View the full conference program Franklin Program. ***Updated 6/19
Conference tracks and workshop sessions are as follows:
Cultivating and Sustaining Community Support for Our Trails
- Creating Active Wellness Programs Trails are important connections for mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Partnerships for highlighting the health benefits of Trails can help invite new audiences to experience them. Programs such as Trail Fit, Walk2Connect, and resources such as Healthy Parks Healthy People will be highlighted as part of this workshop session. Jonathon Stalls - Tony Turnbow
- Understanding our Trails from the Inside Out Trails connect people with communities all across the United States. As pathways for exploring natural or historical routes these trails also bring travelers into contact with local businesses, cross school playgrounds and engage leaders. This panel discussion will delve into how trail organizations can enhance trail communities through unique partnerships while building awareness and growing a base of support. Julie Judkins - William Prince - Luke Kloberdanz
- Youth Apprentice Presentations Listen in as our trail apprentices discuss their visions for the future of our National Trails System. Through a series of short presentations, 10 minutes or less, we’ll hear innovative ideas aimed at engaging younger generations for decades to come. Expect to leave feeling inspired and energized.
- Working with Tribes and Engaging Native People to Help Build and Sustain our Trails AFS It’s Our Trail, Too: Recreating the Ancestral Landscape on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail in Western North Carolina—Oral traditions passed down to contemporary Eastern Cherokee tribal members have imprinted a vivid image of their ancestor’s besiege during the Trail of Tears era. By working with a diverse group of partners, the North Carolina Trail of Tears Association incorporates historical, genealogical, anthropological, and archeological accounts of the natural and cultural heritage of the Eastern Cherokee in “retelling” the stories of their forefathers. This approach has resulted in new opportunities for tribal experiences on the Trail. Melba Checote-Eads - Anita Finger-Smith - Troy Poteete - Ryan Spring
- The Balance of Managing Trails for Experience and Telling our Stories This panel style workshop will discuss how the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy are planning with film makers and trail management partners to prepare for the effects of release of major motion pictures featuring our national trails such as Wild and A Walk in the Woods. Liz Bergeron - Mike Dawson - Morgan Sommerville
- New Technologies to Interpret and Market our Trails in the 21st Century Technology in the 21st century will make it possible to map and interpret trails in way we can only begin to imagine. Representatives of leading companies in smart phone interpretation will discuss the products that are currently available and new technologies that are in the planning stages. Speakers will also have a dialogue with trail members about the information trails need to provide and the products that can be developed to provide that information. Tim Roberts - Kevin Dooley
Preserving Special Places and Protecting Trail Resources and Settings
- Mapping Trail Resources, Corridors, and Landscapes
To be able to protect the integrity of our national scenic and historic trails and the resources along them requires accurate mapping of their location and cataloging of those resources. This work is at various stages of completion along the 30 national scenic and historic trails. Several new technologies can make mapping trails and cataloging resources easier. Learn about these new developments, how the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and resources are being mapped, and about progress on several “on-the-ground” projects along historic trails in the west. Jeff Allenby - Kimberly Williams - Steve Burns
- Preserving Landscapes Along National Trails
National scenic and historic trails lead through a succession of local landscapes that are nested within regional and national landscapes. The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail provides the core linkages for a plan to conserve the watershed of Chesapeake Bay. Long-distance national trails can provide migration routes and habitat connectors for wildlife while providing recreation for humans, if adequate corridors are designed for them. Using national trails to help preserve watersheds, wildlife corridors, and natural ecosystems provide opportunities for many fruitful collaborations with individuals and organizations with interests very different than our traditional trail champions. Learn about how these added dimensions of preservation are being implemented on some national trails and how you can adapt these approaches for your trail. Jeff Allenby - Kimberly Williams - Nicole Wooten
- Using Federal Policy & Planning to Protect Trail Corridors
Several new federal policies and practices provide new tools for protecting the integrity of national scenic and historic trails and the resources along them. Learn how implementation of the new Forest Service Planning Rule Directives and the BLM’s National Trails Management Policies will define management corridors, address resource protection, and provide for consistency along them. The Bureau of Land Management is leading in the development of protocols to assure appropriate and sufficient mitigation for damage that energy generation and transmission do to national scenic and historic trails. Also learn about the latest configuration of the Federal Transportation Program that has provided billions of dollars to develop trails over the past 25 years. Learn how to use these policies, practices, and programs to benefit your national trail. Paul Arndt - Kevin Keeler - Rob Sweeten - Christopher Douwes
