Photo: Josalee Thrift
Conservation + Recreation: 
Celebrating Trails and Now Accepting Applications for Your Community's Recreation & Conservation Projects
 
In the News

 

Now Accepting Applications for Your Community's Recreation & Conservation Projects!

 

The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program supports community-led natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the nation. Our staff provide assistance to local leaders.

 

We can help you:

 

  • Define project vision and goals
  • Inventory and map community resources
  • Identify and analyze key issues and opportunities
  • Engage collaborative partners and stakeholders
  • Design community outreach and participation strategies
  • Develop concept plans for trails, parks, and natural areas
  • Set priorities and build consensus
  • Identify funding sources
  • Develop a sustainable organizational framework to support the project

Contact National Park Service staff for a pre-application consultation. If you decide to submit an application, please inform us of your intent to apply by July 1. Applications for assistance are due by August 1 annually.

 

How can we help you make your vision a reality? Please visit our application page for more information on how to apply.

Photo: Josalee Thrift

 

Happy National Trails Day! Hike. Bike. Paddle. Ride. Whichever way you choose, you can celebrate trails on National Trails Day, Saturday, June 1.

 

National Trails Day is devoted to appreciating America's trails and the hard-working individuals who build and maintain them. In honor of this day, thousands of public events will be hosted nationwide, and tens of thousands of trail enthusiasts will be outside as they hike, pedal, ride, and paddle through some of America's most beautiful areas.

National Trails Day activities will be available in all 50 states and also the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The National Park Service cooperatively partners with the American Hiking Society to support National Trails Day.

Register your event or find an event near you!

 

 

Youth Get Inspired Outdoors. On the New England Trail in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Yamira Vasquez and Jose Garcia spent the summer working as the first Ridge Runners for the New England National Scenic Trail. The experience gave them the chance to be mentors to younger Youth Conservation Corps members, to interact with hikers along the trail, and to consider pursuing the environmental career field.
 

New England National Scenic Trail

The #GetInspiredOutdoors video series highlights summer youth programs in Providence, Rhode Island; Holyoke, Massachusetts; and Lewiston/Auburn, Maine. Young people in these programs had transformative experiences creating, exploring, and gaining valuable leadership skills. Visit www.getinspiredoutdoors.org to see all the videos and to learn about job and volunteer opportunities and a new way to get outside!

 
Findings and Publications

 

Plans to build China's first National Trails System. Beijing's Mentougou District is following the example of the U.S. National Trails System.

Pacific Crest Trail Association: The Brains and Brawn Behind the Pacific Crest Trail. Volunteers contributed 90,000 hours of volunteer time to the Pacific Crest Trail last year.

Federal Agencies Expand Urban Waterway Revitalization Efforts in Communities Across the Nation. The Urban Waters Federal Partnership just added 11 new locations across the country, working to revitalize urban waterways and the communities that surround them, transforming overlooked assets and driving urban revival. 

National Parks Face Bleak Future Without Latinos. How can the National Park Service stay relevant with new generations?

 
Upcoming Events

 

 

Congress for the New Urbanism 21: Living Community. Head to Salt Lake City, Utah May 29-June 1 for the 21st annual event from the Congress for the New Urbanism, which looks for ways to balance physical, social, economic, and environmental values by connecting people to place and promoting stewardship to enhance communities and regions.

The Association of Partners for Public Lands is looking for some great session ideas for its Partnership Convention. The theme this year is "The Art of Partnerships" and all proposals should be submitted online by June 13, 2013.

National Equestrian Trails Conference. The first National Equestrian Trails Conference takes place in Rock Hill, South Carolina July 18-20, and focuses on the American trail rider and their role in conservation policy. 

Outdoor Nation Summits. Outdoor Nation Signature and Intensive Training Summits are a proven strategy for engaging a new, diverse, and passionate community of young leaders and outdoor champions. Attendees identify the region's most pressing outdoor issues, develop strategies to solving these challenges, and commit to taking action - together. The summits are free, and anyone ages 16-28 is encouraged to register  for the summits or host their own.


News and Events. Does your organization have news or an upcoming event we can help you share?  If so, tell us about it and we'll add it to our recent news and events.
 
Tools

 

The National Trails Training Partnership (NTTP) provides trails training. NTTP has an online calendar of training opportunities, hundreds of trail-related resources, news, and training resources in your state. NTTP is an alliance of federal agencies, training providers, nationwide supporters, professional contractors, and providers of products and services. The partnership is committed to making training for trails and greenways skills more available. 

Willamette River Water Trail and Southeast Coast Saltwater Paddling Trails launch new interactive websites. Willamette's new site for this national water trail suggests locations for paddling, camping, daytrips, and nearby restaurants and lodging. The new Southeast Coast Saltwater Paddling Trail website has comprehensive information on navigating the coastal water trails of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, covering nine states and more than 5,000 miles.

 
Grants and Job Opportunities

  

HUD Choice Neighborhoods Program (Due 5.28.13) HUD has announced the availability of planning grants to support the development of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans. Eligible applicants are public housing authorities, local governments, nonprofits, tribal entities, and for-profit developers that apply jointly with a public entity. Applicants must visualize the revitalization of a severely distressed public and/or HUD-assisted multifamily housing project located in a distressed neighborhood, and propose a viable, mixed-income community. The maximum individual grant is $500,000.


National Park Service: Engaging Youth with Community-Based Conservation and Recreational Opportunities (Due 5.31.13) 
We are looking for great nonprofit partners to help us better engage with youth! We want a partner (or several working together) to administer a range of internships for young adults ages 18-30 doing community-based work that helps younger generations connect with nature and parks in their communities. We will enter into a 5-year agreement with the right partner. Check out details and requirements on Grants.gov. 

