Webinars

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Join us for our webinar series aimed at providing relevant information and best practices as they pertain to the work of non-profit and Federal agency partners in sustaining the National Trails System (NTS).

Webinar Archive

Please visit our Webinar Archive page to view recordings of past webinars hosted by PNTS.

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Mark your calendar

Agents of Discovery: Increase Visitor Engagement on your Trail using 3D Learning Platforms 
March 19, 2024  1:00–2:00 PM ET 

Overview:  Join PNTS to learn how you can increase awareness and visitor engagement on your trail, public lands, sites, preserve, museum or nature center with Agents of Discovery‘s 3D learning platform that uses augmented reality to engage players with their environment.

The Agents of Discovery platform is free for players to download, offers offline play, and allows players to choose their language of play. You will learn how to transform your stories and content into interactive augmented reality (AR) experiences by creating missions. The platform and examples of missions will be demonstrated during the webinar, including a mission created for the Nez Perce (Nee Me Poo) National Historic Trail. We will also discuss partnerships with federal agencies like the USDA Forest Service and Agents of Discovery work with underserved communities. There will be time for Q&A about the 3D learning platform. 

Speakers: 

Anna Scheck, Sales Team Lead, Agents of Discovery

My name is Anna and I am the Partnerships Team Lead for Agents of Discovery. I have been on the team for 2 years and have been involved in bringing on many notable partners. I hold a BSc in General Science from the University of British Columbia. Originally from California, I enjoy hiking and skiing. I love to see Agents of Discovery partners turn screen time into green time, getting people of all ages out exploring parks, trails, and more. It’s great to see the different ways that the Agents of Discovery platform is used in natural areas, open spaces, trails, and more!

 

 

 

 

 

Alice Sambatti, Partnerships Specialist, Agents of Discovery
My name is Alice and I hold a BA in Economics from the University of British Columbia. I first started at Agents of Discovery in 2021 as a sales intern, and am now one of the senior partnerships team members. During my time here, I have brought in a diverse portfolio of clients, ranging from small organizations all the way to state agencies, all of whom use Agents in a myriad of ways due to the platform’s versatility and customizability. It’s great to see your customers not only join the network but have them continue as clients for many years. That definitely brings a smile to my face!

 

 

 

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April 2024

Southeast Conservation Blueprint for Ecosystem Resilience 
April 23, 2024  3:00–4:00 PM ET 

Overview:  Join PNTS to hear from Hilary Morris with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) partnership, a regional conservation initiative working to design and achieve a connected network of lands and waters across the Southeast and Caribbean.

Hilary will provide an overview of the Southeast Conservation Blueprint, a living, spatial plan that identifies priority areas for shared conservation action across the region. The Blueprint is based on a suite of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine indicators, as well as a connectivity analysis.
 
You will also see examples of how the Blueprint is being used to strengthen grant proposals and inform decisions by more than 350 people from over 140 organizations. So far, the Blueprint has helped bring in more than $100 million in conservation funding to protect and restore over 200,000 acres.

Speaker: 

Hilary Morris

Hilary is a User Support Specialist for the Southeast Conservation Blueprint and also serves as the communications lead for the Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy (SECAS) partnership. She received a B.S.in Biology and B.A. in Environmental Science and Policy from Duke University and an M.S. in Natural Resources from NC State University. Her graduate research focused on forestry extension and the attitudes of professional foresters toward climate change.

Hilary has ten years of experience working in landscape scale conservation and science communication in the Southeast. She is passionate about connecting lands and waters to support thriving ecosystems, fish and wildlife populations, and communities. She believes in the power of strong partnerships, innovative science, and user-friendly tools to bring together the conservation community to achieve shared goals. Hilary was born and raised in North Carolina and lives in Raleigh with her husband Jay and their cats. When she’s not working, you can usually find her at choir rehearsal, on the soccer field, or in her garden. 

 

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March 2024

The Role of Mega Trails in Nature Conservation
March 6, 2024  3:00–4:00 PM ET 

Overview:  Join PNTS to learn about Ernesto Viveiros de Castro’s PhD research that evaluates the contribution of mega trails to nature conservation. The research tests three arguments frequently used in favor of trails:

1) trails generate a sense of place, connection to nature and pro-environmental behavior in users;

2) Trails generate opportunities, benefits and wealth in gateway communities; and,

3) trails can serve as ecological corridors.

Based on extensive surveys and more than 600 interviews along the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails, the study combines different approaches and also discusses the special scale of these potential benefits of mega trails. There will be time for Q&A.

You can read the full report here: A Path to Nature Conservation: The Role of Mega Trails in Connecting Hikers, Communities, and Landscapes

Speaker: 

Ernesto Viveiros de Castro

Ernesto Viveiros de Castro is a biologist and national park manager from Brazil. He got his PhD in Interdisciplinary Ecology at University of Florida in 2023 studying the US national scenic trails. He has been working in the Brazilian federal agency for protected areas (ICMBio) for 21 years and presently he is the superintendent of Serra dos Órgãos National Park, the third oldest NP in Brazil. Ernesto is also a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA-IUCN), the IUCN Tourism Specialists Group (TAPAS-IUCN), and the World Trails Network Trails & Conservation Task Team. 

 

 

December 2023

Trail Operations Forum presentation: Communication Tools for Remote Crews & Emergency Response
December 12, 2023  3:00–4:30 PM Eastern

Overview: Join us on Tuesday, December 12th at 3:00 PM ET for a virtual discussion with both trail nonprofit and agency professionals about communication tools for remote trail crews and emergency response. The purpose is for attendees to learn about what is being done in other places, discuss challenges, and explore solutions together. This is a free event.

*This discussion is part of the PNTS Trail Operations Forum. Please visit the PNTS website to learn more about our forums and working groups. 

 

September 2023

Native Lands National Trails Project 
September 20, 2023  2:00–3:30 PM ET 

Overview: Join Partnership for the National Trails System on September 20 at 2:00 PM ET for a co-hosted webinar with the Indigenous Mapping Collective. Webinar partners include Native-Land Digital, Mapbox, and Esri. You will learn how to integrate NLNT Data Into Your Own Maps.

Native Lands, National Trails is an Indigenous mapping and research project of the Partnership for the National Trails System. This project provides a suite of resources designed to advance the National Trails System’s knowledge of Indigenous ancestral Lands through partnership and collaboration with Indigenous communities along National Scenic and Historic Trails across the United States.

Learning Objectives

  1. Learn about what the Native Lands, National Trails project is, how
    and why it was created, and how to utilize the map and resources.
  2. Gain an understanding of how to use the Native Lands,
    National Trails data within your own maps.
  3. Gain an understanding of how Esri and Mapbox hosted tilesets
    were used in the creation of the map.

Speakers: 

  • Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa, Individual Placements Coordinator, Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps 
  • Racquel Banaszak, Digital Communications & Content Creator, Native Land Digital
  • Ariana Kim, Nonprofits Account Executive, Esri

  • Marena Brinkhurst Smith, Customer Marketing & Social Impact, Mapbox

Speaker Bios
Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa
Individual Placements Coordinator, Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps 

Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa (she/her) is from the Pueblo of Zuni and Hopi tribes. Her clans are Mula bitchi:kwe (Parrot) and child of Dona:kwe (Turkey).

Kiana was raised by her grandparents and family in Zuni. She draws and holds a profound value to the traditional Zuni cultural values and ecological knowledge of the land. Etsate-Gashytewa holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from Northern Arizona University in Applied Indigenous Studies and Political Science. Kiana’s previous experience varies working with youth of diverse backgrounds with the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, NAU’s Office of Inclusion Multicultural LGBTQIA Student Services and NAU’s Upward Bound Math/Science.

Kiana is also an AmeriCorp alumna serving two terms in 2022 with ALCC’s Individual placement program. She served as the project coordinator on the Native Lands, National Trails project under the Partnership for the National Trails System. This project sought to bring awareness and to inspire meaningful engagement between Indigenous communities and various national trail organizations.

Etsate-Gashytewa now joins the ALCC Individual Placements team as a coordinator, where she is eager to provide support. Catch Kiana lifting heavy weights, cooking a good meal or spending time outside with the rez pups–Emmett Sweetie and Marlo.

 

Racquel Banaszak
Digital Communications & Content Creator, Native Land Digital

Racquel Banaszak is an Anishinaabekwe from the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe and the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe. She is the Digital Communications & Content Creator for Native Land Digital, a global Indigenous mapping organization. She is  a visual artist and public historian based in Bde Ota Othunwe/Gaakaabikaang (Minneapolis, MN). She is passionate about the ways in which Indigenous people are holding on to and reclaiming their territories, rights, and lifeways.

She is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Heritage Studies & Public History from the University of Minnesota. She earned her graduate certificate in Native American Studies from Montana State University (2018) and a Bachelor of Science in Visualization from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design (2012). She also studied Indigenous Visual Culture at the Ontario College of Art & Design University in Toronto, Canada.

 

Ariana Kim
Nonprofits Account Executive, Esri

Ari Kim (she/her) is an account executive with Esri’s Nonprofit Program where she brainstorms and develops geospatial solutions with a plethora of nonprofit organizations. She is an advocate for using GIS to create equitable and inclusive environments. Outside of work, Ari helps lead a birding group in the Twin Cities called the Urban Bird Collective, whose mission is to create safe and inclusive outdoor spaces for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals. She also enjoys playing volleyball, climbing, flag football, and going on adventures with her wife and dog

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marena Brinkhurst Smith
Customer Marketing & Social Impact, Mapbox

Marena leads Social Impact and Customer Marketing at Mapbox, where she champions Mapbox customers and the stories of what they build. Everyday, Marena explores how digital mapping and navigation technologies can support positive impact for businesses, organizations, and communities. Marena grew up in Nova Scotia and studied environmental sciences and land management before working with Indigenous communities on land use planning and land protection initiatives in Canada, Africa, and Asia. She joined Mapbox to further her exploration of geospatial tools and to support more organizations to use maps for positive impact. Marena is based in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i.

July 2023

Upcoming Grant Opportunities with National Park Trust
July 12, 2023  3:00–4:00 PM ET 

Overview: Join us to learn about upcoming grant opportunities that may benefit your trail organization. During this webinar, Ivan Levin, the Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications with the National Park Trust, will give an overview of the relevant funding opportunities, including the NPS Challenge Cost Share Program, Hydro Flask Park For All grants program, Every Kid Outdoors Small Grants Program, and the Kids to Parks Day School Grants Program.

Ivan will discuss:

  • The purpose and criteria for each grant program
  • Who can apply
  • How to apply
  • Example projects and how the programs may benefit your organization

There will be time for Q&A with Ivan about the grant programs discussed.

Learning Objectives
  • Learn more about upcoming grant opportunities that may benefit trail organizations
  • Gain an understanding of the purpose of the NPS Challenge Cost Share Program, Hydro Flask Park For All grants program, Every Kid Outdoors Small Grants Program, and the Kids to Parks Day School Grants Program
  • Learn about the criteria for each program and how to apply.

Presenter
Ivan Levin, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications, National Park Trust

Ivan is a lifetime outdoor and park enthusiast, strongly believing in the importance of connecting current and future generations to outdoor places and experiences. Growing up in southeast Virginia, Ivan spent his childhood playing in the Chesapeake Bay and exploring local parks and swamps. Now as a dad of two, Ivan and his family make a point to spend as much time outside as possible and to visit national parks throughout the year – the family’s favorite being Rocky Mountain National Park.

As the Park Trust’s Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications, Ivan looks for new partnership opportunities, deepens relationships with current partners, oversees communications, runs external grants and funding opportunities, and identifies ways to innovate programming and expand reach.

Before joining the Park Trust, Ivan was the Deputy Director of the Outdoor Foundation, overseeing all of the Foundation’s grantmaking, engagement and activation programs, research, and many strategic partnerships. He is a frequent speaker on how to engage young adults in outdoor activities and connect them to green spaces and public lands. Ivan is also an adjunct faculty member at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA with the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism and is an alumnus of the Salzburg Global Seminar’s session on Parks for the Planet. Ivan holds a BS in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism with a concentration in outdoor recreation from Radford University and a Masters in Recreation Resource Management from Frostburg State University.

 

May 2023

Preserving the Stories of the North Country National Scenic Trail
May 16, 2023  1:00–2:00 PM ET 

Overview: Join us on Tuesday, May 16 to learn about how the North Country Trail Association has elevated interpretation, engagement, and promotion along the North Country National Scenic Trail by preserving the stories and experiences along the trail.

During this webinar, Kate Lemon, the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the North Country Trail Association (NCTA), will give an overview of how NCTA worked with StoryCorps to record oral stories on the North Country Scenic Trail.

StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization that works with people and organizations to record a diverse array of stories across the country. StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.

The session will also cover:

  • How the project on the North Country Trail started 
  • NCTA’s experience working with StoryCorps 
  • What has gone into completing the project
  • How the project will benefit the trail and how it may provide similar benefits to other trail organizations 

There will be time for Q&A with Kate about their StoryCorps project

Learning Objectives
  • Gain a greater understanding of how an oral story project can benefit National Historic and Scenic Trails
  • Learn more about how the North Country Trail Association’s experience working with StoryCorps on an oral story project 
  • Explore how a similar project could be created for other trail organizations.

Presenter
Kate Lemon, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, North Country Trail Association

Kate Lemon has been the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) since May 2018. She manages the NCTA website, social media channels, and targeted email communications. She is also the editor of the North Star membership magazine, and is responsible for marketing materials, branding information, and media inquiries. Prior to her work for the NCTA, Kate worked in a research grant proposal office at Penn State University. She also worked with environmental nonprofits and state government in Colorado, and served as an AmeriCorps VISTA. You can usually find her somewhere outside with her husband Jake and their two sons, Gus and Theo.

