USFS Standard Trail Plans and Specifications
The Standard Trail Plans and Specifications reflect current Forest Service trail management efforts and the agency’s Trails Data Dictionary for constructed features and tasks.
Land Use Plan Alignment
Skill Definition
Identify elements of the general management, forest, or comprehensive resource management plans as they relate to the trail project
Entry Level Performance
- Demonstrate understanding of the types of plans and guiding documents that should be integrated into trail planning (eg. land management plans, site-specific NEPA decisions that inform a trail planning project)
Full Performance Level
- Demonstrate ability to integrate information from multiple land management plans into the trail planning process
- Identify opportunities and challenges that emerge through land management plan analysis and affect the feasibility of a trail project
Expert Level Performance
- Integrate opportunities and constraints identified through the land management plan analysis
- Engage natural and cultural resource specialists, and other related specialists that emerge through land management plan research, into the trail planning process to ensure alignment of the general, forest, and resource management plans and the trail plan
- Identify strategies and compromise to further project goals where/when guidance may provide conflict or discongruence.
Resources for Land Use Plan Alignment
Documents and Media
• Video Trainings
• Training Programs
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Trail Skills Training Library
Recorded Trainings for Land Use Plan Alignment
Digital Transformation of Trail Management and Monitoring
Mike Linnane of Evolve Technologies and award-winning Trail Manager Eoin Hogan will present on the development path of the world’s first integrated digital trail management system. The webinar will outline the evolution from a paper-based trail…
Wilderness Trails: Special Places, Special Considerations.
This webinar will provide some basic information on trails in federally-designated Wilderness, examples of practical experiences, and resources to learn more. Presented by: Pete Irvine, retired, USDA Forest Service Dan Abbe, Wilderness Specialist,…
Trail Planning Technology
Learn how to use a variety of mobile and desktop based technologies to assess, plan, and design trails across the country. Presented by: Jon Altschuld, Founder and Principal, Chinook Landscape Architecture, LLC Tony Boone, COO, Timberline TrailCraft
The Science of Sustainable Trail Design and Management
This webinar will describe the three most common forms of trail impact, identify the most influential factors to develop and maintain sustainable trail networks, and discuss methods for rating trail sustainability. Presented by: Jeffrey Marion,…
Cultural Landscape Training Framework
This webinar will provide an exclusive first walk through of the Cultural Landscape Training Framework showcasing how outdoor professionals can embrace multiple perspectives of the Indigenous landscapes they work on.
Further Education
Training Programs for Land Use Plan Alignment
Trail Sustainability Institute
The Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) is NWTA’s internal training classes for everything related to trail building. We want to make sure our trail builders are knowledgeable in not only how to build/maintain fun trails, but ensure those trails…
Trails Certificate
Gain insight into best practices related to the design, construction and maintenance of trails. Learn about and apply techniques that can enhance, rehabilitate and protect trails and greenways. Participants will also learn about trail…
Sustainable Trails Development
The Sustainable Trails curriculum welcomes students from various fields who are interested in trails development, programming and management, as well as design.
PCTA Trail Skills Course
Because wildfires, wind storms, floods, gravity, and vegetation growth are constant threats to the PCT, the annual maintenance and reconstruction of the trail is a never-ending and monumental undertaking. Such work, historically carried out by…
Advancing Trails Webinar Series
American Trails brings agencies, trail builders, planners, architects, advocates, and volunteers the latest in state-of-the-art information on all aspects of trails and greenways. Our webinars focus on a variety of trail topics, usually applicable…
Skill Library
Project Planning and Design
Trail Sustainability Principles
Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
Stakeholder Engagement
Land Use Plan Alignment
Corridor Planning
Trail Specifications
Conceptual Trail Plan Development
Field Design: Trail Alignment Identification and Marking
Project Cost Estimation
Trail Plan Development
Compliance and Permitting
Implementation Plan
Interpretation
Trail Inventory and Assessment
Operations and Maintenance Plan Development
Custom Trainings
There are 69 trainers on TrailSkills
with Land Use Plan Alignment experience
Rick Landenberger
Morgantown, WV
Service Associate Professor and Science & Management Specialist for the West Virginia Land Trust
West Virginia University
Jeremy Poore
Old Fort, NC
Coordinator - Trail Construction and Maintenance
McDowell Tech Community College
Marc Hildesheim
Post Falls, ID
Program Director
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC)
Lydia Yuhas
Middlefield, CT
Assistant Trails Coordinator
Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA)
Hire Workers
There are 259 workers on TrailSkills
with Land Use Plan Alignment experience
Walt Bready
Blairsville, GA
Frank Morehouse
Saratoga Springs, NY
Regional Trails Specialist
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
Suggest a Resource
Contact Us
Know of a good resource for this skill? Let us know! From webinars, to workshops, to PDFs, we'd like to add them to our resource library.
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