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Trail-Related Educational Opportunities at Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference

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The 2018 Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference will be held at The Desmond Hotel in Chester County from April 12-14. This year’s conference offers a wide variety of educational opportunities for people engaged in trail-related work. Below is a selection of available courses. Register online before February 12 to receive a 15% discount.

Thursday, April 12th
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
The Delaware Riverfront in Philadelphia is undergoing a renaissance. Historically, the waterfront was an inhospitable place, dominated by heavy industry and inaccessible from the neighborhoods because of major transportation corridors. Recognizing the value of the waterfront, the city sought assistance from non-profit partners to plan and transform the area into a vibrant destination for recreational, cultural, and commercial activities for residents and visitors. At the core of this vision was the creation of a system of accessible neighborhood and regional parks, at half-mile intervals along the length of the waterfront and connected by trails, that comprise the East Coast Greenway. This field trip will explore four outstanding examples of this park system, guided by the non-profit development corporations and a land trust that made it possible. Each park has its own theme, along with outstanding views of the waterfront, restored habitat, and recreational amenities.
Friday, April 13th 
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The collection, storage, and management of trail-related data are important components of everyday business activities in many Federal and State land-managing agencies, trail organizations, and businesses. From a management perspective, trails data must often mesh closely with other types of infrastructure, resource, and facility enterprise data. Data collection is the process of gathering information in an established systematic fashion but, before collecting data in the field one must understand what information needs to be collected and how it’s to be collected. This workshop will focus on Basic understanding and use of GPS technology for trail assessment. Background theory and fundamentals will be shared, along with examples of professional trail projects utilizing the technology. Objectives are for participants to gain a basic understanding of GIS/GPS tools and technologies as related to assessment inventory management and maintenance.
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Place based trails management and planning offers opportunities for diverse stakeholders to be involved in problem solving, identifying common values that different individuals and entities assign to natural resources, and thus helping to foster a sense of shared ownership as regards their trails and the surrounding natural resources. This 90 minute classroom session introduces participants to the concepts and utilization of a place based approach to trails management and planning. Drawing upon contemporary place-based conservation literature and case studies, as well as trail projects in PA and MD, the session aims to explore key concepts and information to assist participants’ consideration of a place based approach for managing their unique trail setting.
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

As our population ages, a growing number of people will face limits to their outdoor recreational activities. In addition, regardless of age, many people can face health issues or disabilities. But these challenges do not mean a reduction in the interest in nature, wildlife, physical exercise and recreation; the limits do mean an increased challenge to those planning and managing trail experiences. Planning and managing universal access trails requires adherence to specific design parameters; so too does designing and building for sustainability. Not surprisingly, principles of universal design also encourage sustainable practices. This session will provide a high-level overview of best management practices when implementing universal access on one or more of your organization’s trails. Emphasis will be on developing practicable strategies for universal access and examples of trail projects in PA and MD.  

Saturday, April 14th 
8:30 AM – 9:45 AM
We all wish to have a volunteer dream team-people who work hard, get things done, and love the organization. Stellar volunteers are everywhere, looking for meaningful opportunities to get involved, give back, and work outdoors. In this interactive workshop we’ll talk about ways to recruit, mobilize, and recognize hardworking volunteers. We’ll share stories of success, and teaching-moment scenarios. In this interactive workshop we’ll discuss ways to engage good volunteers, inspire folks to return, and keep them connected. There will be ample time for questions, discussion, and sharing experiences.
  
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Most conservation properties have informational and educational signage but how effective is it in reality. Too often the rules and regulations are ignored and the property resources and the visitor experience is diminished This workshop will explore the challenges and opportunities that lay with the signage on conservation properties. Design, theme, writing, fabrication and installation pros and cons will all be examined. Hands on examples of materials as well as resources for creating, fabricating and installation will be discussed.




The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association created and administers this website with support from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Environmental Stewardship Fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.