 

April 2023

Trail Operations Forum presentation: 2023 USDA Forest Service Saw Program Updates
April 4, 2023 2:00–3:00 PM ET 

Overview: Hear from from Pete Duncan, the National Saw Program Manager with the Forest Service about the most recent updates to the Forest Service Saw Program. This is a free event.

*This presentation is part of the PNTS Trail Operations Forum. Please visit the PNTS website to learn more about our forums and working groups. 

 

March 2023

Trail Operations Forum presentation: Interagency Visitor Use Management Council Overview & Guidance 
March 8, 2023 2:00–3:00 PM ET 

Overview: Hear from Maureen Finnerty, the Visitor Use Management Project Manager with the National Park Service, about the Interagency Visitor Use Management (VUM) Council. The council VUM framework and related guidance will be discussed. This is a free event.

Interagency Visitor Use Management Council Overview provided on https://visitorusemanagement.nps.gov: Six federal agencies—the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—collaborate on the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council. Council collaboration is designed to increase awareness of and commitment to proactive, professional, and science-based visitor use management on federally-managed lands and waters.

*This presentation is part of the PNTS Trail Operations Forum. Please visit the PNTS website to learn more about our forums and working groups. 

 


 

Using a Traveling Map Exhibit for Engagement and Promotion on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
March 14, 2023 3:00–4:00 PM ET 

Overview:  Join us on Tuesday, March 14 to learn about how the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation traveling map exhibit, Reimagining America: The Maps of Lewis and Clark, has elevated interpretation, engagement, and promotion along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.  

The traveling exhibit is available to libraries, museums, and visitor centers. It uses large-scale reproductions of historic maps, photos, and explanatory text to show how America looked before the journey of Lewis and Clark, and what it looked like after.

During this session presenters will give an overview of how the traveling exhibit project has benefited the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and help attendees explore how a similar project could benefit other trail organizations.The session will also cover::

  • How the project started and the importance of research and partnerships 
  • How the project was funded 
  • The process for implementing and managing the project
  • How similar projects on other trails could be created

There will be time for Q&A with presenters about the traveling exhibit project. 

Learning Objectives
  • Gain a greater understanding of how an educational and interpretive project such as the traveling map exhibit, Reimagining America: The Maps of Lewis and Clark, can benefit National Historic and Scenic Trails
  • Learn more about how the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation traveling map exhibit was created and managed
  • Explore how a similar project could be created for other trail organizations.

Presenters
Carolyn Gilman, curator of Lewis and Clark: The National Bicentennial Exhibition, Author of Lewis and Clark: Across the Divide

Carolyn Gilman is author of seven books on aspects of Native American and western history, including Lewis and Clark: Across the Divide and The Way to Independence. She has worked as a museum exhibit developer at the Minnesota Historical Society, the Missouri History Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution). Currently, she works as a museum consultant in Washington, DC. She has been a guest lecturer at the Library of Congress, Harvard University, and Monticello, and has been interviewed on All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation, History Detectives, the History Channel, and countless local television and radio shows. Her history books have won the Missouri Governor’s Humanities Award, the Missouri Conference on History Best Book Award, the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award, the Outstanding Academic Book of the Year award from Choice magazine, and the Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History

 

 

 

Sarah Cawley, Executive Director, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation

Sarah is the Executive Director of LCTHF. She joined the team in 2020 after working for the Sawtooth Interpretive and Historical Association (SIHA) as their director. Sarah has a Bachelor’s of Science from the State University of New York, College for Environmental Science and Forestry, in Environmental Education and Interpretation, and a minor in Recreational and Visitor Management. She graduated in 2016 and immediately knew that she had to move out west. Although Sarah’s background is in education, she managed the Stanley Museum in Stanley, ID with SIHA. This is where her passion for history molded with her passion for education. When the opportunity came up to work for LCTHF, there was no way she could turn it down. The Lewis and Clark story is such an incredible part of US history, and helping tell it to folks around the world is an opportunity of a lifetime.

 

 

January 2023

Hike the Hill® 2023 Virtual Issue Briefings January 23-27, 2023

During January 2023 PNTS, in collaboration with American Hiking Society, will offer a series of issue briefings on topics of importance to the trails community.

January 23, 2023 2:00–3:00pm ET — Welcome Session and Congress 101

Hike the HillⓇ Welcome Session: This session will be a Welcome Session immediately followed by Congress 101/Preview of the 118th Congress Briefing.

Congress 101/Preview of 118th Congress: Overview of the new Congress including Republican control of the House of Representative, new committee leadership, and potential legislative focus in 2023.

Presenters: Tyler Ray, Senior Director for Programs and Advocacy, American Hiking Society

January 24, 2023 2:00–2:30pm ET — National Trust for Historic Preservation Legislative Priorities 

Learn about trust for Historic Preservation legislative priorities pertaining to National Trails for 2023, including efforts to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail.

Presenter: Pam Bowman, Senior Director, Public Lands Policy, National Trust for Historic Preservation

January 24, 2023 3:00–4:00pm ET — National Parks Conservation Association Legislative Priorities 

Presenter: Christina Hazard, Legislative Director, National Park Conservation Association

January 25, 2023 2:00–3:00pm ET — Appropriations Overview 

Learn about the current status of FY24 appropriations for trails and the specific asks to make to congressional offices for trail funding.

Presenters:

  • Emily Douce, Deputy Vice President for Government Affairs, National Park Conservation Association
  • Tyler Ray, Senior Director for Programs and Advocacy, American Hiking Society
  • Valerie Rupp, Executive Director, Partnership for the National Trails System
  • Mark Larabee, Advocacy Director, Pacific Crest Trail Association
January 25, 2023 4:00–5:00pm ET — Land Acquisition and Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Updates

Presenters:

  • Amy Lindholm, LWCF Coalition Manager/Northeast Regional Coordinator, Appalachian Mountain Club
  • Brendan Mysliwiec, Director of Federal Policy, Appalachian Trail Conservancy
January 26, 2023 4:00–5:00pm ET — National Historic & Scenic Trail Legislation 

 

December 2022

Title: Thoughts from the Next Generation: The Trail Apprentice Program, Career Interests, and Barriers Experienced by Young Professionals 

Date: December 13, 2022 3:00–4:00 PM ET 

Overview: Join PNTS to hear from PNTS’s Trail Apprentices about what their career interests are and what brought them to the program. They will also share about barriers to getting involved with trails as a young professional and possible solutions to overcome these barriers.

Panelists: Paola Hinojosa, Melissa Olivar, Callum Cintron, Maura Hanley, Lisette Perez, María Rodríguez, Karly Toledo

Learn more about the 2022 Trail Apprentices

 

November 2022

Title: Engagement & Education with the Indigenous Mapping & Research Project 

Date: November 15, 2022 1:00–2:15 PM ET 

Overview: 

Learn about the Indigenous and ancestral lands your trail or public land overlaps with and how to engage with these communities through the resources and map created with PNTS’s Indigenous mapping and research project (IMRP). The IMRP map showcases the intersection of ancestral lands and national trails and their relationship with Indigenous lands. The IMRP provides resources to help advance National Trail System awareness and education of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship.

During this presentation you will learn about how to use the map and utilize resources to understand where Indigenous communities and ancestral lands are located and who you may need to engage when beginning projects on your trails or public lands. You will also learn about:

  • What national trails have been doing with Indigenous nations

  • What meaningful engagement looks like

  • The importance of Indigenous data sovereignty

  • How this project began including how important partnerships were to its success

  • How your organization may be able to continue this work

Partners of this project include Partnership for the National Trails System, Native Land Digital, Bureau of Land Management and Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps

October 2022

Title: Engaging Trail Users through Interactive Mapping with TERRAIN360™

Presenters: Ryan Abrahamsen, Owner, TERRAIN360™

Date: October 11, 2022 2:00–3:00 PM ET

Overview: Learn about how TERRAIN360™ can create street-level imagery for your hiking, biking, auto-route, waterway or ecologically sensitive location. TERRAIN360™ is a small business that provides fully customizable surface-level image maps aimed at pushing the boundaries of interactive cartography and engage users with a tool that not only inspires a love of the outdoors, but also serves as a useful barometer of the challenges these precious spaces face on a daily basis. During this presentation you will learn about how TERRAIN360™ is working with partners to create 360 imagery for the trail, waterways, and auto routes along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. You will also learn about:

  • How the project with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail could translate to other National Trails or public lands

  • Benefits of having your trail or land mapped by TERRAIN360™, including, but not limited to, press, tourism, showcasing ecologically sensitive areas, digitally comparing locations over time, and integration into apps or GIS tools with video, audio, images & stories

  • How you can use TERRAIN360™ to potentially work with Indigenous communities to map culturally significant resources

  • Where funding opportunities could exist for you to work with TERRAIN360™ to create a map for your trail or lands

There will be time to ask questions and discuss potential projects with Ryan.

 

September 2022

Title: Part 3: Tribal Engagement: Distinguishing Consultation from Coordination

Presenters:

  • Amanda Grace Santos, Cultural Resource Assistant, Forest Service, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
  • Melissa Twaroski, Coordinator, Trail of Tears MOA Implementation, U.S. Forest Service, Southern Region, Regional Office
  • Sheila Bird, Pricinpal Consultant at Kituwah Nighthawk Consulting, LLC
  • Bruce Rettig, Tribal Content Developer, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, Inc
  • Sandra Broncheau-Mcfarland, Trail Administrator, Nez Perce (Nee-MePoo) National Historic Trail, U.S. Forest Service

Date: September 29, 2022 3:00–4:30 PM EDT

Overview: Learn about the differences between Tribal consultation, coordination, and engagement, and the responsibilities of different entities to engage in each practice. Hear about successes, failures, and best practices for engaging Indigenous communities from an Indigenous perspective.  Resources for this training. 

Find PNTS’ Tribal Consultation Webinar Series recordings in our webinar archive.

 

August 2022

Title: Part 2: Foundations of Tribal Consultation & Visions of Its Future 

Presenters:

  • Susan Johnson, Tribal Project Coordinator, Forest and Rangeland Management & Vegetation Ecology, WO-NFS, Forest Service
  • Eric Chiasson, Regional Tribal Liaison, Tribal and Cultural Affairs-Region 1, National Park Service

Date and Time: August 24, 2022 3:00 – 4:30 PM EDT

Overview: Hear from Susan Johnson (Tribal Project Coordinator, U.S. Forest Service) and Eric Chiasson (Regional Tribal Liaison, Tribal and Cultural Affairs-Region 1, National Park Service) about the history of Tribal consultation, the basics of the process, examples of Tribal consultation on National Trails, the cultural injustice inherent in the process, and what it could look like in the future.

Watch the recording now

 

July 2022

Title: Part 1: Foundations of Federal Indian Law 

Presenter: Brett Lee Shelton (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Senior Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund; Joe M. Tenorio, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund

Date and Time: July 13, 2022 3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT

Overview: In this training you will hear from Brett Lee Shelton (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Senior Staff Attorney and Joe M. Tenorio, Staff Attorney with the Native American Rights Fund about the history of Tribal – U.S. Government relations, Federal Indian Law, recent trends in federal Indian Affairs, and Tribal perspectives regarding protection and access to Sacred Places. You’ll walk away with an understanding of the main components of Federal Indian Law, how your work relates to it, and what your responsibilities are in Tribal engagement.

Watch the recording now

 

PNTS would like to extend a special thank you to the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service for their leadership in making the Tribal Consultation Webinar Series possible.

 

June 2022

Title: Addressing Disparities in Outdoor Access & Inclusion

Presenters: Ruby J. Rodríguez, Director of Programs and Operations, Latino Outdoors & Chalonda Jasper, Partnership and Volunteer Coordinator for the National Forests in Florida, U.S. Forest Service

Date and Time: June 6, 2022, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Overview: The COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst for many in the U.S. to discover or re-engage with outdoor recreation. However, a recent study published in Land reports that the increase in recreation was primarily among white people while recreation among people of color decreased. The study highlights the ongoing disparities in access and inclusion in the outdoors and the crucial need for solutions.

In this webinar, presenters will discuss the necessity of access and inclusion, propose solutions, and share current initiatives at their organizations that work toward equity and diversity in outdoor spaces. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of the disparities in outdoor recreation and how you can address them in your own work.

Read the study:
– Taff, B.D.; Rice, W.L.; Lawhon, B.; Newman, P. Who Started, Stopped, and Continued Participating in Outdoor Recreation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States? Results from a National Panel Study. Land 2021, 10, 1396. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10121396

 

Title: Engaging Kids on Trails: A National Trails Day Fireside Chat

Presenters: Wendy Gorton, Author, 50 Hikes with Kids Series

Date and Time: June 2, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Overview: Get ready for National Trails Day by joining Children’s Guidebook author Wendy Gorton in an interactive fireside chat. Wendy will share top tips and strategies that families, caregivers, and park education teams can do to engage children on the trail, from scavenger hunts, nature art projects, writing projects using trail rating websites, citizen science, and infusing technology by teaching kids to use math with trail apps, plant identification, recording bird calls, Geocaching, creativity-infused projects like creating nature-based TikTok videos about what they see, or even a BioBlitz. We’ll have a chance to share your own ideas and thoughts about the kids on YOUR local trails using chat and interactive tools. We’ll raffle off a hiking guide pack of 3 of Wendy’s hiking books at the end. Come join us!  Hosted by American Trails. 

