The Hills Are Alive… With the Sound of Volunteers Lets Build Legendary Trails Karen Benson, LEED AP BD+C, Business Development Director, Steele & Freeman, Inc. and a volunteer

Learning Objectives Describe the steps taken to develop trail systems with government entities and volunteer groups as stakeholders Build your volunteer base/ how volunteers can build, support, and maintain community trails (How to build legendary trails – S&S Trails) Trails are not paved, not wide, not flat, not boring

Population Growth 7M in NTX with 1M more every 6 years 9.5M NTX Population in 2030; 13.3M in 2060 TX population 26.5M, doubles to 55m by 2050 So lets get as many trails built now as possible

Need for Recreation Need for Re-Creation

Health Issues

Diverse user groups Existing trails on US Forest Service land have been developed over 25+ years User groups have very different needs Groups attitude can be somewhat hostile to each other Trail Users Group (TUG) formed Case Study 1 Bend, Oregon

Snowmobile club grooms 300 miles of trails 3x per week XC ski club grooms 25 miles of xc ski trails 2-3 times per week, wanted to triple parking, increase trails, other Snowshoe club shares Meissner area with XC ski club but maintains separate set of trails, no grooming COTA mt. bike club builds and maintains trail network of 200 miles – PTBA/ IMBA standards-includes runners, walkers, hikers, downhill bike area Horse riders uses same trails systems but not allowed in all areas Skijouring club grooms 10k of dog/ski trails Tourists/visitors 2M visitor visits per year Backcountry skiers wish all the above would go away NEPA study required – 3 years/ input from community/grants Long-range plan achieved by separating user groups Each group had to give a little at the table - compromise Long-range Development Plan: Unique recreation area project became a national USFS model

User group Fort Worth Mountain Bikers Association No other user groups/clubs FWMBA volunteers have built and maintain legendary trails at Gateway and Sansom Parks Trails shared with hikers, fishers, sightseers, public Case Study 2 Sansom Park, Fort Worth

FWMBA volunteer trail work 12,000 hrs / $300,000 FWMBA trails are built to IMBA standards COFW has let license agreement lapse FWMBA cannot do trail maintenance FWMBA cannot re-insure FWMBA stakeholder with current long-range plan adopted by COFW and CO Lake Worth COFW has proceeded with engineering for next phase and may disregard existing trails/alignments COFW Parks Dept. states decisions are Parks Depts

Solution?

Sit everyone down at the table

Keep your eyes on the goal (Legendary Trails) Steering committee is the user groups (TUG) Lay ground rules Charette(s) Refine design Long-range plan Build great trails Have fun Build community

Bike shops / clubs Running stores / clubs Boomers, senior centers YMCA FWMBA/DORBA Outdoor retailers REI Sports teams Streams & Valleys Cook Childrens Hospital Where are the volunteers?

Many ways volunteers can help: Get sponsors Build contacts database Event flyers Registration Grants Event Planning Building Trails

Sponsors/Fundraisers Microbreweries Wineries bands / restaurants Lawn & Garden stores (trail eqpt) Movie Nights Pizza nights Dinner/dance/silent auction Big name / Exciting venue

Grants/Funding Good grant writer Biggest pot of $ = RTP/ Dept. of Transportation IMBA REI Team with others SPARK – Grant Directory Advocacy/ legislation Resource conservation Rails to Trails

How can my community build Legendary Trails? Develop a Trail User Group that meets regularly Use the trail expertise of this group to plan Treat your volunteers well Raise money Have fun