INTRODUCTION Welcome to the 7th World Trails Conference. To all trail advocates, trail professionals and trail users this is your conference. The only truly ​ ​ global conference about trails and for the international trails industry. Trails around the world play a significant role in tourism, in healthy lifestyles, in outdoor and nature recreation and in reconnecting us to nature and cultural heritage and to each other. It is our responsibility as an international network of trail professionals and trail custodians to shape the future sustainability of trails across the globe and to ensure trails are recognised by governments and society for the values they deliver to livelihoods, lifestyles, healthcare, tourism and the economy. The conference organizers and our sponsoring hosts at Xunta de Galicia welcome you to Galicia and the incredible pilgrimage town of Santiago de Compostela. HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE CONFERENCE 1. Enjoy Galicia - Galicia and the historic town of Santiago de Compostela are a ​ remarkable place to visit, with rich culture, culinary specialities and nature highlights. We encourage you to enjoy and explore as much as your itinerary allows for. Sign-up for one of the excursions on the Camino Routes or Camino Journeys. 2. Network - During the conference itself, make conversations, network and make new ​ friends, have an open mind to new ideas, share your experiences. Trails bring out the best qualities in all of us. Learn, share and discover. 3. Attend the Special Sessions - Each Special Session is linked to an earlier session on ​ the same subject (see colour codes on left of session number: Session 1A ). Special ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ sessions are designed to deepen the conversation and develop specific outcomes from the conference that can form guidelines for international best practice in relation to trails. These sessions are moderated by World Trails Network Task Team ​ Leaders, who chair these international volunteer and networking teams to influence ​ ​ policy, develop projects and champion global campaigns in their respective fields of expertise. Bring your experience and expertise to these conversations and make a difference for trails around the world. Buen Camino. and enjoy Galicia! Pre-Conference Camino Journeys Walk the Camino Francés - French Route: 17 - 25 September 2018 ​ ​ ​ ​ Cycle the Camino Portugués - Portuguese Route: 16 - 25 September 2018 ​ ​ ​ ​ Run the Camino Inglés - English Way: 21 - 25 September 2018 ​ ​ ​ ​ DAY 1 - Wednesday, 26 September 2018 ​ Registration from 9:00 to 13:00 ​ Pre-Conference Meetings and Conference Opening Evening ​ Time Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social Access to Venue Centro ABANCA Obra Social for Regional Hubs / Association meetings: ● 8:45 - 9:30 WTN BOARD MEETING ​ Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social (2nd Floor) - By Invitation ​ 8:45 ● 10:00 - 12:30 INTERNATIONAL TRAIL TASK TEAM REPORTS, STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT ​ | Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social ( 2nd Floor) - All Members of World Trails Network ​ 12:30 ● 8:45 - 11:30 SETUP - Trail Exhibition ​ The Trail Exhibition will run throughout the event and will close on Friday - posters, marketing materials. Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social Foyer Areas 17:00 Free Tour of the Old City and everyone is welcome 19:00 Opening Welcome Address Representatives of the Regional Government of Galicia (Xunta de Galicia) Chair of World Trails Network (WTN) 19:00 Japan Hand over | Welcome address 20:00 Opening of the Trails Exhibition Short introductory welcome speech highlighting the value of trails to tourism. Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social 20:00 Tapas with the World Trails - Welcome tapas for all delegates | Venue - St. Martin Pinario's Cloister, Santiago de Compostela 22:00 ​ DAY 2 - Thursday, 27 September 2018 ​ Registration from 9:00 to 13:00 ​ Start of Conference Time Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 1 - 1st Floor Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 2 - 3rd Floor Session 1A Trails and Nature Session 1B Special Session ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Transcarioca Trail: How volunteers can link urban Kumano Kodo and Way of St. James ​ protected areas into a continuous green patch Spiritual Pilgrimages - Dual Experience Santiago Pedro Cunha e Menezes Kumano The Appalachian Trail in an Age of Climate Change - Dual Pilgrim Video Release Laura Belleville - Overview of the Initiative Perceptions of tourists on trail use and - Panel Discussion 09:00 management implications for Kakamega Forest, A "Dual Pilgrim" is someone who has walked both | Western Kenya the Kumano Kodo and the Way of St.James. Dual 10:30 Oscar Kambona Ouma Pilgrim panel discussion on the meaning and value of experiencing these two internationally renowned Norwegian Scenic Trails pilgrimage routes first hand. Trygve