 

May 2022

Title: Successful Youth Engagement and Partnership on the Iditarod National Historic Trail

The Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance’s Trail to Every Classroom (iTREC!) Program

Teachers, trainers, local historians and an Iditarod dog musher stand together in Seward, Alaska at an iTREC! workshop. Mile zero of the Iditarod National Historic Trail.

Presenters:

  • Judy Bittner, President, Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance
  • Annette Heckart, Alaska Region & Chugach National Forest Program Manager for Interpretation & Conservation Education
  • Luise Woelflein, Public Programs & Statewide Support Coordinator, BLM Campbell Creek Science Center
  • Delia Clark, Educator/Facilitator, place based service-learning education specialist

Date and Time: May 18, 2022, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET

Overview: The Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar about the successful Iditarod Trail to Every Classroom (iTREC!) program that engages teachers and youth on the Iditarod National Historic Trail.

Join us on Wednesday, May 18th to hear from Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance President, Judy Bittner, and program partners about the origins and structure of the Iditarod Trail to Every Classroom (iTREC!) program.  iTREC! is a yearlong professional development program, with eleven years of success, that provides teachers with place-based, service-learning skills to help today’s youth become lifelong stewards of Alaska’s public lands, natural resources, and cultural heritage. During this presentation you will learn how this successful program model might be applied to other Historic Trail youth engagement efforts. We will discuss:

  • The structure and goals of the program
  • How the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance fostered partnerships that were essential to the success of the education program 
  • Teacher success stories and how educational materials and incentives for teachers were developed
  • COVID adaptations and challenges encountered

 

Title: Celebrating Your Community’s LWCF Award & Completion (Session 3 of 3 in the webinar series: A Roadmap to Successfully Accessing Funding through the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF))

Date and Time: May 12, 2022, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM EDT

Overview: In August of 2020, via the Great American Outdoor Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was permanently funded at $900 million annually, offering funding opportunities for eligible projects to support land acquisition, recreational facility improvements and park planning projects. The National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers (NASORLO) have developed a roadmap and a variety of resources to help you navigate the requirements and outline the process for submitting a standout project application for your state’s LWCF State Assistance Program. Every project starts with a great idea! Case examples will offer a step-by-step roadmap through the planning process, project completion, and sustainability phases and arm you for success. Hosted by PlayCore. 

 

Title: The Trans Bhutan Trail: Restoring an Ancient Pathway During the Pandemic

Presenters: Matthew R DeSantis, Founder, MyBhutan; Tshering Dolkar, Marketing Manager, Trans Bhutan Trail; Stephen Couchman, Program Director, Trans Bhutan Trail

Date and Time: May 12, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Overview: In May 2019, his Majesty, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan made a Royal Command that the ancient trail, which once linked the tiny nation in the Eastern Himalaya from East to West, be restored. The path, which connected nine Dzong fortresses across 12 mountain passes was once a critical part of Bhutan’s defenses against invasion, an important pilgrimage, communications and trade route, and a symbol of national unity.

After over two-year’s work, surveying and restoration of the 403km trail is near completion. Join members of the Trans Bhutan Trail team and MyBhutan to learn more about this unique nation from the perspective of the world’s newest long-distance trekking routes.  Hosted by American Trails. 

 

April 2022

Title: Residential Real Estate and Rail-Trails: An On-The-Ground Reality

Presenter: Craig Della Penna, Associate Broker, The Murphys Realtors, Trailside Team

Date and Time: April 28, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PT

Overview: One of the key things about developing a rail trail is the outreach to trail neighbors. In this session you’ll learn about the on-the-ground reality of getting places, neighborhoods, and communities to “YES” on the idea of a trail. AND you’ll learn the conversations and experiences of house sales near to rail trails. You’ll learn about the minutia details of 21st century real estate in a sellers’ market. How decisions are made and how savvy buyers prevail in a multiple offer situation.  Hosted by American Trails. 

 

Title: Concept to Application: Explore a LWCF Project Case Example (Session 2 of 3 in the webinar series: A Roadmap to Successfully Accessing Funding through the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF))

Date and Time: April 21, 2022, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM EDT

Overview: In August of 2020, via the Great American Outdoor Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was permanently funded at $900 million annually, offering funding opportunities for eligible projects to support land acquisition, recreational facility improvements and park planning projects. The National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers (NASORLO) have developed a roadmap and a variety of resources to help you navigate the requirements and outline the process for submitting a standout project application for your state’s LWCF State Assistance Program. Every project starts with a great idea! Case examples will offer a step-by-step roadmap through the planning process, project completion, and sustainability phases and arm you for success. Hosted by PlayCore. 

 

Trail Operations Forum presentation

Title: Pacific Crest Trail Association’s Saw Program: Challenges and Successes

Date and Time: April 13, 2022, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET

Overview:  Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) will share about the successes and challenges of PCTA’s Saw Program. There will be time for questions and discussion with Ian Nelson, the PCTA Saw Program Coordinator; and USDA Forest Service staff including Peter Duncan, the National Chainsaw and Crosscut Saw Program ManagerThis presentation is part of PNTS’ Trail Operations Forum. Please visit the working group page to learn more about forums and working groups. This is a free event.

 

March 2022

Title: 3 Funding Programs in Support of Trail Stewardship

Presenter: Randy Welsh, Executive Director, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance;  Mike Passo, Executive Director, American Trails

Date and Time: March 31, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PT

Overview: Hosted in partnership with the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance (NWSA), this special presentation will provide groups with information about a few funding programs via NWSA and American Trails. NWSA Executive Director Randy Welsh will brief participants on the two funding programs offered by NWSA in 2022. Randy will talk about the Wilderness Stewardship Performance Partner Funding and the National Forest System Stewardship Trail Partner Funding programs. These two programs are currently soliciting project proposals through April 15. Randy will compare and contrast the programs, provide eligibility and rating criteria, as well as provide helpful tips on successful applications. In addition Mike Passo and Candace Gallagher from America Trails will talk about their new Trail Fund supporting trail maintenance, training, and research. They will explain the requirements and process for submitting proposals, also due April 15. Hosted by American Trails. 

 

Title: Recreation Impact Monitoring System (RIMS) Mobile Application: How to Measure Resource Impacts From Our Favorite Outdoor Pursuits

Presenter: Kendall Chastain, Conservation Coordinator, Colorado Mountain Club

Date and Time: March 24, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Overview: Gather data on trails, signage, camping, visitor use, and more using the RIMS mobile app (www.cmc.org/RIMS). This innovative tool empowers recreation users, volunteers, and staff to collect detailed field reports with geolocated assessments, photos, and objective metrics. The data is optimized for land managers, stewardship groups and outdoor recreation professionals. Customized dashboards and ArcGIS integration help user groups and agencies process data, identify priority issues, and efficiently deploy resources.

The RIMS app was developed by the Colorado Mountain Club to support trail maintenance reporting and has expanded to include visitor use monitoring, conflict reporting and more, not just in Colorado but across the country. This webinar will show how the free mobile app works and how new groups can get involved in the program.  Hosted by American Trails. 

 

Title: LWCF 101: Program Overview & Helpful Tips (Session 1 of 3 in the webinar series: A Roadmap to Successfully Accessing Funding through the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF))

Date and Time: March 24, 2022, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM EDT

Overview: In August of 2020, via the Great American Outdoor Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was permanently funded at $900 million annually, offering funding opportunities for eligible projects to support land acquisition, recreational facility improvements and park planning projects. The National Association of State Outdoor Recreation Liaison Officers (NASORLO) have developed a roadmap and a variety of resources to help you navigate the requirements and outline the process for submitting a standout project application for your state’s LWCF State Assistance Program. Every project starts with a great idea! Case examples will offer a step-by-step roadmap through the planning process, project completion, and sustainability phases and arm you for success. Hosted by PlayCore. 

 

Title: The 10 Year Trail Shared Stewardship Challenge: Why and How You Should Engage

Presenters: Mike Passo, Executive Director, American Trails; Brenda Yankoviak, National Trail Program Manager, Washington Office – Recreation, Heritage, & Volunteer Resources, USDA Forest Service

Date and Time: March 17, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PT

Overview: Join U.S. Forest Service Trail Program leadership and partner organizations representing all different trail-users from around the country in a deep dive exploration of the 10 Year Trail Shared Stewardship Challenge (10YTC). We will identify the objectives, goals, and metrics of success for this game-changing program for trails on Forest Service lands. We’ll also hear from a wide variety of partner organizations about why this program is important and identify very specific ways that any organization or individual can get involved. This will be an interactive and thought-provoking session that we hope will inspire you to get involved in helping to make our nation’s largest trail system (nearly 160,000 miles of trails!) more sustainable and enjoyable for everyone for years to come. Hosted by American Trails. 

 

Title: Indigenous Connections Series: Using Traditional Ecological Knowledge to Advance Greater Opportunities to Work Effectively With Indigenous Peoples in a Changing Climate

Presenter: James Rattling Leaf is the Principal at the WoLakota Lab LLC whose vision is to advance greater understanding and to build effective relationships with Indigenous Peoples. He has more than 25 years experience serving as a cross cultural/broker resource to federal government, higher education Institutions and Non-Profits to developing, maintaining positive on-going working relationships with federally and non-federally recognized Indian tribes, tribal college and universities and tribal communities. He specializes in developing programs that utilize the interface between Indigenous People’s Traditional Knowledge and Western Science. He was born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

Date and Time: March 16, 2022, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Overview: This session will share collaborative and respectful approaches to engage with communities and stakeholders to incorporate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to both assessments and the impacts of climate change as well as planning to enhance community resiliency in anticipation of those changes. Webinar presented by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – National Conservation Training Center (NCTC). Here is link to entire “Indigenous Connections Broadcast Series” where previous recordings are available: Indigenous Connections Broadcast Series | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov)

 

Title: COVID Conservation Corps: Alaska’s Case Studies on Trails Workforce Development

Presenters: Ryan O’Shaughnessy, Executive Director, Trail Mix, Inc.; Kristen Mrozowski, Trails Technician, Alaska Trails; Ben Hughey, Executive Director, Sitka Trail Works, Inc.

Date and Time: March 10, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Overview: Trails have been a refuge for many during the pandemic, but did you know they also created jobs? Faced with a canceled tourism season and high unemployment rates across Alaska, local governments directed CARES funding to trail nonprofits to train and hire residents impacted by the pandemic. Inspired by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, these Alaska CCCs were an innovative way to put people back to work while restoring public infrastructure that benefited communities. Their success makes the case that when we invest in trails, we invest in our people, land, and economy. Hosted by American Trails. 

 

Title: Introduction to Trail Assessment Using UTAP and HETAP

Presenter: Todd Ackerman, ADA/Assessment Coordinator, Beneficial Designs, Inc.

Date and Time: March 3, 2022, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST

Overview: Beneficial Designs (BD) is a leader in the development of trail assessment. Starting with the Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP) which is done by hand, then introducing the High-Efficiency Trail Assessment Process (HETAP) which uses one of two carts developed by Beneficial Designs. This webinar will discuss the assessment work that BD does and how the data is collected and can be viewed by the user.

 

Title: A Comprehensive Approach to Inform User Management on Trails and Public Lands

Presenters: Dr. Aerin Jacob, Conservation Scientist, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y); Dr. Annie Loosen, Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Northern British Columbia and Y2Y

Date and Time: March 1, 2022, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM EST

Overview: Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar about exciting ‘recreation ecology’ research by the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and partners. During this presentation we will discuss how researchers and agencies are working to study recreation in western Canada to:

  • Map, measure, and model how, where, and when people recreate on trails and public lands (i.e., human footprint and intensity of use)
  • Help trail and public land managers gain a more comprehensive understanding of users to inform management and planning needs
  • Identify how agencies and volunteer groups can best use multiple sources of data to better preserve trails and public lands and reduce conflict among people and wildlife, and between user groups

There will be time to ask questions after the presentation. More information at https://y2y.net/ and https://recreationecology.opened.ca/

 

February 2022

Title: Festivals and Events: The Devil is in the Details

Presenter: Lynn Fuhler, Principal, Flying Compass

Date and Time: February 24, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

Overview: Festivals and events are a terrific way to raise funds, create relationships, and generate awareness. However, they can be very time and labor-intensive. During this webinar, learn how to pick the optimum event dates, develop sponsor packages, find sponsors and volunteers, sell tickets online, build a great website, use social media to promote the event, and keep things running smoothly before, during, and after your event. Hosted by American Trails 

 

Title: Hike the Hill® NextGen Meet n’ Greet Luncheon

Date and Time: February 18, 2022, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET/11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT

Overview: The NextGen Meet n’ Greet Luncheon is an open event and invitation for all Hike the Hill® participants and others to hear from the next generation of conservation leaders about experiences in various NextGen programs and for NextGen and others to connect virtually.

Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Partnership for the National Trails System will be co-facilitating this event. This casual luncheon will include both large group discussions and smaller breakout group discussions. This event is free and open to all. Please use a photo of your favorite trail as your Zoom background when you join!

 

Title: Walking Towards Peace: Veterans Healing on America’s Trails

Presenters: Cindy Ross, Author; Travis Johnston, Retired Special Forces Army Ranger

Date and Time: February 17, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

Overview: Author Cindy Ross shares current research and perspectives of professional therapists and provides information on organizations devoted to healing veterans in the outdoors. Through the veterans’ collective stories of wartime traumas and their present lives, what becomes clear is that anyone suffering from any form of PTSD may discover the powerful comfort and healing that can be found in the outdoors. Retired Special Forces Army Ranger, Travis Johnston, will also take part in the webinar. Travis is highlighted in Cindy’s new book, Walking Towards Peace: Veterans Healing on America’s Trails, in which this webinar is about. Hosted by American Trails. 

