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Editor: Tim Poole
& Emily Gates Graphic Design: Emily Schnellbaugh |
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Spring Edition
Greetings! Welcome to the Trails To You E-newsletter. If you have not provided us with an email, please join our trails mailing list by clicking Join Our Mailing List in the box below.
This E-newsletter and trail training provided by PRPS is funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) with the support of the Park Resource Branch of the PA Recreation & Park Society (PRPS).
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DCNR Trail News
by Diane Kripas, DCNR's Bureau of Recreation & Conservation
It's that time of year; Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Community Conservation Partnerships Grant Program applications are due April 20, 2011 DCNR anticipates about $34 million to be available for the entire program; with a portion of the funds available to acquire, plan, develop, and maintain trails as well as purchase trail equipment. If you have not already started developing your grant application, consider waiting until next year to submit one. If your application is almost complete, here are a few reminders:
- For trail projects, remember to complete the trail supplemental form.
- Print out the appropriate Ready-to-Go-Checklist and doublecheck that all the "yes" boxes can be checked. A separate trail checklist is not available; use the appropriate project type like planning, acquisition, or development.
- Grant applications are rated on how the applicant answers the five questions. Trail projects are reviewed by up to five raters some who may know little about your trail. Provide detailed, concise and accurate information that addresses the sub-criteria. Space is also limited; this is not the place for fluff.
- If you have any problems with the eGrants application, please contact the Grants Customer Service Center at 1-800-326-7734.
- If you have a question for your DCNR Regional Recreation and Park Adviser, please be patient. Advisers are very busy this time of year helping applicants with their planned submissions.
Pennsylvania is celebrating two big events this spring. The Keystone Trails Association and DCNR are proud to sponsor the 10th Annual Pennsylvania Hiking Week. This year's hiking week is scheduled for Saturday, May 28 through Sunday, June 5, which coincides with the Memorial Day weekend and National Trails Day on Saturday, June 4. The nine-day event along with National Trails Day promotes Pennsylvania's amazing network of hiking and biking trails in state parks, state forests and communities. Typically more than 100 organized hikes, runs, rides, and walks occur throughout Pennsylvania.
This year's National Trails Day theme, Made with All Natural Ingredients, encourages all Americans to get outside, connect with local outdoor clubs, businesses, community groups, and parks and recreation departments as well as federal and state land managers to celebrate the natural places where we can find beautiful scenery, peace and quiet, and reconnect to nature.
Please consider scheduling an event to feature your local trails, and post the event on
www.explorepatrails.com Look for additional information during the month of May at www.explorepatrails.com or contact ktaadmin@verizon.net for details. For event planning ideas visit. For more event ideas and promotional tips visit http://www.americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/.
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 Training & Events
PA Greenways & Trails Summit
Health & Recreation Destinations...Greenways & Trails Leading the Way
September 11-13, 2011
The Yorktowne Hotel, York
If you are interested in volunteering on the planning committee please contact Emily Gates (egates@prps.org) at PRPS.
Authority Invites Public to Share "Miles of Smiles"
York County Rail Trail Authority is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its founding by inviting the public to share photographs of happy visits to the County's rail trails. "The Heritage Rail Trail is the happiest place in the county," said Authority Vice-chairman Don Gogniat. "We see families, scout groups, and people of all ages enjoying the Rail Trail. We are hoping to capture some of these fun times in photographs." Photos were submitted to the Authority in hard copy or electronically and can be viewed at http://www.yorkcountytrails.org/Events/tabid/61/ItemId/43/-Miles-of-Smiles-Photo-Project.aspx. This is a great technique for community involvement and to showcase the positive impact of trails.
The Spangler Family of Dallastown on the Heritage Rail Trail: "We enjoy the scenery, food, and that the kids can safely bike ahead of us."
River Sojourn Plans Underway for 2011
 Local leaders are getting prepared for 2011 sojourns on rivers across the state. Sojourns are paddling trips on the state's rivers, and anyone can participate, regardless of experience or ability. Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) organizes and supports a statewide series of sojourns each year, with funding from PA Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (DCNR), PA Fish & Boat Commission, and the American Canoe Association (ACA).