Sunde Kolderup Moderators: Flavia Ramil Millarengo and Brad ​ Geo-ecological Approach in Trail Management in Towle Protected Areas of Lake Baikal Region Natalia Luzhkova Kumano-Santiago 20 Years of Twinning Agreement of Two World Heritage Pilgrimage Paths Trails and Wildfires Francisco Singul and Shingo Uoi Kerstin Stender Moderator: Kerstin Stender ​ 10:30 Short Break 10:45 Session 2A Trails and Technology Session 2B Trails and Cultural Heritage ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Leveraging PPGIS and VGIS Data, Tools and Dynamic Natural & Cultural Heritage Conservation Technologies to Improve Trail Assessment and - Holistic approach to trail network development on Management Kythera Island, Greece Jeremy Wimpey Rigas Zafeirou 10:45 | Hiking Apps as a Value for Rural Tourism Lebanon Mountain Trail Community Based Trail 12:15 Jose Barbosa Martine Btaich Create Digital Travel Guides with your Phone Culture, Nature and Pilgrimage in Europe - ​ Alina Ovesea Incentives for Health and Travel Routes Digital Trail Management and Platform based José María Ballester Content Marketing Hartmut Wimmer A Collaborative Approach to Recreation Mapping The Trails of Trancoso - Portugal ​ Nate Irwin Marco Santos Green Flag Trails - an Online Trail Assessment and Listening to the Land, Sea and Each Other - A ​ Trail Auditing Platform Walking Journey in Iceland Galeo Saintz Henry Fletcher Masar Ibrahim al-Khalil - Walk a Path of History, Moderated by Jeremy Wimpey ​ ​ ​ ​ Experience Nature and Hospitality Thomas van Gool Discussion and Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: World Trails Network International Task Team - Trails and Culture Moderated by Hüseyin Eryurt ​ ​ 12:15 Coffee and Tea Break 12:45 Session 3A Trails and Management Session 3B Special Session ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Role and Best Practices of Waymarking Trails and Nature András J. Molnár Trails are critical to all Protected Areas. They give Management and Promotion of the Pilgrims access to the public, communicate the value of the Routes of St. James over 25 years conserved area, foster a new generation of nature Rafael Sánchez Bargiela custodians and establish nature connection. Developing the Wild Atlantic Way Coastal Trail Moderated discussion to share examples and Brian Quinn develop best practices and develop 12:45 recommendations. | Scientific Planning Procedures of Wilderness 14:15 Trails Leon Hugo Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: Managing National and Long Distance Scenic World Trails Network Trails International Task Team - Trails and Nature Nathan Reigner Moderated by Kerstin Stender Ecologically Sensitive Trail Design and ​ Construction for Communities and Culture Nick Bowman Moderated by Nathan Reigner ​ 14:15 Break - Please explore the many cafes and restaurants close to the venue for lunch. 16:00 Time Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 1 - 1st Floor Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 2 - 3rd Floor Session 4A Pilgrimage Routes and Trails Session 4B Special Session ​ ​ ​ ​ Paths of Pilgrimage for Hope and a Culture of Towns and Trails Peace - a network of routes for the Near East ​ Urban trails are an essential city infrastructure Paolo Caucci von Saucken addressing issues from transportation to recreation The Protection of the Natural and Cultural and wellbeing. Heritage of the Way of St. James in Galicia ● Making the Connection for Conservation María del Carmen Martínez Ínsua ● Connecting Trails for Transport Tamshui-Kavalan Historical and Cultural Routes - Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & the Long-Distance Trails Relinking History standards of the: Sheng-Hsin Chou World Trails Network 16:00 Pilgrimage Trail Network and Events in Central International Task Team - Trails and Cities | Europe - Current State & Past Experiences ​ Moderated by Kate Harbour and Kara Wooldrik 17:30 András J. Molnár ​ The Way of St Francis of Assisi - A True Italian ​ Walking Experience Gianluigi Bettin Literary Geography and Travel Diaries - Exploring ​ connections through the lens of Female Pilgrims’ on the Camino de Santiago Lucrezia Lopez GR22 Trail - Historical Villages of Portugal Manuel Franco Moderated by Paulo Caucci von Saucken ​ 18:00 Optional Free Trip to City Gardens 20:00 20:00 Camino Fiesta - Party and Drinks / Street Party 22:00 Venue – Hostal Parador dos Reis Católicos (Square of Obradoiro). Included in Conference fee. ​ DAY 3 - Friday, 28 September 2018 ​ st rd Time Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 1 – 1 ​ Floor Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 2 – 3 ​ Floor ​ ​ Session 5A Trails Sustainability Session 5B Trails and Tourism ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Investigating Trail Alignment Measurement Hikers Friendly Hotels - An Act of Responsibility Methods - Improve Understanding of Trail Fivos Tsaravopoulos ​ Sustainability, Appalachian National Scenic Trail The Brazilian System of Long Distance Trails. A