 

Title: Connecting Across the Continent: How the CDT Gets Us to the Goals of America the Beautiful

Presenters: L. Fisher, Trail Policy Manager, Continental Divide Trail Coalition; Lauren Hendricks, GIS Program Manager, Continental Divide Trail Coalition

Date and Time: February 3, 2022, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PST

Overview: The Connecting Across the Continent Report, released by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, sets the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) as a placed-based anchor for having conversations around large landscape conservation. With the framework provided in the Biden administration’s 2021 Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful initiative, this report demonstrates how the CDT and the National Trails System can provide a path forward for reaching aspirational conservation goals like protecting 30% of lands and water by 2030, strengthening consultation with and increasing equity for underserved communities, and elevating locally-led climate solutions. This session will provide an introduction to the America the Beautiful initiative and large landscape conservation, details on the value of the natural, historical, and cultural resources of the Continental Divide, and a strategy for how the cooperative management structure of the CDT can be utilized as one of the most innovative and adaptive tools in the pursuit of ambitious conservation goals. Hosted by American Trails. 

 

January 2022

Title: Conservation & Outdoor Recreation Technical Assistance Opportunity 

Date and Time: January 27, 2022, 3:00 PM EST

Overview: Do you have an idea for a park, trail, or conservation project?  Could you use help building organizational capacity for your outdoor recreation and conservation efforts? The National Park Service-Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program is here to help with planning, design, and technical expertise! (Closed captioning will be provided during the session.)

 

Title: Trail Ambassador Programs: Tips, Tricks, & Best Practices (Part 2)

Presenters: Natalie Ferraro, Engagement Manager, Trailkeepers of Oregon; Adam Harden, Deputy Administrator, Ambassador Program, NOHVIS; Randy Harden, Program Administrator, Ambassador Program, NOHVIS; Steve McClintock, National Director for Arizona, Back Country Horsemen of America; Ursula Sandstrom, Trail Ranger and Outreach Director, Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA); Taylor Goodrich, Communication and Media Specialist, American Trails.

Date and Time: January 27, 2022, 3:00 PM EST

Overview: Best practices from some of the best trail ambassador programs across the nation, representing a variety of trail user types, to offer sage advice for starting programs for your trail. Hosted by American Trails.

 

Mini-Briefing

Title: Supporting Trail Conservation: Land Trust Alliance’s 2022 Legislative Priorities

Presenter: Lori Faeth, Senior Director of Government Relations, Land Trust Alliance Learn more about Lori here

Date and Time: January 20, 2022, 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM EST

Overview: Land Trusts play a crucial role in the acquisition and protection of lands that make up the national trails system. As a national land conservation organization representing 1,000 member land trusts that are supported by more than 5 million members nationwide, the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) works passionately to advance federal policies and secure resources that support land trusts. The Land Trust Alliance works hard to advance conservation, including trail conservation.

In this mini-briefing, Lori Faeth, Senior Director of Government Relations, will share information about Land Trust Alliance’s legislative priorities related to National Trails and share her thoughts about what to look for in the next legislative session. Hosted by PNTS. 

This is a great opportunity to hear about LTA’s advocacy priorities prior to Hike the Hill®.

 

Title: Habitat and Watershed Protection Projects with CESCP (Sec. 6 & Highlands)

Date and Time: January 20, 2022, 12:00 PM EST

Overview: Session IV in the LWCF Coalition Webinar Series. Hosted by LWCF Coalition. For more information and a link to register, email LWCF Coalition Manager Amy Lindholm at alindholm@outdoors.org

 

Mini-Briefing 

Title: Historical and Cultural Sites on Public Lands: National Parks Conservation Association’s 2022 Legislative Priorities

Presenter: Alan Spears, Senior Director for Cultural Resources, Government Affairs, National Parks Conservation Association Learn more about Alan here

Date and Time: January 13, 2022, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Overview: National Historic Trails interpret important stories of the nation’s diverse history while retracing the steps of significant movements of the people who shaped our heritage and history. The National Trails System includes 19 National Historic Trails and many more National Trails that include historic and cultural sites. Two thirds of our National Park System consists of historical and cultural sites, including National Trails. National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is an active advocate that works to ensure that important sites in national parks are protected and inclusive of all American stories.

In this mini-briefing, Alan Spears, Senior Director of Cultural Resources, will share information about NPCA legislative priorities related to historic and heritage sites on public lands and share his thoughts about what to look for in the next legislative session. Alan will also touch on how justice, equity, diversity and inclusion relate to constituency expansion for National Trails and public lands. Hosted by PNTS. 

This is a great opportunity to hear about NPCA’s advocacy priorities prior to Hike the Hill®.

December 2021

Title: Accessibility, Connectivity, and the Expansion of Recreational Opportunities with the National Digital Trails Project

Presenters: Elizabeth McCartney, the National Digital Trails (NDT) Project Manager, National Geospatial Program at U.S Geological Survey; Tatyana DiMascio, NDT Project Technical Lead, National Geospatial Program at U.S Geological Survey

Date and Time: December 7, 2021, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT

Overview: Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar with Elizabeth McCartney, the National Digital Trails (NDT) Project Manager, and Tatyana DiMascio, NDT Project Technical Lead, both from the National Geospatial Program at U.S Geological Survey. During this presentation you will learn about the goals of the National Digital Trails Project; TRAILS (Trail Routing, Analysis, and Information Linkage System), a web-based trail planning tool that serves to identify potential routes for connecting existing trails and trail systems; the Nationwide Trails Dataset, a public domain dataset of federal and many statewide trails; the Trail Data Portal that provides a path for authoritative trail managers to upload their trails into the Nationwide Trails Dataset; and, future plans for the project. Both the TRAILS tool and the Trail Data Portal will be demonstrated. There will be time to ask questions about the project and tools that are presented. Please click here to learn more about the National Digital Trails Project and the presenters. 

American Trails will be offering the following free CEUs (learning credits) for this webinar: American Institute of Certified Planners Continuing Maintenance (AICP CM); Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES PDH); National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) CEU equivalency petition; and, CEU/PDH equivalency petition for other accepting organizations. Please email candace@americantrails.org to learn more about these learning credits.

September 2021

Title: Increasing Youth Engagement and Diversity on National Trails
Presenter: Wendy Lotze, Volunteer Program Manager, Arizona Trail Association; Felicia Hokenstad, Coalition Leader, Next Generation Coalition, North Country Trail Association
Date and Time: September 28, 2021, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM EDT
Overview: Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar with Wendy Lotze, the Volunteer Program Manager of the Arizona Trail Association and Felicia Hokenstad, the Coalition Leader of North Country Trail Association’s Next Generation Coalition about their efforts to improve diversity and engagement. Felicia will present about how North Country Trail Association is improving their volunteer engagement efforts, building community, utilizing social media, and how their JEDI committee has been involved with youth engagement. Wendy will share about Arizona Trail Association’s Seeds of Stewardship program which is aimed at engaging youth from gateway communities, the importance of first having a diverse trail community before beginning to create a diverse volunteer pool, as well as how the Arizona Trail Association is working to engage individuals aged 20-40 and embrace the nature of occasional volunteerism.

There will be time to ask questions about the programs and initiatives that are presented.

August 2021

Title: Meeting the Moment: Programming (or Interpretation) at the Family Campsite
Date and Time: Tuesday, August 10 at 1:00 PM EDT; Virtual
Overview: The summer of 2020 offered new challenges for Interpretive staff across the country, as everyone sought solutions to engage the public in meaningful ways. With Visitor Centers closed, guided walks and amphitheater style programs canceled, and limited personnel available to meet public needs, creative ingenuity and the enthusiasm to try something new became paramount. A pilot program was started, with staff offering personalized programs to individual family units at places like their campsite. Now, this successful model is being implemented again as we launch into a new summer. Come learn how two different state agencies customized programming to meet their visitor needs amidst COVID and be inspired by what you can do at your site!
Hosted by NAI.
More information and registration available here.


Title: Rethink Outside Fellowship Info Session
Date and Time: Tuesday, August 10 at 2:00 PM EDT; Virtual
Overview:
Free to attend. To learn more about the fellowship, join Rethink Outside for a Q & A webinar on August 10 at 2 pm EST. Registration is required. Please submit questions ahead of time here.
Hosted by Rethink Outside.
More info and registration found here.

 

Title: Wilderness Stewardship Advocacy 101
Date and Time: Monday, August 16, 1:00 pm EDT; Virtual
Overview:
Free to attend. This is the second presentation in a series on Wilderness Stewardship Advocacy. This presentation will lay out the basics of stewardship advocacy, including contacting both Agency and Congressional Offices. It will also describe the process for making contacts and provide insights into how to have a successful meeting.
Hosted by National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

 

Title: American Trails Opens Their Advancing Trails Webinar Series for Free.
Date and Time: On-Demand
Overview:
Free to attend. American Trails is now offering all of the archived webinars (and any learning credits) in their Advancing Trails Webinar Series for free. The recordings can be downloaded via the organization’s online store.

 

Title: Conservation Legacy’s VISTA Programs: Programming for Diverse Conservation and Community Service Projects
Presenter: Josh Jones, VISTA Development Coordinator, Conservation Legacy
Date and Time: August 17, 2021, 3:00 PM – 3:40 PM EDT
Overview: Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar about Conservation Legacy programs, including Stewards Individual Placements and AmeriCorps VISTA. During this live presentation, Josh will share about how you can become a project sponsor of a dedicated full time AmeriCorps VISTA member to help your organization build capacity through activities such as fundraising, grant writing, research, and volunteer recruitment. Josh will also cover the responsibilities and expectations of a project sponsor, and how Conservation Legacy will support you and your member. You will learn about the programs within Conservation Legacy and how these programs can benefit your organization. Please join us and learn how you can work with Conservation Legacy to bring youth, young adults and veterans to work with your organization.

JULY 2021

Title: Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Ed-Venture Series: Nature Journaling
Date and Time: July 21, 2021, 4:00 PM EDT
Overview: Join Jenny “Dolly” Siegfried and Delia “Heartrock” Clark to explore the world of nature journaling, from learning about famous nature journalists of the past to creating our own nature journals in the present. This Ed-Venture will deepen your understanding and appreciation of the natural world and sharpen your observation skills as we work together on creating our own sketches and journal entries.
Hosted by Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Make the Most of National Public Lands Day: NEEF Resources and Sponsorship Opportunities
Presenter: Tony Richardson, Program Director, Public Lands Engagement, The National Environmental Education Foundation
Date and Time: July 20, 2021, 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM EDT
Overview: Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar about National Public Lands Day (NPLD) event resources with The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). During this live presentation, NEEF will give an overview of this year’s National Public Lands Day celebration, including important deadlines, links to NPLD planning resources, and information about applying for sponsorship opportunities for organizations hosting NPLD events. NEEF will also provide examples of past NPLD events hosted by trail organizations, both small and large, as potential inspiration for projects on National Trails. Please join us and learn how you can participate in one of the largest celebrations of public lands in the country!

 

Title: LWCF Coalition Webinar Series: LWCF On The Ground
Date and Time: July 15, 2021, 12:00 PM EDT
Overview: Join experts in LWCF and learn some key ins and outs from projects to programs. On the heels of the one year anniversary of passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, this series will break down some of the new ways in which LWCF will deliver conservation and outdoor recreation across the country by delving into the details of projects and programs.
Hosted by LWCF Coalition.
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Urban Park Grant Opportunity (ORLP) Technical Assistance Webinar
Date and Time: July 14, 2021, 4:30 PM EDT
Overview: The City Parks Alliance, and their partners at the National Recreation and Park Association and the Trust for Public Land, are hosting an Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program technical assistance webinar in partnership with National Park Service. National Park Service staff will provide tips on how to write a strong ORLP application, go over the suggested formats for the forms, and answer questions.
Hosted by City Parks Alliance
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Encore Presentation & LIVE Panel Discussion “The Sum of Us: A Conversation with Heather McGhee and Dr. Gail C. Christopher”
Date and Time: July 14, 2021, 1:00 – 3:15 PM EDT
Overview: Join the Blue Sky Funders Forum and the Children & Nature Network for this encore event where they’ll show a recording of the phenomenal conversation between author Heather McGhee and Dr. Gail Christopher and gather for a live panel discussion, reflecting on how the connections made in the conversation will carry us forward in our work to provide equitable access to the outdoors for all.
Hosted by Blue Sky Funders Forum
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Racial Justice, White Philanthropy’s Shortcomings and Liberated Paths Forward
Date and Time: July 13 & 22 + August 5, 2021, 1:00 PM EDT
Overview: Justice Outside (formerly Youth Outside) is hosting a 3-webinar series dedicated to advancing outdoor opportunities and access to underserved communities as a prelude to the launch of the organization’s Liberated Paths Grantmaking Program. Potential and previous applicants and grantees, as well as allies and “co-conspirators”, are encouraged to attend these free educational events.
Hosted by Justice Outside
More information and registration info are available at the links below:
Webinar 1: Explicit Role of Race in Liberated Paths and Justice Outside
Webinar 2: Relationship Building and Trust-Based Philanthropy
Webinar 3: White [Supremacist] Philanthropy: Paternalism, Power Hoarding and More

 

Title: Outdoor Retailer Conference Pre-Show Education
Date and Time: July 13, 20, 27 & August 3 2021, 1:00 PM EDT
Overview: The Outdoor Industry Association works with and on behalf of their members to promote a future of Thriving People, a Thriving Planet, and Thriving Outdoor Business. July 13 – August 12 they will be hosting sessions discussing initiatives, policy, and actions you can take to ensure a thriving outdoor future.
Hosted by Outdoor Industry Association.
More info here.