- Successful Trail Protection Using Land Trusts, Trail Organizations, and Agency Partners Protecting trails is not easy. Permanent trail protection requires acquisition of some interest in land, by some entity – by a land trust, a county historical society, a foundation, a county government, or a state or federal agency. Both national scenic and national historic trails face the challenges of how to acquire lands with limited financial resources, and how to manage lands that are acquired with limited financial resources. National scenic trails also face the challenge of continuity: how do you protect a linear resource spanning hundreds, if not thousands, of miles? And national historic trails face the challenge of protecting high potential sites and segments, when these resources often have not been clearly identified or documented. In this session, we will focus on these challenges: how do you acquire land with limited financial resources, on a voluntary basis, from willing sellers, to protect critical resources along a national scenic or national historic trail? Don Owen - Mike Wollmer - Kate Wanner - Jay Leutze - Don King - Chuck Roe
- How to Plan for and Manage New Lands for National Trails Agency trail administrators and trail organizational partners are faced with significant challenges when it comes to managing national scenic and historic trails. Three of the most significant challenges facing Trail managers are: How do we decide what lands need to be protected? Who is going to hold title to the land? And, who is responsible for management of these lands once they are protected? These questions are, in most cases, joined at the hip. Whoever makes the decision about protecting the land is usually the entity that holds title to the land; and whoever holds title to the land usually is responsible for management of the land. In this session, we will focus on tools and processes that will help agency trail administrators and trail organizational partners solve these complex issues, and plan and act for the future management of lands that are critical to managing national scenic and national historic trails. Don Owen - Mike Dawson - Franklin Lafond - Jeff Allenby - Gary Werner - Rita Hennessy
- Making National Historic Trail Retracement Trails The Oregon-California Trails Association and Santa Fe Trail Association are partnering in the Kansas City area to build recreational trail in their shared 40-mile corridor from the original steamship landing in Sugar Creek, Missouri to the point where the Santa Fe Trail breaks away from the Oregon-California Trail just west of Gardner, Kansas. By partnering with the National Park Service, Kansas City Area Historic Trails Association, the eight affected communities, two county and two state governments, and numerous neighborhood associations and private individuals, the two trail associations are endeavoring to connect up the remaining historic sites along the route with a well-interpreted, well-signed, completely accessible hiking/biking trail. This workship will also address the past, present, and future of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. The trail is legislated to follow Old Natchez Trace segments where feasible and to be managed by volunteer groups. Recent efforts include the development of 3.5 miles of Old Natchez Trace into a new segment of Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail and creating a more cohesive trail identification program by installing new signage and renaming the trails to reflect geographic locations and cultural associations. Present and future opportunities involve utilizing volunteer groups to develop a new 22 mile trail section, spanning north from the Meriwether Lewis site to the southern trail-head of the Highland Rim section of the trail. Travis Boley - Ross Marshall - Tony Turnbow - Greg Smith
Strengthening Our Trail Organizations and Our Trail Communities
- Successful Fundraising Tips for Small Organizations Let’s face it: everyone needs to raise money for their trail organization. If you are an all-volunteer organization or have only one or a part-time staff person, how do you do it? How do you organize and run an effective fundraising program when you have a hundred other things to do? This workshop will provide some basic fundraising tools and take-away messages for volunteers and staff who are not full-time fundraisers. We, also, will talk about new ways to attract younger generations and how to build membership in a rapidly changing world. Come join us for an interactive discussion about making new friends and raising money, and having fun doing it! Steve Gonzales - Teresa Martinez - Don Owen
- Youth Service Programs from our Federal Partners
From the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC) and Every Kid in the Park to Walk of the War, there are a wide variety of federal initiatives designed to reach the next generation of conservation stewards. Join representatives of the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service for an informative conversation outlining the different ways your organization can participate in, and benefit from, these and other important youth and veteran engagement efforts. Michelle Mitchell - Rita Hennessy - Rob Sweeten
- Youth Apprentice Presentations Listen in as our trail apprentices discuss their visions for the future of our National Trails System. Through a series of short presentations, 10 minutes or less, we’ll hear innovative ideas aimed at engaging younger generations for decades to come. Expect to leave feeling inspired and energized.
