How to build a paddle trail in your community Session II Micro-Level Development February 22, 2006

Community Development Long term process Long term process Sustainability requires Sustainability requires –Partnerships –Deliberate Networking –Creative conflict resolution

Community Development No matter how dedicated you are, you can not do this alone No matter how dedicated you are, you can not do this alone Why not? Why not? –Funding –Liability –Support –Sustainability

Process Idea Idea Public Meeting Public Meeting Steering Committee Steering Committee Asset Mapping Asset Mapping SWOT SWOT Plan Plan Timeline Timeline MOU MOU Volunteer recruitment Volunteer recruitment Start the process Start the process

Idea Ok fine, I am an individual or small group and I want to build a paddle trail. So, how do I get started?

Initial Meeting Request a meeting with your county/town planner, parks and recreation director, and county Extension director. Request a meeting with your county/town planner, parks and recreation director, and county Extension director. Why these three? Why these three?

N.C. Cooperative Extension In all 100 counties, plus Cherokee Reservation In all 100 counties, plus Cherokee Reservation County, State, Federal Government partnership County, State, Federal Government partnership Educators and Professional Facilitators Educators and Professional Facilitators Provides technical assistance to farmers, families, and other landowners Provides technical assistance to farmers, families, and other landowners Assists with community development Assists with community development

County/Town Planner Responsible for Municipal planning process Responsible for Municipal planning process Is aware of long term planning goals Is aware of long term planning goals Coordinates with tax and land records offices Coordinates with tax and land records offices Understands permitting process Understands permitting process

Parks & Recreation Director Managing parks facilities & recreational programming Managing parks facilities & recreational programming Networked with local conservation groups and recreational clubs Networked with local conservation groups and recreational clubs Access to PARTF grant Access to PARTF grant

Parks and Recreation Offices Map

At the initial meeting Develop a list of stakeholders Develop a list of stakeholders Determine who should personally contact each stakeholder Determine who should personally contact each stakeholder Locate a facility to hold the public meeting Locate a facility to hold the public meeting Set a date Set a date

Potential Stakeholders Municipal & Elected Officials Municipal & Elected Officials Wildlife Resources Wildlife Resources Tourism contacts Tourism contacts Landowners Landowners Real Estate Developers Real Estate Developers Community College Faculty Community College Faculty Religious & Volunteer Organizations Religious & Volunteer Organizations

Potential Stakeholders Non-government Organizations Non-government Organizations Business Owners Business Owners Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce Community/Economic Development Officers Community/Economic Development Officers Emergency Management Emergency Management Media Media And of course, paddlers! And of course, paddlers!

Public Meeting Arrange date for public meeting Arrange date for public meeting Publicize meeting openly and extensively at least 4 weeks prior Publicize meeting openly and extensively at least 4 weeks prior Can be held in conjunction with other large well publicized event such as municipal strategic plan or SCORP plan Can be held in conjunction with other large well publicized event such as municipal strategic plan or SCORP plan

Public Meeting Provide the following information to show how different factions can benefit from adding a paddle trail to your community. Provide the following information to show how different factions can benefit from adding a paddle trail to your community.

SCORP State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan

SCORP If the state is going to effectively address its outdoor recreational needs, the commitment must come from within North Carolina. If the state is going to effectively address its outdoor recreational needs, the commitment must come from within North Carolina. A cooperative effort is needed from all interested agencies, groups, and individuals to build support for quality recreational opportunities and natural resource conservation. A cooperative effort is needed from all interested agencies, groups, and individuals to build support for quality recreational opportunities and natural resource conservation.

Paddle Trail Benefits? Landowner’s Perspective Earn supplemental income Earn supplemental income Teach others about what rural life is really like Teach others about what rural life is really like Create jobs for family members Create jobs for family members Diversify products Diversify products Preserve land and farmland Preserve land and farmland

Paddle Trail Benefits Visitor Perspective Rural is safe and wholesome Rural is safe and wholesome Re-connect with nature Re-connect with nature Desire for non-MTV recreation Desire for non-MTV recreation Natural areas are diminishing as cities and suburbs sprawl (supply decreases, demand increases) Natural areas are diminishing as cities and suburbs sprawl (supply decreases, demand increases) Teach kids/ grandkids about rural life/ growing up outside the city Teach kids/ grandkids about rural life/ growing up outside the city Unique Unique

Paddle Trail Benefits Community Perspective Fabulous mix of Cultural preservation/ celebration Cultural preservation/ celebration Farm/ open space preservation Farm/ open space preservation Education Education Economic development Economic development Rural/ community pride and vitality Rural/ community pride and vitality