 

Title: Race, Slavery, and Freedom in the Midwest
Date and Time: Thursday, July 8 & Wednesday, July 9 at 3 PM EDT
Overview: From the time Europeans arrived in the late 17th century, the Midwest was a site of dispossession and enslavement. Even when the region became part of a new nation founded on the democratic principle that “all men are created equal,” racist attitudes and laws persisted and proliferated. Yet the region has also been a site for crucial struggles for freedom and equality that transformed communities and the nation as a whole. This 2-day virtual event will explore the history of race, slavery, and freedom in the early Midwest, with a focus on the experiences of people of African descent in the decades before the Civil War. Panel 1: Disrupting Historical Erasures; Panel 2: Contending with History on the Ground
Hosted by the National Wahington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association.
Get More Info and Register Here.
Get more info and register here.

 

 

Title: Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators Professional Development Series: Nature Mindfulness in your EE Programming and Daily Life
Date and Time: July 8, 2021, 5:30 PM EDT
Overview: In recent years, a new nature movement has emerged that includes traditional conservation and sustainability, but gives special attention to the right of every child to the benefits that nature brings to children’s physical and mental health and their ability to learn and create. This movement is based on a growing body of scientific evidence that points in the same direction: there are many physical and mental benefits from being outdoors and we also know there is a deficit of a nature connection, for all ages. In this presentation, Tara Muenz, conservation ecologist and Assistant Director of Education at the Stroud Center, will review the scientific literature of the benefits of nature, share resources that every EE provider should have in their toolkit about this topic, and example activities of nurturing nature connections in your programming. Additionally, she will share her personal journey in developing a friendship with the earth that has helped her to heal on many levels and guide you into practices to nourish your own relationship with the planet. $5 for nonmembers.
Hosted by Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region’s Innovative Aquatic Restoration Peer Learning Session
Date and Time: July 7, 2021, 2:00 PM EDT
Overview: During this peer learning session speakers will: Share why there was a need for a Region-wide aquatic restoration Environmental Analysis (EA), discuss the process of developing the EA, share case studies of early applications of the EA, and share some related lessons learned.
Hosted by National Forest Foundation
Register here.

 

Title: Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators Professional Development Series: Safety Issues in EE
Date and Time: July 6, 2021, 12:00 PM EDT
Overview: Teaching and learning in an outdoor natural setting is an invaluable experience for leaders and learners alike. At the same time, leaders need to take into consideration safety factors that can help define a positive experience, or create a negative experience that can have lasting effects on a learner. This session will cover safety issues ranging from interactions with wildlife, bites and stings, first aid, weather, hazards, needs of participants, clearances, security issues, dressing appropriately and methods and approaches for leaders. ** This workshop is required for those who have applied for Non-Formal EE Certification. $5 for nonmembers.
Hosted by Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Rising Generation Workshop Series
Date and Time: July 3, 2021, 3:00 PM EDT
Overview: Young leaders ages 18-28: This series is for you! This summer, develop your leadership and advocacy skills to increase equitable access to the outdoors as a powerful pathway to healthy, just and sustainable communities.The Rising Generation Workshop Series offers six virtual trainings designed to help you develop your personal narrative, cultural awareness, leadership style, community organizing and civic engagement skills to bring about positive change. Workshops are led by and for young leaders. By participating, you’ll join a diverse and welcoming network of nearly 500 young leaders across the U.S. who have participated in similar trainings through the Natural Leaders and Fresh Tracks programs. Topics include “The Power of Personal Narrative,” “Leadership Development,” “Community Organizing,” and “Civic Engagement.”
Hosted by the Children and Nature Network
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Using Wildlife Fright Distances to Inform Trail Planning
Date and Time: July 1, 2021, 1:00 PM EDT
Overview: This presentation will focus on minimizing the negative effects on wildlife in a recreational setting.
Hosted by American Trails

 

JUNE 2021

Title: Introduction to Trail Design and Development (Part 2 of 3)
Date and Time: June 17, 2021, 1:00 PM EDT
Overview: Part two of the three-part series on the Introduction to Trail Planning, Design and Development, and Management will discuss common sustainable trail design as well as unique elements associated with specific types of trail use.
Hosted by American Trails
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Understanding the National Recreation Trails (NRT) Program
Date and Time: June 10, 2021, 1:00 PM EDT
Overview: Join the National Park Service and American Trails to learn about the benefits to designating your trail(s) as an NRT, the history of the National Recreation Trails (NRT) program, the process for trails to become NRTs, the role of NRT Ambassadors, and more.
Hosted by American Trails
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Connectivity: A Look at 2 Specific Projects in Chattanooga and Knoxville, TN
Presenters: Rick Wood, Board Member at Chattanooga Design Studio, Cornerstones, Inc, Lula Lake Land Trust and Dynamo Studios; Noel Durant, Giving Manager for The Trust for Public Land (TPL) Tennessee Office; Carol Evans, Executive Director of Legacy Parks Foundation in Knoxville, TN.
Date and Time: June 9, 2021, 2:30 PM EDT
Overview:The pre-recorded webinar can be watched at your convenience, but prior to the live Zoom meeting that will take place on June 9, 2021 at 11:30am Pacific. Once you register for the course, you will receive a separate confirmation email that will include the link to the pre-recorded webinar and live Zoom meeting. Cost is $115 to attend.
Hosted by AccelParks, The Trust for Public Land, Legacy Parks Foundation, American Trails
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Using Interactive Maps to Engage Trail Users
Presenters:John Frandsen, Cofounder and CPO of Elebase
Date and Time: June 3, 2021, 1:00 PM EDT
Overview: Learn how digital interactive mapping can help improve engagement with trail users and stakeholders.
Hosted by American Trails
Get more info and register here.

 

Title: Land Acquisition 102: Identifying Priorities, Securing Funding, and Working with Partners
Presenters: Miriam Mazel, Deputy Chief at the National Park Service, Washington Area Servicing Office Land Resources Division; Jenny Katz, Traubert Lands Fellow at National Park Foundation; Reggie Hall, Director of Conservation Loans with The Conservation Fund
Date and Time: June 2, 2021, 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM EDT
Overview: Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar about land conservation resources with the National Park Foundation, The Conservation Fund, and the National Park Service. The presenters will discuss the LWCF process and resources, grants, and other opportunities to help advance land acquisition projects. They will provide helpful tips to help you prepare for projects and work with federal agencies and nonprofit partners to leverage resources for land acquisition. There will be time to ask questions about the complexities of land acquisition and situations specific to your land acquisition needs.
Title: Land Acquisition 101
Presenters: J.T. Horn, Senior Project Manager & National Trails Initiative Lead, The Trust for Public Land; Joe Sobinovsky, Realty Specialist, National Park Service
Date and Time: May 13, 2021, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT
Overview: Partnership for the National Trails System is proud to host a webinar about land acquisition with the Trust for Public Land and the National Park Service.

Is there land that you would like to pursue acquiring but the steps for acquisition are unclear or seem difficult? Join us to hear from J.T. Horn from the Trust for Public Land and Joe Sobinovsky, Realty Specialist at the National Park Service National Trails Land Acquisition office in Martinsburg, WV, about how to begin the land acquisition process, what the process entails, and how LWCF money can be utilized in collaboration with your agency partners. Additionally, you will learn what the role of a Land Trust is in the land acquisition process and how you can work alongside land trusts for successful acquisition. There will be time to ask questions about the complexities of land acquisition and situations specific to your land acquisition needs.

Title: The Bridge Project Info Session
Presenters: Hannah Malvin, Project Manager, The Bridge Project; Leandra Taylor, Partnership & Outreach Coordinator, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS)
Date and Time: March 30, 2021, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Overview: This webinar is an informational session about The Bridge Project, an exciting, equitable hiring pathway designed to help connect a talented, diverse pool of potential employees, including people of color and underrepresented communities, to jobs in the environmental sector. Leandra Taylor, a project lead, and Hannah Malvin, the project manager, will talk in detail about the initiative and their kickoff hiring event on May 11-12, as well as answer any questions about the initiative.

You can learn more and download the information packet at https://www.wildernessstewards.org/thebridgeproject

 

Title: Under New Management–Including Native Perspectives in the Historical Record –
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Webinar Series

Presenters: Andrew A. Galvan, Curator, Old Mission Dolores, San Francisco; Naomi Torres, Superintendent, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Date and Time: March 23, 2021, 10 a.m. MDT
Overview: During this webinar, Andy will detail his personal journey and how he reconciled the history of the area tribes with the story previously being told by the California Missions. He will further share tips for other curators of Native American history—at both tribal and non-Native facilities, alike—on steps they can take to present a more complete version of history with the visiting public.

Hosted by the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association

Title: Utilizing 638 for Successful Tribal Relations
Presenters: Reed Robinson, Director, Office of Tribal Relations; Alicia-Bell Sheeter, Management and Program Analyst, Office of Tribal Relations; and Alison Leiman, Grants Policy Specialists, Business Operations. 
Date and Time: December 18th at 11:30AM-1:00PM EST
Overview: During this peer learning session, attendees will:

  • Meet the new Director of the Forest Service Office of Tribal Relations,
  • Gain an understanding of the “638 self-determination demonstration authority” granted to the Forest Service in the 2018 Farm Bill,
  • Gain an understanding of the relationship between 638 and the Tribal Forest Protection Act,
  • Have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists

Suggested Audience:
Forest Service employees, tribal partners looking to implement projects through 638, and natural resource collaborators

Sponsored by National Partnership Office and hosted by the National Forest Foundation. 

Title: 10-Year Trail Challenge Kick-off webinar
Presenter: U.S. Forest Service
Intended Audience: National, regional and local partners together with Forest Service Regional Recreation Directors, Regional Trail Program Managers, and National Trail Advisory Group (TAG)
Date and Time: POSTPONED (STAY TUNED)
Overview: This webinar will celebrate launch of the 10-Year Trail Shared Stewardship Challenge; provide an overview of the Challenge and the first phase of the Challenge; and enlist the leadership, active participation, and support of partners and employees in making the challenge an impactful and lasting success on local forests and districts and with communities nationwide.
Hosted by the U.S. Forest Service.
The webinar will be recorded, subsequently posted on the Trail Challenge webpage, and available for future reference.
Call-in Number: 888-844-9904 (Access Code: 679 27 76#)
Adobe Connect Link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/trails-strategy/


Are you interested in being a Partnership for the National Trails System presenter or do you have a topic to suggest? Send us an e-mail at admin@pnts.org.

Title: Economic Development Resources for Rural Communities
Presenters: Toby Bloom, National Program Manager, Travel, Tourism, and Interpretation, U.S. Forest Service; Vince Paumier, Community Solutions Specialist, Innovation Center, Rural Development, USDA; and Tim O’Connell, West Region Community Economic Development Coordinator, USDA
Date and Time: November 20th at 2PM EST
Overview: The USDA launched a resource guide to provide rural community leaders and economic development practitioners a complete list of programs at Rural Development, Forest Service, and National Institute for Food and Agriculture that can be used to support recreational economies in rural America. This guide addresses key factors necessary to build a sustainable recreational economy including natural resource management, conservation activities, infrastructure investment, business development and more. Representatives from the Forest Service and USDA Rural Development will join our call to give a short presentation about the program and answer questions participants may have on how to access the opportunities laid out in the resource guide. Download the resource guide: Recreation Economy at USDA: Economic Development Resources for Rural Communities.
Hosted by Partnership for the National Trails System.

Title: Building Wilderness Partnerships Through Empathy
Presenters: Dr. Chris Armatas, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute
Date and Time: November 10th at 3PM EST
Overview: Foundations of the wilderness movement were built from common ground and purpose to see the Wilderness Act across the finish line. Working as a community with shared goals and understanding will help us successfully steward wild lands into the future and requires us to build strong and empathetic connections together. To help us understand what that means, this webinar presents the results of data collected during a session on shared stewardship and empathy at the 2019 National Wilderness Workshop, where we learned from our rich history of partnership and collaboration and worked together to help chart those partnerships into the future. Dr. Chris Armatas of the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute analyzed and categorized participant responses to the 2019 survey and empathy exercise. The results from this applied research will be shared with you during the webinar, which provide an update to knowledge surrounding the issues of Wilderness shared stewardship today and yield insights into how to foster empathy among those within the Wilderness community who are focused on developing and maintaining partnerships for shared stewardship of the NWPS. This information is sure to inform our wilderness stewardship work and nurture a greater understanding to guide the whole wilderness community into the future together.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance. 

Title: Diversity Today – Being More Inclusive Tomorrow
Presenters: Mauricio Velásquez, President and CEO of The Diversity Training Group
Date and Time: November 10th at 12PM EST
Overview: This webinar will raise awareness of our “blind spots” and recognizing hidden biases in ourselves. What you don’t know that you don’t know about yourself, the people you work with, and your customers. This webinar will focus on language, awareness, acceptance of differences, and personal actions anyone can take to be more inclusive. Mauricio Velásquez is the President and CEO of The Diversity Training Group, has provided numerous educational programs for both professionals and the community, and is the lead presenter for DCNR’s training initiatives. He offers more than 20 years of experience in the areas of diversity and inclusion, harassment prevention, and developing a respectful workplace.
Hosted by Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society.

