Rails To Trails Conservancy

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

TRAIL DEVELOPMENT: SINCE ITS INCEPTION, RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY HAS WORKED TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC CORRIDORS AND RIGHTS OF WAY TO CREATE SAFE WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO WALK, BIKE AND BE ACTIVE OUTSIDE-CREATING EQUITABLE, VIBRANT PUBLIC SPACES THAT ENGAGE, INSPIRE AND EMPOWER COMMUNITIES FROM COAST TO COAST. THIS WORK EMBODIES BEST PRACTICES AND LEADING EDGE INITIATIVES TO GUIDE TRAIL DEVELOPMENT IN WAYS THAT PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF TRAILS, BRING INNOVATION TO TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING, AND SHIFT THE PHILOSOPHY OF TRAIL DEVELOPMENT TO FOCUS ON THE CONNECTIVITY THAT TRAILS CAN DELIVER BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PLACES.TRAILNATION PROJECT PORTFOLIO IS FOCUSED ON EIGHT PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DIVERSE IN THEIR GEOGRAPHY, CULTURE, SIZE AND SCOPE-SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN, THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, THE INDUSTRIAL HEARTLAND (WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, WEST VIRGINIA, OHIO AND NEW YORK STATE), GREATER PHILADELPHIA, BALTIMORE, WASHINGTON, D.C., MIAMI AND NEW ENGLAND. THE LESSONS FROM TRAILNATION ARE SHARED AMONG THE CONSERVANCY'S TRAILNATION COLLABORATIVE, A NATIONWIDE PEER LEARNING COMMUNITY FROM RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY THAT BRINGS TOGETHER ADVOCATES, LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS DISCIPLINES TO ESTABLISH AND ACCELERATE TRAIL NETWORKS ACROSS AMERICA. THE COLLABORATIVE PROVIDES PROVEN TOOLS, METHODS AND RESOURCES, COMBINED WITH THE CONSERVANCY'S EXPERTISE AND NETWORK OF PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONNECTED TRAIL SYSTEMS.THE CONSERVANCY'S OTHER FLAGSHIP TRAIL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE IS THE GREAT AMERICAN RAIL-TRAIL, WHICH SPANS 3,700 MILES BETWEEN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND WASHINGTON STATE. THE CONSERVANCY PROVIDES THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND ON-THE-GROUND SUPPORTTHE WORK TO ORGANIZE PEOPLE, PLANS AND IDEAS; TRAIL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT; THE ADVOCACY AND MARKETING THAT IS NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE GREAT AMERICAN RAIL-TRAIL.IN ADDITION, THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT TRAIL BUILDERS NATIONWIDE IN VARIOUS WAYS, INCLUDING MANAGING AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM TO NOTIFY STAKEHOLDER OF UPCOMING RAILWAY ABANDONMENTS; CREATING STATEWIDE TRAIL INVENTORIES AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS; PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GRANTS FOR LOCAL TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS; AND PROVIDING BEST PRACTICES TRAINING AND EDUCATION.

PUBLIC INFORMATION/EVENTS: THE CONSERVANCY SERVES AS THE VOICE OF THE TRAILS MOVEMENT, SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF TRAILS, ENCOURAGING THEIR USE AND GENERATING DEMAND FOR TRAILS NATIONWIDE.THE CONSERVANCY'S FLAGSHIP INITIATIVE, TRAILLINK.COM SERVED MILLIONS OF VISITORS IN 2023 PROVIDING ACCESS TO MORE THAN 5,300 TRAILS REPRESENTING 41,000 MILES THROUGH ITS WEBSITE AND 5- STAR RATED APPS. THIS TRAIL CONTENT IS ALSO OFFERED IN A SERIES OF PRINT GUIDEBOOKS.THROUGH STORYTELLING AND DIRECT ENGAGEMENT, THE CONSERVANCY SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT TRAILS ACROSS A VARIETY OF PUBLIC CHANNELS THAT COLLECTIVELY REACH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING ITS MAGAZINE, MONTHLY ENEWS, SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITE, NEWS MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS. THE CONSERVANCY ALSO SPEARHEADS TRAIL USE CAMPAIGNS AND EVENTS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE AND INSPIRE THE PUBLIC TO USE TRAILS, INCLUDING OUR CELEBRATE TRAILS DAY EVENT; TRAIL MOMENTS CAMPAIGN, SHOWCASING STORIES OF HOW TRAILS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S DAILY LIVES; AND SHARE THE TRAIL CAMPAIGN, PROMOTING TRAIL ETIQUETTE AND SAFETY.

TRAIL POLICY: AS THE NATION'S FOREMOST ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FOR TRAILS AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, THE CONSERVANCY SEEKS TO GROW AND SAFEGUARD PUBLIC FUNDING FOR TRAILS, WALKING AND BICYCLING AT EVERY LEVEL - FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL - ENSURING THE INVESTMENTS NEEDED TO CREATE A TRANSFORMATIVE 21ST-CENTURY ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN AMERICA AND PROMOTING POLICIES THAT MAKE TRAIL BUILDING POSSIBLE.AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE CONSERVANCY LEADS EFFORTS TO GROW AND PROTECT THE LEGACY TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM (WHICH INCLUDES THE RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM) - THE LARGEST SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE - AND ADVOCATES FOR INNOVATIONS IN PUBLIC FUNDING INCLUDING CHAMPIONING THE NEW ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PROGRAM, WHICH ESTABLISHES COMPETITIVE GRANTS THAT WILL STRATEGICALLY INVEST IN PROJECTS THAT CONNECT TRAILS AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.AS THE COUNTRY'S ONLY NATIONAL ORGANIZATION SOLELY COMMITTED TO DEFENDING THE PRESERVATION OF FORMER RAILROAD CORRIDORS FOR CONTINUED PUBLIC USE, THE CONSERVANCY HAS HELPED SHAPE THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK AROUND RAIL-TRAILS AND CONTINUES TO DEFEND THE FEDERAL RAILBANKING STATUTE IN CONGRESS AND THE COURTS AS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL TO PRESERVE UNUSED RAIL CORRIDORS. THE CONSERVANCY ALSO MONITORS LITIGATION ON CASES INVOLVING ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL LAWS RELATED TO RAILBANKING.