1. NATIONAL TRAILS TRAINING PARTNERSHIP Your resource for trails training

2. What is NTTP? The NATIONAL TRAILS TRAINING PARTNERSHIP is a forum of diverse trail organizations and agencies whose mission is to improve opportunities for training for the nationwide trails community.

3. The need for trail education Increasing park and trails visitation Emphasis on trails for health and fitness Skills lost as experienced staff retire Increasing reliance on volunteers Cost and difficulty of travel for training Reliance on the internet for information

4. Goals of NTTP Encourage cooperation on training efforts Develop a clearinghouse of training and resources at www.NTTP.net Identify needs and gaps in existing training Promote research to improve trails education Facilitate training needed Promote models for statewide training Help States bring training to local project sponsors

5. Partnership NTTP is a partnership of every Federal land management agency and national trails and outdoor recreation organizations. Funding from: Federal Highway Admin. USDA Forest Service Bureau of Land Management National Park Service US Fish and Wildlife Service Coordination and website development by: American Trails

6. Training providers who are NTTP partners: American Hiking Society Back Country Horsemen’s Association Beneficial Designs, Inc. International Mountain Bicycling Association National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council National Recreation and Park Association Partnership for the National Trails System Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Student Conservation Association Tread Lightly! and Leave No Trace …and many other partner organizations Partnership

7. Cooperation on Trails Training Publicize your training opportunities Invite other agencies Encourage all trails interests to participate Share studies, plans, articles Promote training at state trails conferences Document creative projects

8. Identifying and promoting trail-related training nationwide Calendar of training opportunities Database of training providers and experts Redesigned website and improved navigation Page for training resources for each State Trail skills matched with training available Online clearinghouse

9. Calendar at www.NTTP.net

10. Searchable online database

11. Website update

12. Website visits and links Website traffic continues to grow: 162,265 visits in June, 2007 was another record high (up from 130,084 in May) 55% of visits are to NTTP-branded pages Yahoo lists 11,961 links to pages on the site Over 180 pages in NTTP resources are visited at least 100 times per month NTTP Calendar is most-viewed single page

13. Online resources at www.NTTP.net Over 1,500 studies, articles, and document Thousands of links to agency and organization projects and resources Surveys and research results Searchable bibliography Tools, quotations, acronyms Topics on planning, building, and managing trails, greenways, ourdoor recreation facilities Hosted by www.AmericanTrails.org

15. “Cool Trail Solutions” Creative ideas and solutions in visual form Galleries of examples arranged by topic Encouraging sharing of project information

16. American Trails Forum Online discussion group For trailbuilders, managers, and users Post your questions Share your experience and ideas Sponsored by American Trails

17. Safe Trails Forum Promoting safety for users Improving user experience Understanding legal concerns Reducing liability for trail managers Sharing experiences and best practices Encouraging research and documentation

18. Accessible Trails Resources Website supports NTTP efforts: Raising awareness of accessibility issues Promoting more training available to States Recognizing creative efforts for accessibility Interpreting requirements of ADA and agencies Researching surfacing and design techniques Encouraging information sharing

19. Trail Tools by Jim Schmid

20. Publicizing agency trails training Working with Federal agencies: BLM interagency course: Trails 101 Carhart Wilderness Training Center USFS research center publications Wildlife Refuges working on trails Samples of State success stories Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Georgia DNR and Gainesville State College Florida OGT accessibility training California’s Mott Training Center Alaska Trails, Inc.

21. Developing new training NTTP agency partners are working to: Identify all trails training providers nationwide Compile trail skills and competencies in specific skills categories List specific training to address all needs Identify areas missing in current opportunities Develop specific proposals for training needed Identify potential funding for new curricula

22. Training from American Trails Available for States to host as part of a conference or as individual training: Understanding Accessibility and Building Better Trails Universal Trail Accessibility Process training Developers Forum workshop TrailWare workshop

23. Trail Crew Leadership Training Two-day workshop on leadership, tool and crew safety, and technical trail skills Creating a State Trails Training Program Based on the COTI model Improving statewide training and resources Partnership with NTTP and American Trails Colorado Outdoor Training Initiative

24. Accessible Trails Workshop and UTAP One-day workshop to teach: ADA and USFS guidelines and legal issues Benefits of sustainable trail design Problem solving for accessibility Creative, cost-effective access improvements Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP) Objective information for users and managers

25. Curriculum for Colleges Model: Marshall University OHV courses Develop a college-level curriculum Trails, greenways, and related facilities Planning, design, and management Online or classroom use For programs in Recreation, Public Land Management, Landscape Architecture Share with colleges, universities, and agencies

26. Promoting research Identifying areas where research is needed Encouraging new curriculum development Making studies available on the website Making student research and theses available Sharing knowledge from trails experts Promoting books and training manuals Highlighting new ideas at conferences and in publications

27. Marketing NTTP and training Developed a marketing plan with partners Brochure for NTTP to encourage participation Reaching out to local, State, and regional organizations Distributing articles and fact sheets on training Publicizing online resources and NTTP calendar Website promotes wealth of material and links to training nationwide

28. Publications Distributing articles and fact sheets on training opportunities and NTTP American Trails Magazine promotes training in every issue

29. We need your help! Link to NTTP, online calendar, and resources Encourage people to use the NTTP calendar Publish news releases on trails training Tell us about new training and publications Document trail ideas to share with others Identify areas where training is needed Help find existing courses or contacts with trails education in schools or colleges

30. www.NTTP.net National Trails Training Partnership For the future of trails training... Skills for the trails of tomorrow!