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National Bike Summit,
March 9-11

IMBA World Mountain Bike Summit,
May 5-8

Meet new partners + learn new tools
Conservation + Recreation: March 2010
FeatureArticleMore Than Just the Bike

Moab, Utah is a sweet spot for Moab bridgebicyclists and other park fans.  On the Colorado River, near Arches National Park and the Old Spanish Trail, and not far from Dead Horse Point State Park and Bureau of Land Management recreation lands, Moab's key location begged for a gateway park that would connect trails and roads and create a recreational hub. 

Lions Park will be just that: a portal to the recreational opportunities in the parks and beyond.   This park is the result of dedicated volunteers-including the Moab Trails Alliance, Utah State University, Grand County, the City of Moab, BLM, and the National Park Service. 

The new car-free bridge is now open (ribbon-cutting photo, above) and the park and transit hub on the south side of the river will be completed in 2012.  Lions Park will provide facilities for both motorized and non-motorized users, with separate and safe trails for bicyclists and pedestrians.  In an area that gets more than 2.5 million tourists per year, it's estimated that half a million people will use at least one component of the new transportation system once this hub is completed.
 
The community is excited about bike trails in their midst.  In addition to being a gateway community for so many amazing parks and recreation areas, Moab is a mountain biking destination.  "This is an incredible amenity for visitors and residents alike," says Marcy DeMillion, an NPS Community Planner.  "People are elated at the thought of being able to get on their bike in town and ride this coordinated system for miles."
Bridge photo courtesy of Mathew Barlow.

ArticleAPedals and Possibilities 
The future for non-motorized transportation looks a lot like bike sharing.  Cities worldwide are putting fleets on the streets for residents and visitors, and proving that when bikes are made available, people will use them.  Take a spin on a VĂ©lib' in Paris, BIXI in Montreal, or SmartBike DC in Washington DC, or find other bike-sharing cities at
this Bike-sharing BlogListen to this NPR segment for the rest of the story on bike-sharing. 
 
Now the National Park Service is looking at how bike sharing could improve staff mobility or even transform the
park experience for visitors.  Through a partnership with Humana and B-cycle, park rangers and office staff in Washington DC B-cycle NCR fleet are kicking the tires on their own fleet of B-cycles.  Through this demonstration, national park superintendents from around the country can arrange a test ride when work brings them to Washington. 
And for years, the Red Bike program in Glacier National Park has provided climate-friendly
transportation for park employees when the destination is just a bit too far to walk.  Programs like these demonstrate how bike-share systems work and let the Service consider how bike-sharing could be translated into a service for visitors as well.

The newly formed Bike Sharing Advisory Committee, bringing together members from the Central Federal Lands Highway Division, NPS, and other technical experts, has embarked on a program to study existing
bike sharing programs, risk management issues, and best practices.
The goal is to make recommendations to federal land managers about bike sharing programs for visitors and employees alike, as a way to reduce congestion, and meet public health and sustainability goals.
ArticleBA Tip of the Helmet to... Janice Tower, Singletrack Advocates
Janice Tower
Singletrack Advocates
 
Singletrack Advocates participates in and advocates for the preservation, maintenance, and construction of singletrack trails in greater Anchorage.
 
"Janice is a star community volunteer" says
Lisa Holzapfell of the National Park Service.  "She singlehandedly started the Singletrack Advocates.  Without her leadership, mountain bikers would not have come together and no singletrack trails would have been built in the Municipality of Anchorage.  She is a wizard at fundraising, negotiating, and gaining consensus from interested parties.  She is always positive and has the full respect and support of everyone she works with. In addition to her hard work with Singletrack Advocates, Janice created Mighty Bikes a youth mountain biking program in Anchorage serving over 100 kids each summer, and is on the board of the Arctic Bicycle Club.  On top of all that, she is one of the toughest mountain bike racers in the country.  We all tip our hats to her every time we see her."
LetsWorkLet's Work Together
Could your project benefit from collaboration with a National Park Service specialist?
 
If you're restoring a river, building a community trail, or making an urban park flourish, we'd love to talk with you about ways we could work together.
 
Call or email your regional representative today.
Like what you read?  Please copy or forward this newsletter.
Have a story idea?  We're happy to consider story ideas or news items for future publication.
Want to use a story for your own publication?  We would be pleased to help you. To submit an idea or request information about adapting a story, please contact Alan Turnbull: 202-354-6930 or [email protected]

Conservation + Recreation
is written to support and inform our organizational partners, friends of the program, potential partners, and Department of the Interior staff. It's our chance to share activities and successes and those of our partners. For details on specific projects, please contact the staff person involved with each project.

Images courtesy National Park Service