Checking in while Checking out the Great Outdoors Foursquare. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. Staying connected with friends and even brands have become daily rit ... more

Checking in while Checking out the Great Outdoors Foursquare. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. Staying connected with friends and even brands have become daily rituals for some. We check in to restaurants, movie theatres and even parks. For some, checking out the great outdoors also means checking in at that location for the social or personal perks that come with it. And now with the emergence of Google Trails, the online world treks deeper off the grid. In this group, we’ll explore what social media means to outdoor organizations. What experience visitors are looking for, how to engage them to assist in providing content to your sites and to become stewards of the land — and your organization.

Instructors:

Todd Aldridge

Complete the Streets on the Carolina Thread Trail So what is a “complete street”? In this session participants will learn the meaning of NCDOT’s new Complete St ... more

Complete the Streets on the Carolina Thread Trail So what is a “complete street”? In this session participants will learn the meaning of NCDOT’s new Complete Streets Planning and Design Guidelines and how it can improve the safety and comfort of citizens using the Carolina Thread Trail. They will also learn to speak the new language of DOT street design which was heavily based on input from Charlotte DOT staff. This two hour session will include an interactive exercise that will require a short walk and tour of a nearby street and intersection. Group observations outside will be translated into an Action Plan back in the

Instructors:

Melissa Milkus

Economic Development Study of The Greenville Hospital Swamp Rabbit Trail: Providing evidence to citizens and elected officials that trails do have a significan ... more

Economic Development Study of The Greenville Hospital Swamp Rabbit Trail: Providing evidence to citizens and elected officials that trails do have a significant impact on the economic vitality of our communities is crucial. This session will review the in depth economic development study of The Greenville Hospital Swamp Rabbit Trail. This session is meant to provide participants with useful economic data that could be used in their communities.

Instructors:

Julian Reed

The session will revolve around the lessons learned in numerous interviews in communities in both North and South Carolina in an effort to improve the greenway ... more

The session will revolve around the lessons learned in numerous interviews in communities in both North and South Carolina in an effort to improve the greenway planning and implementation experience. By the end of the session, the participants will have a better understanding of the tools available in various communities in North and South Carolina to develop comprehensive greenway plans, design trails and greenways, negotiate with various landowners and organizations, learn about the economic impacts of greenways, funding for these transportation and recreation facilities and capitalizing on marketing these facilities once constructed. Session information is based upon experiences in planning and building the Gary Shell Cross-City Trail in Wilmington, NC and interviews in Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, Asheville, and Black Mountain in North Carolina and Charleston, Greenville and Traveler’s Rest in South Carolina.

Instructors:

Amy Beatty

Land Acquisition 101: Land acquisition is often the most complicated aspect to trail building process. This two hour session will seek to discuss the best pra ... more

Land Acquisition 101: Land acquisition is often the most complicated aspect to trail building process. This two hour session will seek to discuss the best practices and reasonable alternatives for acquiring land for trails. Key topics that will be covered include the do’s and don’ts, landowner contact, funding opportunities, and easements v. fee simple ownership.

Instructors:

Brian Baker

This session will outline how Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation partnered with a private developer to set a pedestrian bridge crossing over the Lower McAlp ... more

This session will outline how Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation partnered with a private developer to set a pedestrian bridge crossing over the Lower McAlpine Creek for a greenway connection between residential and commercial properties. What was the history of project and why fix existing problems? How were the tasks of permitting, planning and engineering divided to maximize a minimum budget? How were bid alternates utilized to maximize choices for construction advantages? How was the project constructed to protect the floodplain environment and minimize maintenance?

Instructors:

Rod Fritz

The Hoops and Hurdles of Federal Funding This session will explain the guidelines that have to be followed in order to successfully spend federal funds from the ... more

The Hoops and Hurdles of Federal Funding This session will explain the guidelines that have to be followed in order to successfully spend federal funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Project Managers from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will be on hand to explain the guidelines and why you have to adhere to all testing and record keeping requirements in order to complete a project funded by FHWA and not have to repay funds that are not correctly spent. This session will also highlight a local government’s perspective on the hoops and hurdles of federal funding, and will give practical advice for successful use of FHWA funds.

Instructors:

Jackie McSwain

The Mountains To Sea Trail Volunteer Model Volunteers are critical to the success of many regional trails throughout the United States. From design, to constru ... more

The Mountains To Sea Trail Volunteer Model Volunteers are critical to the success of many regional trails throughout the United States. From design, to construction, to maintenance, volunteers play an integral role on the Mountains to Sea Trail in North Carolina. This session will focus on the key volunteer efforts of the Mountains to Sea Trail and how volunteers are recruited, trained, and maintained.

Instructors:

Kate Dixon

Greenville, SC has experienced significant success creating bicycle/pedestrian facilities in their downtown area and connecting to neighboring communities throu ... more

Greenville, SC has experienced significant success creating bicycle/pedestrian facilities in their downtown area and connecting to neighboring communities through the Swamp Rabbit Trail. In this session attendees will learn lessons from the Mayor of Greenville about how support was built for these facilities, what hurdles were faced and how they were successfully addressed and how Greenville’s facilities were funded. Attendees will also learn about the impact trails are having on Greenville, particularly regarding economic development.

Instructors:

Knox White

Tread Lightly – Lowering the Impact of New Impervious Surfaces; Anticipating and managing stormwater is critical to the development of trails and greenways. T ... more

Tread Lightly – Lowering the Impact of New Impervious Surfaces; Anticipating and managing stormwater is critical to the development of trails and greenways. This presentation will showcase projects which use combinations of structural and non structural stormwater management techniques to mimic natural hydrologic practices. More often than not, these practices have become integral site elements functioning not only as a stormwater control, but also adding to the overall beauty of a trail.

Instructors:

Hunter Freeman