Title: On the Implications of Trump’s Executive Order on Equity Trainings
Presenters: Denise Giraudo and Ryan Roberts, Sheppard Mullin Partner; Ben Kershaw, Independent Sector Director, Public Policy and Government Relations; Wes Coulam, Washington Council Ernst and Young LLP Managing Director
Date and Time: October 29th at 2PM EDT
Overview: The Trump Administration recently released its Executive Order on “Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping” causing concern and confusion among nonprofit leaders who center racial equity in their missions, but also rely on government funding and grants to serve their communities. Join Independent Sector and legal experts from Sheppard Mullin for a special Monthly Policy Update focused on this key issue. In addition to our regular updates from Capitol Hill, we will provide an overview of the Executive Order, what its “ban on training and promotion of divisive ideologies” means, the implications for our organizations, and what to expect moving forward from the Department of Labor and other agencies.
Hosted by the Independent Sector.

Title: Perceptions of Conflict Surrounding Future E-Bike Use on the Arizona Trail
Presenters: Matthew J. Nelson, Executive Director, Arizona Trail Association; Jake Baechle, Lead Researcher, Arizona Trail Association
Date and Time: October 29th at 1PM EDT
Overview: This analysis aimed to better understand how survey respondents’ most frequent method of travel, exposure to e-bikes and other factors shape their opinion of this new user group and where there may be potential for user conflict.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: The Power and Potential of Stories – Rethink Outside
Presenters: Writer L. Renee Blount, Dr. Carolyn Finney, Youth Activist Amara Ifeji, Photojournalist Malik Martin moderated by James Edward Mills of The Joy Trip Project.
Date and Time: October 22nd at 3:30-5PM EDT
Overview: This panel will discuss the growing movement to challenge and transform the current narrative about environmental issues, outdoor learning and recreation, and access to nature. The conversation will highlight the power of visual and written stories in communicating the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors; the value of shared messaging; and hopes for the role of storytelling in the environmental movement. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with panelists through Q&A and will also learn about opportunities to participate in the Rethink Outside campaign to bring the promise of healthy communities and meaningful outdoor experiences to all.
Hosted by Blue Sky Funders and The Joy Trip Project.

Title: Collecting and Applying Trail Count Data
Presenters: Matt Ainsley, Market Strategist, Eco-Counter, Inc.
Date and Time: October 22nd at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Learn from industry experts, advocates, and practitioners about how to collect and apply trail count data, and how to leverage that data in order to achieve meaningful, tangible changes in your community.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Ethics and Effects of Wilderness Digital Media
Presenters: See below
Date and Time: October 20th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Wilderness has quickly become part of digital media—through the voices of both wilderness organizations and individual wilderness users. The narratives crafted by organizations and individuals about wilderness issues and experiences have great power to influence public opinion as well as wilderness stewardship. However, technologies, like cells phones, that are increasingly used to craft these wilderness narratives also affect the wilderness experience itself. During this webinar, four communications and technology professionals discuss different aspects of digital media and wilderness. Lisa Ronald (Wilderness Connect, University of Montana) and Mikensi Romersa (freelance videographer) discuss social media and videography examples that illustrate ethical challenges and best practices for crafting positive wilderness digital storytelling. Kate Sutcliffe (Regional Collaboration Coordinator, Mount Grace Land Trust) illustrates how examining individual wilderness user social media narratives can inform wilderness management. Jeff Rose (Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Program, Utah State University) discusses how technology changes the wilderness experience when one enters into the experience with the intent of sharing it digitally.
Hosted by National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Employee Engagement and Belonging Practices in Nonprofits
Presenters: Emily Holthaus, Managing Director, DEI, Nonprofit HR; Antonio Cortes, PhD, Senior Consultant, DEI, Nonprofit HR; Beth Taylor Mack, PhD, Senior Consultant, Health & Wellbeing Innovations; Melissa Phillippi, Co-Founder & President, Performance Culture
Date and Time: October 20th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: How high on the scale would your employees rank their sense of belonging in your organization? It is not enough to assume that your employees feel connected and like they belong at work. The third-highest driver for voluntary turnover in organizations, 26.2%, was dissatisfaction and disengagement with current organizational culture according to Nonprofit HR’s 2019 Retention Practices Survey. Belonging is linked to increased job performance and can strengthen employee engagement. Understanding the extent to which your diverse staff feels a part of the culture is an important data set to understand. Sign up now and hear: – How to identify and address employee engagement differences based on employee demographic makeup – New ways that employees may expect to influence, engage and be heard in the workplace – How to create meaningful employee engagement practices aimed at fostering belonging.
Hosted by Nonprofit HR.

Title: Cross-Boundary Tools to Implement Shared Stewardship peer learning session
Presenters: Rob Farrell, Virginia State Forester; Jim Durglo, Intertribal Timber Council Wildland Fire Technical Specialist; Lynn Sholty, USDA Forest Service Grants and Agreements Specialist; Nils Christoffersen, Wallowa Resources Executive Director.
Date and Time: October 15th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: Articulate successful applications of Good Neighbor Authority for tribes, counties, and states; Provide examples of when tools like Good Neighbor Authority are unlikely to be successful; Discuss how to use tools from the Tribal Forest Protection Act; Discuss how to use tools from the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act; and Discuss how to use Stewardship Contracting.
Hosted by the National Forest Foundation.

Title: Using Volunteers to Maintain Trails in Parks
Presenters: Jane Daniels, Yorktown Trail Supervisor, New York – New Jersey Trail Conference
Date and Time: October 15th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Learn the ins and out of developing a program by establishing trust and delegating to a volunteer leader so an employee can manage the project.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: “The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America” – A Conversation with Author Lawrence T. Brown 
Presenters: Lawrence T. Brown
Date and Time: October 14th at 2PM EDT
Overview: Join America Walks for a conversation with Lawrence T. Brown about his upcoming book The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America. In The Black Butterfly—a reference to the fact that Baltimore’s majority-Black population spreads out on both sides of the coveted strip of real estate running down the center of the city like a butterfly’s wings—Lawrence T. Brown reveals that ongoing historical trauma caused by a combination of policies, practices, systems, and budgets is at the root of uprisings and crises in hypersegregated cities around the country. Drawing on social science research, policy analysis, and archival materials, Brown reveals the long history of racial segregation’s impact on health, from toxic pollution to police brutality. In his book and this conversation, Lawrence T. Brown offers a clear five-step plan for activists, nonprofits, and public officials to achieve racial equity. Not content to simply describe and decry urban problems, Brown offers up a wide range of innovative solutions to help heal and restore redlined Black neighborhoods, including municipal reparations. He argues that, since urban apartheid was intentionally erected, it can be intentionally dismantled, The Black Butterfly demonstrates that America cannot reflect that Black lives matter until we see how Black neighborhoods matter. Following his presentation, he will answer questions from the moderator and the attendees.
Hosted by America Walks.

Title: Collaboration in a Virtual Environment peer learning session 
Presenters: Karen DiBari, Conservation Connect Director; Ben Irey, Conservation Connect Program Manager; and Sarah Di Vittorio, Northern California Program Manager.
Date and Time: October 8th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Hear lessons learned in virtual facilitation and collaboration from National Forest Foundation staff who have been facilitating collaborative groups during COVID-19; gain an understanding of practices to implement for successful virtual engagement; have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists and share your own tips for effective virtual collaboration.
Hosted by National Forest Foundation.

Title: Reconnecting Children with Nature: Our Responsibility and Our Opportunity
Presenters: Jack Voelker
Date and Time: October 8th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Learn about successful strategies from recreation and parks professionals that address the disconnect from nature through facility and land use planning, program development, and community education and partnerships.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Latinxhikers Fireside Chat
Presenters: Alexandra Garcia, Adriana Garcia (Co-founder Latinxhikers), and Angie Vasquez (Founder of Girls Who Hike FL); hosted by Luz Lituma, Co-founder of Latinxhikers and FTA & ATC Latinx Partnerships Coordinator.
Date and Time: October 6th at 5PM EDT
Overview: In celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, the ATC and FTA have invited a few powerful women to be part of their Virtual Latinxhikers Fireside Chat. A big way to keep our traditions going and to create new ones is by sharing our stories! We’ll be sharing our unique stories, what hiking on trails means to us, and some of our most joyful moments on the trail.
Hosted by the Florida Trail Association and Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Title: Trailhead Talk
Presenters: U.S. Senate candidates Martha McSally (R) and Mark Kelly (D)
Date and Time: October 2nd at 3:30PM EDT (With Mark Kelly) and 6:30PM EDT (with Martha McSally)
Overview: The Arizona Trail Association (ATA) has arranged a special online “Trailhead Talk” with United States Senate candidates Martha McSally (R) and Mark Kelly (D) on Friday, October 2. These one-on-one conversations will provide each candidate an opportunity to share their personal connection to the Arizona Trail and speak about the importance of public lands, outdoor recreation, and conservation. As they seek to represent Arizona in the United States Senate in the upcoming election, both candidates will be asked questions about protecting public lands; improving access to public lands for underserved communities; supporting Arizona’s outdoor recreation economy; addressing climate change and minimizing impacts of wildfires; other legislative goals important to the outdoor community.
Hosted by Arizona Trail Association.

Title: Managing High-Use Trails: Why Trail Stewards are a Necessity in Creating Safe, Sustainable Trails
Presenters: Hank Osborn, Director of Programs, New York – New Jersey Trail Conference
Date and Time: October 1st at 1PM EDT
Overview: Learn how trail steward and trailbuilding programs have worked to make the public better informed, more responsible trails users while protecting the resource.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Indigenous Perspectives on Public Lands and Tribal Preservation – Introductory Event
Presenters: Grand Staircase Escalante Partners
Date and Time: September 26th at 8PM EDT
Overview: In this kick-off event for our virtual teach-in series, we will discuss histories of conservation and the importance of elevating Indigenous perspectives in issues of conservation and public lands use and management and identifying how such management can support Tribal preservation. Following events (which will occur on Thursday evenings at 6:00 PM MT) will feature BIPOC panelists).
Hosted by Grand Staircase Escalante Partners.

Title: How People are Working Across Agreements and Different Systems peer learning session
Presenters: David Smith, Hawaii Forestry and Wildlife Administrator; Tommy Cabe, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Forest Resource Specialist; Carrie Gilbert, USDA Forest Service, Wayne National Forest Supervisor
Date and Time: September 24th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: Speakers will provide examples of how people are tracking and leveraging multiple funding sources; Address the question, “How do we leverage institutional resources across boundaries?”; Provide examples of challenges and successes in establishing close working relationships across organizations; Discuss how to navigate statutory requirements across organizations in Shared Stewardship.
Hosted by the National Forest Foundation.

Title: Trail Marking Standards Across Varying Landscapes
Presenters: Scott Landes, CEO, Rhino Marking & Protection Systems, Charlie Dundas, Owner, Tri-State Company, Inc; Stephen Swazee, Chair, Emergency Preparedness Committee, Minnesota Geospatial Advisory Council; Jennifer Rigby, Director, The Acorn Group, Inc.; Josh Olson, Trail Solutions Project Manager/Lead Builder, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
Date and Time: September 24th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Join trail designers and builders who work in vastly different landscapes as they discuss the unique marking challenges that their landscapes present. From cattle crossing in the Dakotas to winding forested singletrack of the Southeast, can sign standards be simplified AND accommodate natural trail differences? How can trail user safety, visibility, and aesthetics all work together to create an effective trail marking system across varying landscapes?
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: COVID-19 and Field Work peer learning session
Presenters: National Forest Foundation
Date and Time: September 22nd at 2PM EDT
Overview: In June and August, the National Forest Foundation convened virtual peer learning sessions focused on COVID-19 and fieldwork on National Forest System lands. We joined many of our colleagues and partners from around the country to discuss early- and mid-season experiences and adaptations for organizations working on field-based projects during the pandemic. Session attendees expressed an interest in ongoing virtual discussions, and we’re pleased to announce a continued conversation around COVID-19 learning and adaptations. During this one-hour discussion space, we invite local implementing partners working on National Forest System lands to join with questions, experiences, and/or advice around your learnings and experiences. Our goal is to make the time as productive as possible for everyone – and to facilitate and share learning around the country. During this virtual conversation, attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Share late-season experiences and adaptations from implementing field-based projects during the pandemic.
  • Present challenges they are still struggling with.
  • Discuss COVID-related questions from partner organizations working on National Forest System lands.

Hosted by National Forest Foundation.

Title: 2020 Nonprofit Diversity Practices Survey Results Overview Webinar
Presenters: Lisa Brown Alexander, President and CEO; Emily Holthaus, Managing Director, DEI
Date and Time: September 21st at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: As a leading talent management firm in the social impact sector for more than 20 years, we have worked with thousands of organizations to help advance their missions through their most important asset, their people. Sign up now and invite your team and community partners to listen in! You will hear impacts from the survey data and walk away with tips for how your organization can best leverage the survey results.
Hosted by Nonprofit HR.

Title: Making Connections: The National Digital Trails Network Project
Presenters: Elizabeth McCartney, Project Manager, U.S. Geological Survey; Tatyana DiMascio, Technical Lead, U.S. Geological Survey
Date and Time: September 17th at 1PM EDT
Overview: The US Geological Survey and DOI are advancing the vision to provide better access to public lands and improve connectivity on the nation’s public trail systems with the National Digital Trails Network (NDT) project. Join us for an overview of the project and a demonstration of the Trail Routing, Analysis, and Information Linkage System (TRAILS) tool.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Upswell Pop-Up #6
Date and Time: September 15th at 1-4PM EDT
Overview: Upswell Pop-Up #6 – which will lead right into October’s Upswell 2020 summit – will consider the rapidly shifting power dynamics in civil society, including the recalculated value of infrastructure organizations. You’ll have the opportunity to hear influential keynote speakers and join intimate conversations about anti-racism efforts, COVID-19 recovery, and the broader landscape for changemakers committed to repairing our society.
Hosted by the Independent Sector.

