Introduction to the - Trail Conference

Peter Dolan New Jersey Program Coordinator New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

• Volunteer-directed public service organization committed to: • Developing, building, and maintaining hiking trails • Protecting hiking trail lands through support and advocacy • Educating the public in the responsible use of trails and the natural environment. Our Future Headquarters

Darlington Schoolhouse Future Headquarters of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference The Trail Conference Today Volunteers and Members: • 10,000 individuals • 100 organizations

2,000+ miles of trails including… • (“AT”) • Highlands Trail • • Shawangunk Ridge Trail • 190 Parks, Nature Preserves, and Areas What the Trail Conference Does

 Develops, builds and maintains trails  Protects Open space lands through support and advocacy  Educates the public in the responsible use of trails and the natural environment Trail Maintainers • Patrol their trail section a minimum of two times a year • Clear their trail of natural obstructions and litter • Blaze and maintain the section according to established standards • Educate hikers about trail use and preservation Trail Crews

• Work in groups • Perform heavier trail work: – Water bars, bridges, and steps Recap – Clearing large ‘blow-downs’ – New trails & relocate old trails • Tools are provided by the Trail Conference

Trail U • Introduction to Trail Maintenance • Trail Structures • Invasive Strike Force • Trail Inventory • Trail Assessment • Shelter Caretaker Training • Trail Layout and Design • Stone Work • GPS and GIS for Trail Management • USFS Chainsaw Safety Certification • Trail Land Corridor Monitor Training • Learn On the Job With a Trail Crew Protecting Open Spaces • From the to Sterling Forest to the Shawangunk Ridge, the Trail Conference has been active in land preservation in our region since our founding.

• In the past 10 years, the Trail Conference has conserved 4,670 acres throughout outright purchase or by assisting other agencies to acquire land. Our conservation work continues. Be Part of the Action

On-Trail Volunteer Opportunities • Become a trail maintainer • Work with a trail crew • Protect the AT corridor as a monitor • Field checking • Collect trail GPS data • Join our Invasive Strike Force • Become a Shelter Caretaker Be Part of the Action Off-Trail Volunteer Opportunities • Become an office assistant • Work on book projects • Manage a map project • Web Development • Cartography • Represent the Trail Conference at events • Advocacy opportunities • Represent the Trail Conference at public meetings

Benefits of Trails Generally

• Environmental • Social/Health • Economic – Commercial – Real Estate – Fiscal Environmental Benefits of Trails

• Environmental – Habitat – Water supply and purification – Air cleansing – Noise absorption Social/Health Benefits of Trails • Family and group recreational outings • Increased health and fitness • Personal skill development • Environmental education and research • Scenic beauty • Connecting with nature Economic Benefits of Trails

• Commercial • Real Estate • Fiscal Economic Impact Analysis • Definitions – Direct Impact: Initial purchases by trail-related visitors – Indirect Impact: Purchase of supplies and services by the businesses directly impacted – Induced Impact: Household spending of earned income by impacted business’s employees • Value of Economic Impact Analysis – Better informed decisions Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Montana (NPS, 1991) • 75,000 visitors annually • $750,000 annual economic impact • 61 businesses within 2 miles of a 35-mile long segment – 80% of businesses were in favor of trail – The trail influenced 17% to locate there initially – 28% had increased investments since trail opened. National Visitor Use Monitoring Project, Rio Grande National Forest (Anon., 2001) • 50% of visitors listed hiking as their primary activity • Spending per individual visit within a 50 mile radius of destination – $568 lodging – $320 food – $168 transportation Comparison of Trails (Moore, et al, 1992)

• 26-mile Heritage Trail, Iowa • 16-mile St. Marks Trail, Florida • 8-mile Lafayette Trail, California

Expenditures* Heritage Trail St. Marks Trail Lafayette Trail Avg./user $9.21 $11.02 $3.97 Total annual $’s $1,243,350 $1,873,400 $1,588,000 New (outside) $’s $630,000 $400,000 $294,000 Add’l. durable $’s $523,652 $746,910 $342,172

*All figures reported without use of multipliers Effects on Property Values (Moore, et al, 1992)

• Effects of 3 rail trails on the value of properties within ½-mile – Large majority of property owners were frequent trail users – Majority felt that proximity would increase property values – Vast majority of real estate professionals felt trails had no effect on property values Attitudes about Trails (Bhullar, et al, 1991) • Landowner concerns prior to trail development are greater than the subsequent problems experienced Attitude Before After

Opposed 43% 34%

In favor 31% 41% Conclusions

1. A multiplicity of benefits 2. Economic benefits are varied and substantial 3. Gaps in the literature – What factors affect the types and levels of benefits that trails provide? – What are the particular impacts/benefits of long- distance trails? Citations

Anonymous. 8/20/2001. National Visitor Use Monitoring Project, Rio Grand National Forest Bhullar, et al. 1991. Missouri state river trail study. Univ. of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources. Moore and Barthlow. 1998. The Economic Impacts and Uses of Long-Distance Trails: Featuring a Case Study of the Overmountain Victory National Historic National Park Service by North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C. http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/12000/12200/12275/12275.pdf Moore, et al. 1992. The Impacts of Rail Trails: A study of the users and property owners from three trails. Washington, DC: Rivers and Trails Conservation Program, National Park Service Mowen, A. J. 1994. Differences between rail-trail users and general trail users of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Unpublished masters thesis. Polytechnic Institute and State University National Park Service. 1991. Economic impacts of protecting rivers, trails and greenway corridors: A resource book. San Francisco: NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program PKF Consulting. 1994. Analysis of economic impacts of the Northern Central Rail Trail. Annapolis, MD: Maryland Greenways Commission Schutt, A. 1994. The Bruce Trail: An initial study of summer users. Peterborough, Ontario: Trent University, Frost Centre. Unpublished Report. Swan, L. 1991. Preliminary economic impact analysis: Three alternative uses of a railroad right-of-way. Klamath Falls, OR: USDA Forest Service, Winema National Forest, Pacific Northwest Region. The Economic Impacts and Uses of Long-Distance Trails (Moore and Barthlow, 1998) Web Citations

Presentation to the Ontario Trails Council Annual Conference, May 2004, John Marsh, Trail Studies Unit, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario

• American Trails has an webpage devoted to trail economics: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/ • “Economic Benefits of Trails and Greenways,” Rails to Trails Conservancy: http://www.railtrails.org/resources/documents/resource_docs/tgc_economic.pdf • The Business Case for Active Transportation: Economic Benefits of Walking and Cycling (March 2004) - Active Living and Environment Program (Canada): http://www.goforgreen.ca/at/Eng/PDF/at_business_case.pdf • “Economic Benefits of Trails,” American Hiking Society: http://www.americanhiking.org/news/pdfs/econ_ben.pdf • Greenways and Trails: Bringing Economic Benefits to New York – The Business Council of New York State with the New York Parks and Conservation Association: http://www.nypca.org/pdfs/5_Greenways_Trails.pdf • Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails, and Greenway Corridors. Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance, National Park Service. Fourth Edition, Revised 1995. http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rtca/econ_index.htm Other Citations

The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation, 2007, Trust for Public Land The Health Benefits of Parks, 2006, Trust for Public Land Sullivan 2020 Toolbox, www.co.sullivan.ny.us/documentView.asp?docid=329 “Does Open Space Pay?” By Philip A. Auger, UNH Cooperative Extension (no date) “The Economic Value of Open Space,” 1996, Charles J. Fausold and Robert J. Lilieholm, Land Lines, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy “Open Space Is a Good Investment: The Financial Argument for Open Space Preservation,” Assoc. of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, 2004