- Working with Youth and Technology to Promote Our Trails It can be a daunting task to understand and utilize technology -- but’s it’s important in today’s fast-paced world. This workshop will help participants make the most of technology on behalf of our national trails – including tips for better outreach, organization, marketing and more. We will be speaking about this topic in a friendly, entertaining manner and will get to the nitty-gritty of the challenges we all face. Youth participants will be on hand to help design specific ways for involving youth and diverse communities in your projects. The priority is for participants to emerge with practical ideas that can be put to use right away. Helpful handouts and a free ebook will be given to all attendees. Bill Buck - Allison Williams
- Bringing Our Trail History to Life This session will discuss how agencies and non-profits are bringing our trail stories to life for youth. The Oregon-California Trails Association will discuss original trail diaries being used to create new curriculum for all 1,000 8th graders. A recap of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail “Walking Classroom”, which took place this spring, will also be featured. Travis Boley - Audrey Elder - Kelsy Sackrey - Melissa English-Rias - Trail Apprentices
- Using Meetup Groups and Social Media to Engage Communities in Trails With an aging population of outdoor enthusiasts, volunteers, and donors, it's important that organizations continue to tap into the younger crowd. How can technology be effectively used to reach this demographic? What tools and skills are required? Join these leaders from outdoor adventure clubs as they describe their use of social media and other new technology to grow an audience. Keeley Reed - Jonathon Stalls - Kelly Stewart
- Welcome Welcome to Franklin, central Tennessee, the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail and the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. This plenary will feature an overview of the Conference, welcome from Choctaw speaker—Kirk Perry—and the National Park System on the eve of 100 years-—perspectives and aspirations from Jon Jarvis, Director, National Park Service. Jon Jarvis
- Inspiring Youthful Passion For Trails at 9 or 90 "The saddest thing I ever saw was a letter in Parade Magazine from a gentleman who said, "My wife and I are recently retired and don't know what to do next. Can you tell us how to find a passion in life?" Passion, the driving force that makes us go above and beyond limits, is readily stimulated by Nature and the Great Outdoors. When we are exposed in a pleasurable manner and shown how we can be part of a long line of stewards, our spirit awakens and the passion developed grows over a lifetime. Personally we have seen this in the young people we've mentored since they were pre-teens who've now become leading lights in conservation and outdoor recreation across the country. We've also seen it in retirees in whom a dormant enthusiasm for nature is rekindled. The ability to help spark and develop this passion is both an art and a science, and our public lands will need such passion from every age group if they are to remain public into perpetuity." Audrey Peterman
- Stand Up That Mountain This plenary will focus on the fragile nature of the experience and use of linear units, using the Appalachian Trail as the prime example. It will review current and past threats to the experience of using the AT and other public land units and National Trails. In addition, it will discuss viewshed and soundscapes and will tell stories related to trail protection, including some success stories. Jay Leutze
In addition to indoor workshops, attendees will be given to opportunity to partake in mobile workshops along the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. The field trips being offered this year are as follows:
- Interpretation of Three National Trails
- Trail Fit
- Cycling Safety Along the Parkway
- Trail Design and Building
Learn more about our mobile workshops.