  

The Pack Project (Due 6.1.13) Outdoor Nation and Merrell launched the Pack Project 2013 grants program to increase participation in active outdoor recreation while also creating meaningful connections to the natural world. Awards of $25,000 will go to a minimum of 10 of the most innovative, impactful, and sustainable projects focusing on increasing outdoor recreation in communities across the country while also creating significant relationships with the environment. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 28 and 501(c)3 nonprofits are welcome to apply (individuals are eligible to apply but must have a 501(c)3 nonprofit partner to act as the fiscal agent for the grant).

 

Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) (Due 6.3.13) The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the availability of $474 million in grants for 2013.The Appropriations Act that funds TIGER requires that funds be obligated by October 1, 2014, meaning that this round of TIGER will begin to make a tangible difference very soon. That being said, the limited amount of time means the Department will give priority to projects that are ready to proceed quickly.

  

DOT is looking for ready-to-go surface transportation projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area, projects that will:

  • Improve existing transportation facilities and systems
  • Contribute to American economic competitiveness
  • Create and preserve jobs
  • Increase transportation choices and access to transportation services for people in communities across the U.S.
  • Improve energy efficiency, reduce dependence on oil, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • Improve safety

Youth Digital Citizenship Programs Supported (Due 6.10.13) The Digital Media and Learning Competition, administered by the Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory (HASTAC) and supported by the MacArthur Foundation, brings together youth, programmers, and educators to develop prototypes for social tools in pursuit of a better web. The 2013 Project:Connect - Summer Youth Programming Competition will provide grants of up to $10,000 to nonprofit organizations that support learning, youth development, and civic engagement through summer programs that will enable youth to engage the web in civil, collaborative, productive, safe, and confidence-building ways. The Competition will support single or multi-day participatory and hands-on learning experiences to be held from July through September, 2013. U.S.-based nonprofit learning development and civic engagement organizations (including museums, libraries, and after-school and summer programs) are eligible to apply. 

Film Festivals Nationwide Funded (Due 6.26.13) The Film Festival Grants Program, an initiative of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, provides grants of up to $30,000 to a wide variety of film festivals based in the United States. Grant recipients include major international film festivals, independent and alternative festivals, and festivals that support social and cultural diversity. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that make festival events more accessible to the general public, give screening access to minority and less visible filmmakers, and strengthen connections between filmmakers and the public. Grants are only available to applicants that have held at least five festivals as of December 31, 2012.

 
Trail of the Month

 

The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is our Trail of the Month! Congratulations to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, a multi-use trail that provides recreational use within three counties in Ohio. The trail was recently extended from 2.8 miles to 59 miles long. It serves as the spine within numerous cities and villages, providing connections to local trail networks, historic and cultural landmarks, and viewing access to the Cuyahoga River.

 

The Towpath Trail follows the path of the Ohio & Erie Canal and is part of the designated National Heritage Area. It travels through metropolitan cities, local villages, regional metro parks and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In conjunction with the Ralph Regula Towpath Trail in Stark County, Ohio, the Towpath Trail provides an 88-mile corridor for recreational use.

 

The Towpath Trail embodies collaboration of local, regional, federal and nonprofit partnerships for programming, management and operations.

  

Learn more about the National Trails System.

 
 
A Tip of the Hat to...  

 

Steve Elkinton, Program Leader for the National Trails System

At the 21st International Trails Symposium in Fort McDowell, Arizona, Candace Mitchell and Robert Searns of American Trails present Steve Elkinton (right) with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
By Helen Scully

 

 

On April 16, Steve Elkinton received a lifetime achievement award from American Trails, Inc., at its 21st International Trails Symposium, honoring him for his 24 years of service to the National Trails System.

As program leader for the National Trails System in the Washington Office since 1989, Steve has provided leadership and worked tirelessly to further the intentions and spirit of the National Trails System Act within the context of public land management. At the start of Steve's tenure there were 16 National Scenic and Historic Trails; today there are 30. The National Park Service budget for the trails was $1.1 million; today it is $14.5 million. More than 500 National Recreation Trails have been designated in this period of time.

Steve's key contributions to trails include:

  • Helping grow the national system of trails.
  • Building interagency collaboration and coordination.
  • Expanding and fostering partnerships and citizen stewardship.
  • Increasing communication and sharing of best practices.  
  • Mentoring and sharing historic knowledge.
  • Promoting and advocating for trails.
  • Increasing public awareness and appreciation of trails.

Since 1989, Steve has been a convener and facilitator extraordinaire, a trusted friend and mentor to many in the trails community and beyond as well as an invaluable resource of knowledge and information. He has helped shape, expand and protect a national system of trails that has become a treasure and legacy for all Americans and future generations. He is the epitome of a dedicated public servant - capable, respectful, inclusive, thoughtful, kind, generous, helpful, and humble. His exemplary service to the National Trails System and to trails in general merits this Lifetime Service Award.

 
Let's Work Together
 
The National Park Service works with partners and helps communities advance their stewardship, conservation, and recreation goals. Conservation and Outdoor Recreation programs extend and expand the benefits of the National Park Service throughout the nation to connect all Americans to their parks, trails, rivers, and other special places. 
  

How can we help you make your vision a reality? 

 

 

This is a free monthly publication to share activities and successes of National Park Service Conservation and Outdoor Recreation programs and partners.

 

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Images courtesy of the National Park Service except as noted.
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