The educational sojourns are one to multi-day paddling trips that include camping and entertainment and run from May through September. Week-long sojourns costs $30,000 - $40,000 for the lead organizations to put on, cost participants from $20 to $75 per day, often with meals, transfers, and camping included. Trained safety personnel accompany the Sojourns and many have boats for rent through local liveries.
For more information and the Sojourn schedule for 2011 please click here (http://pawatersheds.org/on-the-water/sojourns/2011sojourns/)
SAVE THE DATES!
River Town Workshop Series
Promoting the Region's River Towns
Mark Your Calendars for the Following Dates
The small towns that hug the shores of the Susquehanna not only add character to the region, they help define that character. Their connection to the River defines much of their history. Once they were the center of river-based commerce as logs flowed southward from northern counties, and goods moved in and out of Pennsylvania on the canal paralleling the river. In more recent years those living in river towns have discovered new opportunities for outdoor recreation and experiencing nature.
The Susquehanna Greenway and SEDA-COG are presenting a River Towns initiative-Phase II: Discovering Middle Susquehanna Valley River Towns that seeks to revitalize these small towns, generate tourism, and create business activity, through a focus on the communities' river-based assets.
A major element of the initiative begins this spring with three workshops to help community leaders and the public stimulate local tourism and economic development.
- Sustainable Economics for River Towns on Wednesday, April 27
- Treasured Towns & Landscapes on Monday, May 23.
- Community Building for River Towns on Tuesday, June 28
In addition to offering technical knowledge, the River Towns workshops will be an opportunity for networking among community leaders while encouraging partnerships. Information will be offered on current trends in various areas of downtown development and civic tourism.
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Trail Access/ADA Update
by Greg Gove, Chief, Parks & Recreation Division, Bureau of Recreation & Conservation
As mentioned in the Bureau's winter newsletter, the U.S. Department of Justice issued new regulations for the Americans with Disabilities Act that became effective on March 15, 2011. To assist our clients with ADA design issues, the Bureau has updated its reference materials for various recreation and park facilities, including Accessible Parking and Accessible Routes, Accessible Play Areas, Accessible Sports Facilities, Accessible Swimming Pools & Spas, Accessible Boating Facilities, Accessible Fishing Piers & Platforms, Accessible Golf Courses and Accessible Miniature Golf Courses. The information is available at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ucmprd2/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_003446.pdf.
All new grant applications to DCNR will need to meet these 2010 standards. Those interested in applying for DCNR grants should discuss these new requirements with their design consultant. You can contact the U.S. Access Board with questions. Detailed information can be obtained from the Board's website www.access-board.gov.
Accessible Trails: On March 15, 2011, the revised rules from the Department of Justice that address the 2010 Standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act became effective. This means that individuals with mobility disabilities will be permitted to use other mobility devices (OMDs) and electronic personal assistance mobility devices (EPAMDs) any place, indoors or outdoors, that is open to the public. Under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II this Department of Justice rule applies to trails on state or local government lands. The Bureau is working to develop guidance related to ADA access on trails. More information will be provided in the Bureau's summer. The American Trails website (http://www.americantrails.org/resources/accessible/) has been providing national guidance on how to address these new rules and contains sample policies and assessments from local and state governments for the use of OMDs on trails, bike paths, greenways, and pedestrian facilities. Pennsylvania based West Penn Trail's accessibility policy is posted. The Regional Trail Corporation has also adopted its policy for the Great Allegheny Passage. DCNR's Bureaus of State Parks and Forestry are updating their ADA policies and once complete they will be posted on DCNR's website.
Access Board Seeks Comment on Access to Shared Use Paths: The Access Board invites public comment on new accessibility guidelines to be developed for shared use paths. Shared use paths provide a means of off-road transportation and recreation for various users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters, and others, including people with disabilities. As indicated in a notice published on March 28, the new guidelines will complement rulemaking already underway by the Board on outdoor developed areas, including trails, and public rights-of-way. Comments are due by June 27, 2011. For further information, go to
http://www.access-board.gov/news/sup-notice.htm. |
Advocacy
by Kimberly M. Woodward, CRPP, Executive Director, PRPS
Greenways & Trails - Fighting for Funding!