Title: Public Land Stewardship and Climate Change – A Discussion
Presenters: See below.
Date and Time: September 15th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Ecological change is happening before our eyes, brought on by climate change. Regardless of the cause, the changes in the natural world are evident and swiftly reshaping environments. This is felt keenly on public lands. Our panelists will discuss ways that stewardship groups can involve themselves in the monitoring and preparation for climate change adjustments in your local areas. This session will help set a framework for climate change understanding leading into the National Wilderness Workshop in October. Rachel Green, Climate Education & Stewardship Program Manager with Great Old Broads for Wilderness, will discuss Broads’ new grant-funded program that empowers volunteers to educate their communities about the intersecting issues of climate change and public lands management through hands-on learning, online engagements, and inspiring stewardship opportunities that center nature-based climate solutions.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: DEI Building Blocks: Powering DEI Through Mentoring
Presenters: Lisa Z. Fain, Center for Mentoring Excellence; Marlene M. Gordon, Del Monte Fresh Produce Company; Dr. Monica C. Higgins, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Dr. Brad Johnson, John Hopkins University; Emily Newman, Camber Outdoors; Liz Wilson, Outdoor Research; Dr. Lois J. Zachary, Center for Mentoring Excellence;Chio Zubiria, Bacardi
Date and Time: September 11th at 1:30PM EDT
Overview: Participants will gain insights into mentoring fundamentals and emerging trends, sponsorship, and women & mentoring:  How can organizations set up inclusive and equitable mentorship programs or practices that lead to growth; Why women (and women of color) receive less effective mentoring and sponsoring–especially from senior men—in organizations; What does world-class sponsorship look like and what are some of the key elements to DEI driven sponsoring that we can implement today; New and different approaches to mentoring beyond the traditional dyad, one-on-one mentoring (eg themed mentoring, group mentoring, constellations mentoring, reverse mentoring).
Hosted by the Camber Outdoors.

Title: Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) Monitoring peer learning session 
Presenters: Tom DeMeo, Regional Ecologist, Pacific Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service; Jessica Robertson, Integrated Restoration Coordinator, USDA Forest Service; CFLRP project practitioners
Date and Time: September 10th at 2:30-4PM EDT
Overview: During this session, USDA Forest Service and collaborative members will explore lessons learned in the first 10 years of CFLRP monitoring – what worked well and what challenges we continue to encounter in the multi-party monitoring of ecological, social, and economic effects. Given those lessons, we will then discuss where we go from here.
Hosted by the National Forest Foundation.

Title: Effective Wayfinding Signage: Trail System Planning, Design, and Implementation
Presenters: Justin Azevedo, Director of Landscape Architecture & Planning, Coffman Studio; Travis Menne, Community Projects Manager, City of Redding Community Services; Michael Reed, FSEGD, Founding Partner Emeritus, Mayer/Reed; Kathy Fry, SEGD, Principal, Mayer/Reed
Date and Time: September 10th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Hear from three different organizations how to prepare effective, user-friendly, and time-dynamic wayfinding signage guidelines..
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Effective Wayfinding Signage: Trail System Planning, Design, and Implementation
Presenters: Justin Azevedo, Director of Landscape Architecture & Planning, Coffman Studio; Travis Menne, Community Projects Manager, City of Redding Community Services; Michael Reed, FSEGD, Founding Partner Emeritus, Mayer/Reed; Kathy Fry, SEGD, Principal, Mayer/Reed
Date and Time: September 10th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Hear from three different organizations how to prepare effective, user-friendly, and time-dynamic wayfinding signage guidelines..
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Quantifying the Healthcare Cost Savings of Outdoor Recreation
Presenters: Dr. Randy Rosenberger, who oversaw development of the tool; Leslie Meehan, Director of the Tennessee Department of Health; and Senator Brenda Gilmore of the Tennessee State Senate
Date and Time: September 8th at 12PM EDT
Overview: The Oregon Outdoor Recreation Health Estimator Tool was used by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to determine that outdoor recreation saves Oregonians $1.4B in health care cost savings each year. The Tennessee Department of Health and Tennessee State Parks are currently working to adapt the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Health Impacts Estimator Tool to their state. Learn how such a tool could be used to quantify the health care cost savings of outdoor recreation at the state and county level; its applicability to other states for use as part of their Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), which each state must produce in order to secure Land and Water Conservation Fund funding; and its benefits to elected officials, school districts, land and recreation managers and health care providers to secure additional funding for investments in green infrastructure, nature-rich programming and access to nature around the country.
Hosted by SHIFT as part of the Health and Nature Webinar Series.

Title: Successful Partnerships of the Last Decade
Presenters: Hollyn Walters, National Partnership Coordinator, National Partnership Office, USDA Forest Service; James Melonas, Acting Deputy Regional Forester, Southwestern Region, USDA Forest Service; Emily Olsen, Colorado Program Manager, National Forest Foundation; MaeLee Hafer, Stewardship/GNA/CFLRP Coordinator, Southern Region-Forest Management, USDA Forest Service
Date and Time: September 3rd at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: Hear from the National Partnership Office on their efforts to aid partnerships across the country; Learn from three examples of successful partnerships related to timber management, fire, and recreation; Have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters.
Hosted by the National Forest Foundation.

Title: Tribal Tourism and Park Conservation
Presenter: American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association
Date and Time: September 2nd at 3PM EDT
Hosted by the National Park Service as part of the Connected Conservation webinar series.

Title: Making Strategic Decisions in the Context of COVID-19
Audience:
This event is open for staff at Independent Sector Member organizations only.
Date and Time: August 31st at 2-3:15PM EDT
Overview: Your organization’s immediate COVID-19 emergency plan is in place. Now what? No one knows how the future will unfold, and it’s easy to feel either paralyzed or swamped by having to make organization-defining choices during a time of such hyper-uncertainty. While it’s common to create best- or worst-case financial forecasts, it’s hard to think about the future in the midst of COVID-19 in a structured way and prepare to create impact across a range of different, plausible futures that might emerge. That’s where scenario planning comes in. IS members are invited to join an exclusive scenario planning workshop with the gurus from the Monitor Institute by Deloitte. The workshop will provide you with a clear understanding of powerful tools that can help your organization think about the critical uncertainties of the moment, reckon with the new “certainties” emerging from the pandemic, and think about how your strategies might (or might not) fit the different possible futures.
Hosted by the Independent Sector.

Title: North Country Stories: Creative Space
Presenters: NCTA’s Executive Director Andrea Ketchmark
Date and Time: August 27th at 7PM EDT
Overview: Join NCTA’s Executive Director, Andrea Ketchmark, for this first in a series of conversations with outdoor leaders across the trails community and in our own backyard. In our first conversation, Andrea will connect with Alice Jasper, the host of Color Out Here, a show focused on reframing what outdoorsy looks like by creating a more inclusive outdoor space.
Hosted by the North Country Trail Association.

Title: “Building Strategic Alignment for Shared Stewardship using State Forest Action Plans” peer learning session
Presenters: Ian MacFarlane, Executive Director, Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Association; Tom Boggus, Texas State Forester; Jenny Sanders, Coordinator of the Texas Longleaf Taskforce; Laura McCarthy, New Mexico State Forester; Daniel Denipah, Santa Clara Pueblo Forestry Department Director; Tim Garcia, Director of State and Private Forestry for the Northern Region of the USDA Forest Service
Date and Time: August 27th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: During this session, speakers will respond to the questions: What are state Forest Action Plans and why are they important to Shared Stewardship? How do Forest Action Plans support cross-boundary work? What is the role of partners in Shared Stewardship and Forest Action Plans? How do state Forest Action Plans relate to tribal forest management plans, resource management plans, watershed plans, and forest plans? What processes are being used to identify shared priorities with partners?
Hosted by the National Forest Foundation.

Title: Anti-Racism in our National Parks: A Panel Discussion
Presenters: Independent scholar Dr. Carolyn Finney; Dr. Nina Roberts, Professor of recreation and tourism at San Francisco State University; Yosemite National Park Ranger Shelton Johnson; former National Park Director Robert Stanton; and Angelou Ezeilo, co-founder of the Greening Youth Foundation.
Date and Time: August 25th at 8PM EDT
Overview: This online forum will put into context the current circumstances of our modern times in which Black Americans are statistically the least likely of all racial or ethnic groups to visit our national parks. We will discuss a few of the root causes of this disparity in visitation as well as likely solutions meant to correct it. Our goal in this exciting conversation will be to offer a broad ranging view on the prospects of a future National Park System that is racially diverse, equitable and inclusive. Can we get there? Tune in and find out.
Hosted by the Joy Trip Project as part of #BlackInNationalParksWeek.

Title: Next Generation Summit
Presenters: NCTA’s Next Generation Coalition
Date and Time: August 25th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Hear first hand from NCTA’s Next Generation Coalition Members about how they’ve been getting involved in outreach, volunteerism and advocacy along the Trail and how we can work together to engage the next generation of trail stewards.
Hosted by the North Country Trail Association.

Title: Talent Attraction and Diverse Recruitment Practices in Nonprofits
Presenters: Emily Holthaus, Managing Director, DEI; Myra Briggs, Practice Leader, Executive Search; Sophia LaFontant, Recruitment Business Partner; Antonio Cortes, PhD, Senior Consultant, DEI.
Date and Time: August 25th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: The 2020 Nonprofit Talent Management Priorities Survey revealed that 45% of respondents are prioritizing “attracting and hiring diverse talent” this year, across all demographics including race. But what will social-impact organizations need to look like to the “woke” jobseeker? And, will nonprofits be able to reflect the cultures of diversity, equity and inclusion that candidates are seeking when evaluating where to lend their time and talents? Hear: What other organizations are doing to attract and hire high-performers of diverse backgrounds; How you “show up” as a welcoming and inclusive employer; How to identify and address racial bias in your screening, interviewing, hiring and onboarding practices; How to effectively communicate your organization’s DEI culture throughout the hiring process.
Hosted by Nonprofit HR.

Title: The Mental Health Benefits of Outdoor Recreation
Presenters: See below.
Date and Time: August 25th at 12PM EDT
Overview: The mental health benefits of time outside have never been more important than in the midst of the pandemic. This episode explores the mental health benefits of time outside from the perspectives of Dr. Kristen Walter, a Clinical Research Psychologist at the Naval Health Research Center who is studying the merits of surfing and hiking for mental health; Alyssa Solis, a Science Teacher with Los Angeles Unified and a Field Instructor with Outward Bound Adventures; and Elyse Rylander, the founder of OUT There Adventures, an adventure organization committed to fostering positive identity development, individual empowerment, and improved quality of life for queer young people—and their implications for a society that’s experiencing trauma on a collective level.
Hosted by SHIFT as part of the Health and Nature Webinar Series.

Title: Trail Management Webinar: Map Workshop
Presenters: NCTA Staff Matt Rowbotham (GIS Coordinator), and Kenny Wawsczyk (Michigan Regional Trail Coordinator)
Date and Time: August 19th at 4PM EDT
Overview: Learn about the role of the NCTA’s mapping technology in trail management and hiking. The presenters will share the tools they use on a day-to-day basis, including smartphones, tablets and Bluetooth GPS receivers. They will also leave plenty of time for your questions on how to best work with the NCTA’s mapping resources from the perspective of both trail volunteers and hikers.
Hosted by the North Country Trail Association.

Title: Great American Outdoors Act Celebration
Presenters: See below
Date and Time: August 13th at 6:30PM EDT
Overview: A virtual celebration of the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act with special guests Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Lujan, Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small, and Congresswoman Deb Haaland. Our special guests will share stories and thoughts on this historic legislation and answer audience questions.
Hosted by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition and several other partners.

Title: COVID-19 and Field Work peer learning session
Presenter: National Forest Foundation
Date and Time: August 13th at 2-3PM EDT
Overview: During this virtual conversation, attendees will have the opportunity to: Share mid- and late-season experiences and adaptations from implementing field-based projects during the pandemic; Present challenges they are still struggling with; Discuss COVID-related questions from partner organizations working on National Forest System lands.
Hosted by National Forest Foundation.

Title: Walking Towards Justice in Indian Country (Part 2): Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Presenter: Margo Hill, Director of the Eastern Washington University Tribal Planning Program; Congresswoman Deb Haaland; Laura Harjo, Associate Professor of Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma; Jessica McDiarmid, Canadian journalist and “Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference, and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls” (Simon and Schuster, Inc., 2019) is her first book; Carina Miller, Warm Springs Community Action Team.
Date and Time: August 12th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: In the United States, Native American women are more than twice as likely to experience violence than any other demographic. One in three Native women is sexually assaulted during her life, 67% of these attacks are perpetrated by non-Natives, and many of the abductions take place when the victim is walking along a highway.  The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic impacts First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities in Canada, as well as Native Americans. Webinar participants will learn how the dark history of colonialization, complex jurisdictional issues, and racialized indifference have created the circumstances in which these crimes are regularly perpetrated and rarely prosecuted.  Panelists will include civil rights advocates, practitioners, and researchers, as well as U.S. Congresswoman Deb Haaland (NM-1), who introduced federal legislation last year to address this “silent crisis,” and author Jessica McDiarmid, who documented numerous personal stories in her book, “Highway of Tears.” Audience members who are unfamiliar with Indigenous culture and governance are encouraged to review the first webinar in the series (Tribal Transportation Planning and Pedestrian Safety, broadcast on June 23rd, 2020) and the recommended reading materials.
Hosted by America Walks.

