve trail data, and better serve diverse communities.

Strong, durable outdoor economies are built on intentional partnerships amongst the agencies, non-profit organizations, municipalities, volunteer groups, and businesses who get us outdoors and drive economic activity. We will introduce participants to the recently-launched Vermont CORE Toolkit, diving into tools intended to help users gain a deeper understanding of the ecosystem of local outdoor economy partners in Vermont. Participants will come away with actionable case studies and next steps to tap into local partner networks.

Building a strong digital presence is vital for community participation without draining resources. This session explores Google, Facebook, and Instagram tools to effectively engage your audience. Learn the difference between social media and advertising, plus best practices for parks and recreation departments. We will cover essential "must-do" strategies and pitfalls to avoid. Gain actionable knowledge on targeted ads and ROI to create a more efficient, impactful online presence for your community.

This collaborative presentation features the Cross Vermont Trail, Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail and Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. It explores how cross-state partnerships transform a patchwork of rail trails, recreation paths, and on-road segments into a connected long-distance recreation network. The session highlights collaboration across organizations, user groups, and state agencies, including motorized and non-motorized stakeholders, and shares lessons in building shared vision, overcoming challenges, and advancing rural economic development through outdoor recreation.

Too often, trail work seems to be done by an invisible “trail fairy” with little tracking, recognition, or coordination. In reality, volunteers make the magic happen. This session shares simple, field-tested systems to better track trail work, improve communication, and recognize contributions. Building on real-world case studies, participants will learn how structured yet lightweight approaches can strengthen volunteer engagement, reduce burnout, and support more efficient and accountable trail operations.

This panel brings real voices to the center, sharing lived experiences of barriers to the outdoors and what made coming back possible. Through honest, human stories, panelists reflect on what exclusion feels like and what true belonging requires. Participants will leave with practical, community-rooted ideas for reducing barriers, building trust, and creating welcoming pathways that help more people feel seen, supported, and able to come alive outside.

Discover the B2C Bike Kitchen, a partnership effort transforming a vacant parcel along the Northern Strand Trail into a vibrant community hub.

​This session highlights how creative reuse—featuring repurposed shipping containers and discarded bicycles—and a robust multi-agency partnership (including State and municipal agencies, business sponsors, foundations, and volunteers) cultivates local resilience. Learn how free access to tools and instruction empowers trail users while activating public space to advance an inclusive, community-building active recreation ecosystem. here's the webpage for the Bike Kitchen with more info about the operation and our participant demographics: https://biketothesea.org/bk/

Friends of the Rouge is establishing a 29-mile water trail in metro-Detroit. Some of these communities are home to the region’s major industry. Residents are predominantly people of color and lower income. As legacy pollution is cleaned up and recreation can be considered, creating trails uplifts the river’s value as a natural resource and while interpreting the past uses. FOTR develops systems, identifies resources, and builds capacity of localized partners to propel this vision.

The Town of Danville created a Village to Village Master Plan in 2018 with the goal of improving connections along the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, supporting interest in outdoor activities, and building a sense of place and economic vitality. This presentation will highlight the work that has been done so far on the Master Plan and highlight the current projects and partners, providing specific examples of how public-private collaborations that are leveraging resources to create and improve the walk/bike infrastructure and social connections in one rural Vermont town.

Discover how partnerships, artificial intelligence, and geospatial technology are helping trail organizations, parks, and recreation leaders build stronger, more connected outdoor communities. This session explores real-world strategies for improving mapping accuracy, engaging volunteers, supporting asset management, and turning trail data into actionable insights. Learn how collaborative technology can strengthen stewardship, improve decision-making, and help organizations plan for the future together.