My message is simple: continue to contact your U.S. Congressman and State Senators to fight for federal funding dedicated to greenways & trails. In particular, speak on the Recreational Trails Program which funds the grants that we all receive through DCNR. Think about what you have been able to accomplish with that funding and share that with your legislators. The number of people who have positively benefited from the project and the health and wellness implications are equally important.
The Transportation Reauthorization Bill is being written by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is one of the most effective programs of the transportation bill. It is a "user-pays, user-benefits" program that provides small grants to groups and organizations nationwide to improve recreational trails. The RTP positively affects the economy by:
- Leveraging hundreds of millions of dollars over and above the modest federal investments;
- Stimulating badly needed local and regional economic activity;
- Providing healthy outdoor recreation to millions of trail users
And by encouraging cooperation among diverse trail users and groups to develop and maintain recreational trails throughout the country. You may recall hearings were held addressing this and I sent written testimony in support of the funding. Numbers though speak a powerful message and I urge you to write and please encourage others in your organizations to do the same. We can continue to make amazing milestones with this and I know each of you has the power to make a difference.
In other news, the Renew Growing Greener coalition continues to make headway with more government entities signing on to the statement of support. We recently presented Representative Mike Gerber (D-Montgomery County) with our Governmental Award at the PRPS Annual Conference on March 22, 2011 in Valley Forge. Representative Gerber mentioned how he has benefited from parks and recreation throughout his life and how he values it. He also shared support for renewing growing greener - thank you Representative Gerber for your support! If you would like more information or would like to have your community sign the statement of support, please go to http://growinggreener.info/support_for_renewal. |
Trail Spotlight
by Tim Poole, Green Diamond Trails
Maura McCarthy was recently recognized by the PA Environmental Council (PEC) as one of their "40 Under 40" key conservation leaders in the state. This was a result of McCarthy's five-year leadership of Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW). Wissahickon Valley Park encompasses 1800 acres of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park system and includes over 50 miles of natural surface, gravel, and paved trails. Readers will take note of FOW's on-going Sustainable Trails Initiative (STI). STI is intended to restore the fifty miles of natural surface trails in an effort that will improve habitat, water quality, recreation facilities, and user accessibility, while simultaneously building community involvement in the park through volunteer work.
FOW has worked closely with IMBA's Trail Solutions group to design and conduct this initiative. They have also engaged dozens of additional community partners, especially the park's large equestrian user base. A history of poor trail design and management has contributed to hazardous situations, environmental degradation, and conflicts between walkers/runners, cyclists, equestrians and other users. One of McCarthy's main accomplishments has been to bring all of these groups together to work toward a better solution for all.
Two early demonstration projects yielded 300 and 450 volunteer hours, which is projected out to over 6,000 hours per year as the initiative is fully implemented. These early efforts also trained numerous volunteers as trail builders and crew leaders. Many people expressed their desire to volunteer for the trails in ways that were not focused on physical labor, but would allow them to share their knowledge and love of the Valley with park visitors. This idea evolved into the concept of Trail Ambassadors, a program which is well underway with nature walks and other services being provided and new ambassadors being recruited.
McCarthy received her undergraduate degree from New York University and her PhD from the University of Oxford. To meet her in person and learn more about FOW's work, attend the mobile trails workshop at the upcoming 2011 PRPS conference in Valley Forge, or visit the FOW web site http://www.fow.org/sustrails.php.
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Cashing in on Geo-Cashing Regional Trails Conference Complete, Planning Team looks to 2011 event
More than 100 small business owners, tourism promoters, state park managers, non-profits and others from around the region attended the PA Wilds Planning Team's 2nd Annual Trails Conference, "Cashing-In on Geocaching," in Cameron County last fall, and already participants are reporting using things they learned at the conference to advance trail-related tourism projects in their areas.
