In this issue:
At the Transportation Enhancements Professional Seminar in Portland OR in August 2007 and at the State Trail Administrators Meeting in Stateline NV in September 2007, FHWA had sessions about the Federal Surface Transportation Program Reauthorization scheduled for 2009. The FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian, Trails, and Enhancements team is collecting ideas and comments related to our program areas. We summarized ideas and comments related to Trails and Enhancements that we have received so far at Summary, Explanation, and Comments from Trails and Enhancements Related Conferences.
If you have suggestions that are relevant for reauthorization, please contact christopher.douwes@dot.gov. Suggestions could include:
Specific constructive, suggestions are useful, such as:
Realistic general proposals are useful, such as: "authorize State Transportation Enhancement programs to use up to X% of TE funds for State administrative expenses, similar to the Recreational Trails and Safe Routes to School programs.".
Many organizations and agencies also are developing their proposals, such as:
National OHV Program Managers Meeting and Conference
From Tom Metsa, Colorado. Please reply to thomas.metsa@state.co.us
The National Association of OHV Program Managers (NAOPM) purpose is to provide a mechanism for OHV program managers to share information, ideas, and develop national strategies for managing safe, ethical, and high quality OHV recreation. The next NOHVCC national conference will be held March 27-30, 2008 in Albuquerque, NM. See www.nohvcc.org/conference/conference.asp.
Thurs. March 27, 2008 -- NAOPM meeting
Fri. March 28, 2008 -- NOHVCC conference starts
Hope to see everyone in NM! Please forward to anyone who you know may be interested.
Tom Metsa
State OHV / Snowmobile Program Manager
Colorado State Parks State Trails Program
Phone: (303) 791-1957 ext. 132
Fax: (303) 470-0782
Email: thomas.metsa@state.co.us
The National Center for Bicycling and Walking invites proposals for the 2008 ProWalk/ProBike Conference in Seattle WA, September 2-5, 2008. Proposals will be accepted through February 1, 2008. See www.bikewalk.org/2008conference/index.html.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation invites you to submit a proposal for an education session for the 2008 National Preservation Conference in Tulsa OK, October 21-25, 2008. The Trust seeks proposals that explore critical issues that challenge communities across the country and present cutting edge historic preservation strategies and models that address these. We invite a broad range of proposals that include cultural and geographic diversity. The deadline for Education Session and Poster Presentation proposals is Friday, January 11, 2008. See www.eshow2000.com/nthp/call_for_abstracts.cfm.
The 2008 National Trails Symposium is in Little Rock AR, November 15-18, 2008. The theme of the 2008 Symposium is Innovative Trails: Transforming the American Way of Life. Sponsor packets are now available. You can print the sponsor packet that is attached or from the American Trails' 2008 National Trails Symposium webpage at www.AmericanTrails.org/2008. If you have any questions about becoming a sponsor/exhibitor or any general questions about the Symposium, please contact Candace Mitchell at candace@americantrails.org, 530-547-2060.
Designing the Parks is a conference in two parts examining the design of buildings and landscapes in regional, State, and national parks. Sponsored by the University of Virginia, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and the National Park Service.
The Charlottesville meeting will be hosted by the University of Virginia and the papers presented will address the history of the planning and design of regional, State, and national parks. The San Francisco meeting will be held at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and will explore current issues and future trends in park planning and design. Interested scholars, scientists, park professionals, and design practitioners are invited to submit paper abstracts of no more than 300 words for the Charlottesville meeting of Designing the Parks by January 7, 2008. Send abstracts as attachments to designingtheparks@virginia.edu. For more information, see www.arch.virginia.edu/lectures/, click on Designing the Parks (PDF), or contact Ethan Carr (ec2h@virginia.edu), Shaun Eyring, NPS-Northeast Regional Office (shaun_eyring@nps.gov), or Stephanie Toothman, NPS-Pacific West Regional Office (stephanie_toothman@nps.gov).
See additional conference listings at:
See the RTP Events Page for major national trail-related conferences and events. Note one change: The 2008 Trailbuilders Conference changed its dates to March 9-14, 2008.
For regional and statewide trail-related conferences and events, see the American Trails Calendar of Events.
There are a lot of e-newsletters available from national organizations that relate to Transportation Enhancements and to the Recreational Trails Program. Here are some samples. Most of them allow you to subscribe easily. Here are links to pages where you can sign up:
Transportation Enhancements Related...
Recreational Trails Related...
The USDA Forest Service produced Federal Surface Transportation Programs and Transportation Planning for Federal Land Management Agencies-A Guidebook. The guidebook is designed to assist Federal land managers, staff, and partners in developing relationships and in maximizing participation in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) surface transportation programs. [The link opens to a Library Card, click on View to see the PDF.]
The 2007 version of the National Trails System Map and Guide is available. It shows National Scenic and Historic Trails, along with National Park, National Forest, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management lands along these trails, and the Interstate Highway System. If you would like a copy (or multiple copies) of this map, please contact jonathan.leclere@dot.gov.
Note to Federal agencies: to obtain this map, please contact your Federal agency National Trails System coordinator, see www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/rtpfed.cfm.
Two amendments are needed for the next version:
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy added a Trail-Building Toolbox to the web. This new feature is designed as a comprehensive resource center to fit the needs of all involved in trail development, from first-time citizen advocates to more experienced planners and trail managers. Content will be continuously enhanced; new topics will be added and expanded upon over the next year. Browse through the Toolbox and send resource ideas or suggestions for additional topics to: kellyp@railstotrails.org. RTC invites people to join its listserv to be connected with hundreds of other trail managers, developers, and advocates from across the country: www.railstotrails.org/whatwedo/railtrailinfo/resources/listserve.html. You can access the Trail-Building Toolbox from the Trail Building page of RTC's website: www.railstotrails.org/whatwedo/trailbuilding/index.html.
From: Andy Goldbloom [mailto:Andy.Goldbloom@tpwd.state.tx.us] Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 3:42 PM Subject: RTP funding for a leased motorized trail site
I have a project sponsor that is creating motorized trails on leased private property with local motorcycle clubs. They already have some trails constructed and some public use as they ease the landowner into opening their property for this type of use. They are inquiring about the potential use of RTP funding for improvements at the site. I'd like to consider it because it is still hard to find new lands for, and sponsors of, motorized trail projects in Texas. Do you have any examples from other states that have funded projects on leased lands? We have told the sponsor that we would need some minimal conditions such as, the site would have to be open to the general public (not just club members); that we would want a lease of at least 20 years with a reimbursement of federal funds if the lease were broken at a pro-rated value; and we have been encouraging them to utilize RTP funds for the entrance/staging area only, to keep a small footprint for resource clearance purposes. They have also asked about the possibility of paying for the lease with RTP funds or at least using the value as the 20% match. They would calculate a net present value for the entire 20-year lease term and pay this up-front. This would be hard to value because the property is also used for other purposes, hunting lease, youth camp, maybe some cows out there.
Any comments/guidance would be appreciated. Please reply to andy.goldbloom@tpwd.state.tx.us.
Andy in Texas
The US Department of Energy, the US Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and US Department of Defense (the Agencies) will prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate issues associated with the designation of energy corridors on Federal lands in eleven Western states. Based upon the information and analyses developed in this PEIS, each Agency would amend its respective land use plans by designating a series of energy corridors. The Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal Land in the 11 Western States, is now available to the public for review and comment for 90 days (until February 14, 2008). See www.corridoreis.anl.gov.