Paddle Trail Benefits Developer’s Perspective Why include Real Estate Agents and Developers? Why include Real Estate Agents and Developers? Palmetto Bluff Palmetto Bluff Palmetto Bluff Palmetto Bluff

Potential Tourism Products EXPERIENCES! MEMORIES! EXPERIENCES! MEMORIES! Water activities – canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hunting Water activities – canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hunting Camping/ lodging Camping/ lodging Guided educational & eco-friendly tour packages Guided educational & eco-friendly tour packages Special events/ festivals Special events/ festivals

NC Tourism Local County Contacts Local County Contacts Local County Contacts Local County Contacts Heritage Tourism Contacts Heritage Tourism Contacts Heritage Tourism Contacts Heritage Tourism Contacts

Public Meeting Assess interest in group for planning paddle trail Assess interest in group for planning paddle trail Determine if there are enough people interested in serving on a steering committee Determine if there are enough people interested in serving on a steering committee

Public Meeting If not, stop the process! If not, stop the process! You will have to work on building personal communications with individuals in the community until enough critical mass is reached to make the effort sustainable. You will have to work on building personal communications with individuals in the community until enough critical mass is reached to make the effort sustainable.

Steering Committee Responsibilities If there is enough interest to proceed: Elect steering committee members Elect steering committee members Plan for /internet updates Plan for /internet updates Schedule at least one physical meeting per month Schedule at least one physical meeting per month

Steering Committee Responsibilities Asset Mapping Asset Mapping SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis Planning Considerations Planning Considerations Networking Networking Strategic Plan Strategic Plan Timeline Timeline MOA/MOU MOA/MOU Volunteers Volunteers Starting the process Starting the process

Steering Committee Responsibilities TAKE NOTES! chronicling the process is imperative TAKE NOTES! chronicling the process is imperative Send updates to all people involved Send updates to all people involved Write press releases for media/public meetings Write press releases for media/public meetings

Asset Mapping List all positive features of your community List all positive features of your community Determine how a possible trail could complement those features Determine how a possible trail could complement those features Network with the people in charge of those features Network with the people in charge of those features Involve them in the process Involve them in the process

SWOT Analysis Strengths Strengths Weaknesses Weaknesses –Be creative Opportunities Opportunities Threats Threats –Be proactive

NOTE! Asset Mapping and SWOT Analysis procedures are very complex! Asset Mapping and SWOT Analysis procedures are very complex! These take many meetings over a series of months/years to develop. These take many meetings over a series of months/years to develop. Experienced, trained facilitators are required. Experienced, trained facilitators are required.

Planning Considerations Balance with surrounding area Balance with surrounding area Community Involvement Community Involvement Educational Programming Educational Programming Funding for development Funding for development Health regulations Health regulations Interpretation Interpretation

Planning Considerations Liability/ safety Liability/ safety Marketing Marketing Staff/ skills Staff/ skills Tax Tax Visitor/ site-readiness Visitor/ site-readiness Zoning Zoning

Network Network in your community/region Network in your community/region Support local business efforts Support local business efforts Cross promote with other trails Cross promote with other trails Keep the tourism/economic/municipal officers and extension personnel informed about your business Keep the tourism/economic/municipal officers and extension personnel informed about your business Support your community Support your community

Strategy Develop a comprehensive, dynamic plan Develop a comprehensive, dynamic plan Set goals that are Set goals that are –Measurable –Specific –Attainable Determine responsibilities Determine responsibilities

Timeline Make it Realistic Make it Realistic Make it Fluid Make it Fluid Have Specific Milestones Have Specific Milestones

Memorandum of Understanding Determination of which agencies will be responsible for what action. Determination of which agencies will be responsible for what action. It is not legally binding, but rather serves as clarification. It is not legally binding, but rather serves as clarification. The signing should be a ceremony or event. The signing should be a ceremony or event.

Volunteers It takes a great deal of effort to coordinate volunteers and keep momentum It takes a great deal of effort to coordinate volunteers and keep momentum Recruit them Recruit them Manage them Manage them Nurture them Nurture them Remember they are not paid! Remember they are not paid!

Start the Process Small steps Small steps Attainable goals Attainable goals Maintain momentum Maintain momentum Publicize/Praise efforts Publicize/Praise efforts Celebrate events Celebrate events

What is the very, very last phase in the paddle trail development process?? What is the very, very last phase in the paddle trail development process??

Actually building the trail!

The efforts can be worthwhile: Michigan Heritage Water Trails Michigan Heritage Water Trails

Contact Information Eric N Caldwell County Extension Director Transylvania County Phone: (828) Fax: (828) Mail Address: 203 E Morgan St Brevard, NC 28712

References