"We're really pleased with the turnout and the feedback," said Planning Team Chair Matt Quesenberry. "Land and water trails are a big draw for our region and an economic engine for many of our towns, so we are proud to offer this forum to our communities each year to discuss topics related to trail development, maintenance or promotion. Given the interest this year, our trails committee has already started planning the 2011 conference, so stay tuned for information on that."
Anyone who missed the "Cashing-in on Geocaching" conference can check out the January issue of Borough News (http://boroughs.org/boroughnews/boroughnews.php) for a recap and tips on how to geocaching can benefit your trail group, business or community, or email vshelley@lumberheritage.org for copies of the handouts.
Five Schuylkill River Communities Earn Grants Aimed at Connecting Trails to Businesses and Attractions
POTTSTOWN-The Schuylkill River Heritage Area has awarded grants to five communities for projects intended to draw users of the Schuylkill River land and water trails to area downtowns, historic sites, restaurants and shops. The communities of Pottstown, Phoenixville, Hamburg, Pottsville and East Falls were selected to receive funding from the Schuylkill River Heritage Area's (SRHA) new Heritage Towns and Tours initiative. Grant recipients will be awarded $2,000 to support creation of a Heritage Action Plan using the SRHA's Heritage Towns and Tours Toolkit, and will receive up to $5,000 in consultant support while developing the plan. Once a plan is completed and approved by the SRHA, awardees will be eligible for up to $25,000 to enact it.
The grants, made possible with funding from the William Penn Foundation, are intended to support communities along the Schuylkill River land and water trails with projects in three areas: improving connections between trails and towns, creating an identity and a sense of place, and marketing themselves as destinations. The grant program and the Heritage Towns and Tours concept grew out of the SRHA's successful Trail Town Conferences held over the past two years. Those conferences provided information to business and community leaders seeking to make their towns into destinations for trail users. According to a 2009 Schuylkill River Trail user survey conducted by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the trail, which currently has 56 completed miles, attracted over 800,000 visits and generated $7.3 million in direct economic impact in 2008.
GAP and Trail Towns News and Resources
We're pleased to report that the new Trail Town ProgramŽ website is up and running! The site serves as a resource to existing and prospective businesses along the Great Allegheny Passage. Some of the new features include an available properties listing, business testimonial videos, and a program blog. So check it out at www.trailtowns.org.
The Trail Town ProgramŽ and Preservation Pennsylvania just completed a year-long preservation planning process. After a series of community workshops and planning sessions, the final plan, entitled "Progress through Preservation" is now available. The document focuses on key resources in the Trail Towns, as well as goals, objectives, and an action plan with achievable next steps. The plan seeks to coordinate and strengthen existing preservation efforts to stimulate the regional economy and support community sustainability.
The Allegheny Trail Alliance just announced that it is offering advertising on its website, www.GAPtrail.org. The site received 1.2 million page views in 2009 and was recently updated with improved photography, maps, and search features for town services. The site is the most used resource for people planning a trip along the GAP, and a limited number of ad spots are now being sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. To learn more about the introductory rate, contact the ATA at admin@atatrail.org.
New website promotes local artisans, Artisan Trail, 'Made in the Pennsylvania Wilds' brand
Things just got easier for anyone interested in having a professional artisan make the awards for their race or banquet event, or who would like to incorporate quality, handcrafted items into their store, home or building project.
For the first time, people looking to hire or partner with PA Wilds Juried Artisans can browse samples of their work online at a new website, www.PAwildsArtisans.com. Artisans are listed alphabetically and by medium; and each has their own webpage with a short bio, visual work samples, and contact information. In addition to promoting the many skilled artisans in our region, the site also showcases the galleries and retail shops that sell quality, handmade "Made in the Pennsylvania Wilds" goods as part of the PA Wilds Artisan Trail.
New Study Measures Value of Open Space
More than just pretty places...
The GreenSpace Alliance and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission recently released the Economic Value of Protected Open Space in Southeastern Pennsylvania Report.
The findings are the first to quantify the economic value of protected open space in the five-county area. More than just pretty places, preserved open spaces contribute to our local economies and property values, they help us save on everything from health care to recreation, and they perform valuable ecosystem services that naturally improve the air we breathe and the water we drink. These are the messages that the new study documents and will be used to convey to the public.
Download the full study
Download study summary
Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities 
Many rural communities are facing challenges, including rapid growth at metropolitan edges, declining rural populations, and loss of working lands. To help address these issues the International City/County Management Association has developed a report called Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities. The report focuses on smart growth strategies that can help guide growth in rural areas while protecting natural and working lands and preserving the rural character of existing communities. It intended to show how smart growth approaches can be applied in the rural context, particulary in times of change. Hard copies of the report are available by emailing nscep@bps-lmit.com or calling (800) 490-9198 and requesting EPA 231-K-10-003. To see the report on-line click here.
Explore New Guidance and Content at ConservationTools.org, including:
Reducing Liability Associated with Public Access
Public access to property for recreational uses - such as hiking, bird watching, fishing and hunting - raises concern about the possibility of liability on account of injury to a recreational user. Pennsylvania law provides some protection from liability associated with public use of property for recreational purposes. Also there are practical steps that can be taken to minimize risk of liability.
KeystoneFund.org Launched
The website describes the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and the conservation, recreation and other needs it addresses. Since 1993, the Keystone Fund has supported grants to municipalities, land trusts and other conservation organizations (under DCNR's Community Conservation Partnerships Program); improvements to State Parks, State Forests and libraries; and historic preservation.
ExplorePAtrails.com Gets a Facelift
In late September 2010, on the one-year anniversary of the launch of ExplorePAtrails.com, DCNR released a complete make-over of the one-stop trails website.
New graphics, reflecting the current season's highlights and events, give the site an updated look and feel. Users will find new ways to view photos to create a customized printable map of a specific trail area of interest.
"DCNR is constantly looking for ways to help our customers create their own unique view of the trails on-line and discover nearby parks and points of interest along the way," said Brenda Barrett, director of the DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.
In addition, the main home page now provides more space and flexibility for publicizing trails events and other dynamic content contributed by users. Over a thousand people visit the site each day.
The website enhancements support the goals of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Recreation Plan, an award-winning blueprint calling for the development and promotion of a statewide network of land and water trails.
Thanks to the contributions of DCNR's partners, the website effort is well on its way to reaching the goal of 10,000 miles of trails published to ExplorePAtrails.com. For more information, visit www.explorepatrails.com.
Connellsville Amtrak station to greet visitors within next month
by Patty Yauger Herald-Standard
CONNELLSVILLE - A nearly completed Amtrak train station that will begin greeting those visiting or departing the city within the next month, is being touted as another piece of the city's revitalization puzzle. In November, work began at the Water Street location to replace the antiquated glass and aluminum waiting station constructed in the 1970s with a "retro-style" station and platform for those awaiting the arrival of the train service.
Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) spokesman and senior project manager Brad Clemenson said that the organization along with other groups are working with Amtrak to also develop a bicycle roll-on/roll-off service for those wishing to access the Great Allegheny Passage in Connellsville. Connellsville's historic downtown and the variety of attractions in the Laurel Highlands with access from the trail are worthy destinations for those seeking adventure or sightseeing, said Clemenson, and utilizing the rail service is the perfect way to travel for a short vacation.
Read the full article:
http://www.heraldstandard.com/news/local_news/article_24840e36-a961-556a-a525-ce687cd61243.html |
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This E-newsletter is published quarterly as a service to PRPS members and other interested persons. Opinions expressed are those of the listed authors. The editors encourage submissions reflecting on educational information for trails. You are encouraged to submit your article for review on disc or by email to: PRPS, Attn: Emily Schnellbaugh, 2131 Sandy Drive, State College, PA 16803 or email eschnellbaugh@prps.org or to the editor at info@greendiamondtrails.com
Sent by Emily Schnellbaugh, Communications Coordinator
PA Recreation and Park Society |
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