Title: The Mental Health Benefits of Parks
Presenters: Ralf Buckley is emeritus professor of ecotourism at Griffith University, Australia; Jonathan B. Jarvis is the executive director of UC Berkeley’s Institute for Parks, People, and Diversity; Brenda Schmidt is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, educator, and CEO of Coplex.
Date and Time: August 11th at 5PM EDT
Overview: Visits to national parks around the world may result in improved mental health valued at about $US6 trillion, according to report authored in 2019 by a team of ecologists, psychologists and economists from Griffith University in Australia. This episode features a discussion with Ralf Buckley, who authored the report; Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service (2009-2017); and Brenda Schmidt, the Founder of Solera Health, about how such economic quantifications of park benefits can be used to advocate for parks in particular and nature as a public health intervention strategy in general.
Hosted by SHIFT Health and Nature series.

Title: Stop, Stand Back and Speak (A Smile Helps Too): Maximize Your Positive Interactions with People on Horseback
Presenter: Randy Rasmussen, Back Country Horsemen of America, and Cate Bendock,  Back Country Horsemen of Oregon
Date and Time: August 11th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Most trail users are familiar with the Share the Trail “yield triangle,” which asks that hikers and bikers yield to persons on horseback. The reasons behind such trail etiquette are rooted in animal psychology and behavior. Yet many stewardship volunteers, including hikers, trail runners, backpackers and mountain bicyclists are unfamiliar with the reasons why horses and mules might react adversely when thrust into a surprise encounter. This webinar will provide participants with useful information on ways to minimize trail conflict and how to work comfortably alongside packstock during stewardship projects. The presenters will walk webinar participants through topics such as:

  • The benefits of incorporating users of packstock, which includes horses and mules, into trial work parties and stewardship projects.
  • Horse psychology, including:
    • Horse sense: How a horse interprets its world through sight, sound and smell.
    • Fears and concerns of a prey animal (from the eyes of the horse). 
    • Fight or flight: Why even a well-trained horse might occasionally “bolt.”
    • How to “read” a horse’s state of mind (pro tip: Vulcan mind-meld not required!).
  • Trail and weather characteristics that serve to minimize surprise encounters with pack and saddle stock. 
  • Fears and concerns of the horseback rider. 
  • Best practices to minimize your anxiety or fear, or that of others in your party, when encountering stock on the trail or during joint stewardship projects.
  • Horse poop (aka, manure): Is it something to fear?

The webinar will be interactive, in order to recognize the accumulated experience of webinar participants, with ample time for audience Q&A or story-telling. We implore participants to help us craft an informative webinar, the recording of which can serve as an educational tool for trail users and professionals for years to come.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Upswell Pop-Up #5 – Exploring Anti-Racism and COVID-19 Recovery Strategies
Presenter: Independent Sector
Date and Time: August 11th at 1PM EDT
Overview: We’ll be exploring anti-racism and COVID-19 recovery strategies using new, intimate approaches – creatively engineered, carefully facilitated, and designed to make a difference.
Hosted by the Independent Sector.

Title: The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and Sustainable Tourism in the Ohio River Valley
Presenter: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Date and Time: August 6th at 1:30PM EDT
Overview: With the 1,200-mile extension of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in May 2019, a fourth major North American river became an official part of the Trail – the Ohio River, joining the Mississippi, Missouri, and Columbia Rivers. Beginning at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Ohio is formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. It ends 981 miles later at Cairo, Illinois when it empties into the Mississippi. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Experience project is designed to support the public’s use and enjoyment of The Trail without adversely impacting the resources along it. This Geotourism project engages residents, enterprises, communities, and visitors in shared environmental and cultural heritage stewardship. The National Park Service has built a new travel website –https://lewisandclark.travel/ — specifically designed to bring together businesses like yours (attractions, landmarks, and other points of interest) to help promote sustainable tourism. We are working with the Ohio River Recreational Trail to garner as big a following as possible in and around the Ohio River in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. The second component of the webinar is to focus on state resources to develop tourism infrastructure of river towns. It will focus on the value of being designated as a trail town by your state. Kentucky’s designated Trail Towns put you near the best outdoor sites in the state, including hundreds of miles of trails, woods and waters but keep you in cities and towns offering hotels, restaurants, attractions, entertainment and other conveniences to round out your stay. To be a certified Kentucky Trail Town, these popular destinations have made a commitment to share their area’s outdoor opportunities, culture, history and stories to visitors hungry for adventure. Since its inception, this program under the state’s Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet has designated 20 communities across Kentucky to serve as official gateways.
Hosted by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Title: Trail Analytics and Data Storytelling
Presenter: Emily Duchon, Principal, Alta Planning + Design; Deven Young, Principal, Alta Planning + Design; Lauren Cencic, Sr. Director, Countywide Planning & Development, Mobility Corridors, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; Mike Sellinger, Associate, Alta Planning + Design
Date and Time: August 6th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: This webinar will share a spectrum of data analysis and scenario planning tools that can be used to help plan and design new or existing trails.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Partnering with Tribes on Conservation
Presenter: Jennifer Talken-Spaulding, Acting NPS American Indian Liaison
Date and Time: August 5th at 3PM EDT
Hosted by the National Park Service as part of the Connected Conservation webinar series.

Title: Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities” – A Conversation with author Andre Perry
Presenter: Andre M. Perry, Author
Date and Time: August 5th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Overview: Join America Walks for a conversation with Andre M. Perry about his book Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities. Dr. Perry gives an overview of five Black Majority cities and provides detailed analysis of how the assets and strengths of these places have been devalued. The book is both research and memoir. As we look for ways to address structural racism in community design, knowing and valuing the strengths and assets of black communities is essential. Dr. Perry provides a frame for doing just that. In this conversation, Dr. Perry will outline the multiple assets present in black communities and give direction on how to value them. Following his presentation, he will answer questions from the moderators and the attendees.
Hosted by America Walks.

Title: Equitable and Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Part 2
Presenter: Youth Outside
Date and Time: August 4th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: As we continue to envision a post-COVID environmental education field, we need to ensure racial equity is at the center. Join the Youth Outside team for the second of this two part series recruitment and hiring training that will help those hiring for new staff in the fall center the realities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. During the Hiring training participants will consider critical questions to ask of your organization when hiring talented staff of color; explore how white supremacy organizational culture is embedded in common hiring practices; identify and mitigate the impacts of white supremacy organizational culture when hiring talented staff of color.
Hosted by Youth Outside Community Workshops.

Title: The Future of Landscape Conservation: A Virtual Policy Forum
Presenters: Sally Jewell, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and former President/CEO of REI; Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation; Mamie Parker, former Assistant Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Lynn Scarlett, Chief External Affairs Officer of The Nature Conservancy; Tony Wasley, Director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife; Sacha Spector, Program Director for the Environment at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Date and Time: July 31st at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Leading policy experts will discuss the state of collaborative landscape conservation in the United States. Conservation has long been a bipartisan issue in this country, and there is increasing agreement that conservation at the larger landscape scale is essential to address not only pressing ecological issues such as water, fire, and climate, but also to simultaneously address community health and vitality, cultural heritage, local farms and forests, and equitable access to clean air, water, and healthy outdoor recreation.
Hosted by the Network for Landscape Conservation

Title: Equitable and Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Part 1
Presenter: Youth Outside
Date and Time: July 21st at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: As we continue to envision a post-COVID environmental education field, we need to ensure racial equity is at the center. Join the Youth Outside team for this two part series (1.5 hour each) recruitment and hiring training that will help those hiring for new staff in the fall center the realities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. During the Recruitment training, participants will identify the implicit biases that can present themselves in educator recruitment materials; explore the role deficit-based language plays in turning away potential applicants; gain a greater understanding of what racial equity-centered outreach looks like, sounds like, and means for those most impacted by systemic racism. Save the date for part two on August 4th.
Hosted by Youth Outside Community Workshops.

Title: The Great American Outdoors Act – What it Means for Stewardship
Presenter: Tyler Ray, American Hiking Society; Brenda Yankoviak, U.S. Forest Service; Paul Sanford, The Wilderness Society
Date and Time: July 14th at 3PM EDT
Overview: The Great American Outdoors Act is moving through Congress; passed by the Senate and waiting for passage in the House. What will this Act mean for Stewardship? How will the funding in this Act apply to stewardship groups. This presentation panel will explain the importance of supporting this Act and the on the ground consequences that could result from its passage.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Fireside Chat 2 with NPF, NPS and Friends Alliance
Presenter: David Vela, Deputy Director of the National Park Service; Deb Yandala, Member of the National Park Friends Alliance Steering Committee and CEO of Cuyahoga Conservancy; Will Shafroth, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation.
Date and Time: July 9th at 1:30PM EDT (register by 5PM EDT July 7th)
Overview: In this discussion, we will address the pressing questions that we are hearing from you in the field: Now that many parks are being asked to reopen in a responsible way, what have been the barriers to doing this in the safest way possible? What is keeping the Park Service up at night? How can the partner community support NPS in meeting the current and anticipated challenges? With the Great American Outdoors Act looking more likely to become law, talk about the opportunities and challenges NPS will face – and how can partners help this huge investment be a success?
Hosted by National Park Foundation.

Title: Promoting a Cultural Shift Toward Shared Stewardship
Presenters: USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen; Jay Farrell, Executive Director of the National Association of State Foresters; Karen Hardigg, Executive Director of the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition; Mary Mitsos, President and CEO of the National Forest Foundation
Date and Time: July 8th at 2-3:30PM EDT
Suggested Audience: Forest Service employees, state foresters and staff, tribes, collaborative group members, and non-governmental organizations interested in the Shared Stewardship of our nation’s forests.
Overview: During this first session in a series of seven regarding Shared Stewardship, leaders in Shared Stewardship will respond to the questions: If you were to look back five years from now, what would you be most proud of in terms of what has been achieved through Shared Stewardship? Where are cultural shifts needed to make those desired outcomes a reality?
Hosted by the National Forest Foundation in partnership with U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters.

Title: Engage, Connect, Protect: Conservation, COVID-19 and the New Civil Rights Movement
Presenters: Angelou Ezeilo, Greening Youth Foundation Founder and CEO; Shatiba Bradley, GYF Project Manager; and Mickey Fearn, SHIFT Board Member
Date and Time: July 7th at 12PM EDT
Overview: While concern about the state of our land, air, and water continues to grow, there is widespread belief that environmental issues are primarily of interest to wealthy white communities. The new book “Engage, Connect, Protect,” by Angelou Ezeilo, explodes this myth, revealing the deep and abiding interest that African American, Latino, and Native American communities – many of whom live in degraded and polluted parts of the country – have in our collective environment. With this episode, Ezeilo is joined by  Shatiba A. Bradley and Mickey Fearn in a discussion about how conservation intersects with the damage wrought by centuries of institutional racism and highlighted by COVID-19 and the New Civil Rights Movement.
Hosted by SHIFT.

Title: Hasan Davis Guides A Conversation about York, Equity, Race, and the Lewis and Clark Story
Presenter: Hasan Davis, J.D.
Date and Time: July 2nd at 1PM EDT
Overview: We invite you to join us for a conversation with Mr. Hasan Davis, J.D. as we look at equity and race through the lens of York and the Lewis and Clark story. We’ll discuss the importance of seeking out untold stories and making space for lesser heard voices and perspectives.
Hosted by Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Title: Planning for Successful Communities and Landscape Conservation
Presenter: Adam Gillenwater, American Battlefield Trust
Date and Time: July 1st at 3PM EDT
Overview: Successful Communities, a project of Future West, a non-profit in Bozeman, Montana, helps cities and towns in the Northern Rockies understand and prepare for the 21st Century challenges – and opportunities – that they face. Those challenges include sprawl and loss of open space, affordable housing, infrastructure funding, to name a few. The fundamental Successful Communities process is the same: provide the data and analysis (including surveys of resident attitudes) they need to make good decisions, facilitate community visioning and strategy workshops, and help them create an achievable action plan for the future. Dennis Glick and Randy Carpenter of Future West will cover the initiative’s core purpose and process, and present a recent Successful Communities case study from Gardiner, Montana, the northern gateway to Yellowstone National Park and a bellwether for the challenges facing many other gateway communities.
Hosted by the National Park Service as part of the Connected Conservation webinar series.

Title: REALITIES: Race Diversity Practices in Nonprofits
Presenter: A DEI Education Series by Nonprofit HR
Date and Time: June 30th at 2PM EDT
Overview: Are you struggling with discussions about how race, racism and racial equity show up in your workplace? If so, you’re not alone. Nonprofit HR recognizes that organizations need time to unpack the many issues stemming from injustices based on race, ethnicity and beyond. We have curated a specific program to help the social sector navigate through this space! Why is this necessary? Nationwide, civil unrest and renewed demands for racial equality have created new opportunities for organizations to thoroughly assess their approach to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Race is already a challenging topic for any workforce to thoroughly dismantle and discuss. Having those discussions as the nation is still recovering from the blows of COVID-19 makes it even more challenging. We will discuss: Nonprofit HR’s latest diversity practices reporting and key findings you should know now; how the recent protests and their impact on organizations are shaping our knowledge practices and sector-reporting; how these data can be used to better galvanize your organization’s readiness to convene necessary conversations on race; critical steps needed to talk about race in the workplace.
Hosted by Nonprofit HR.

Title: Sustainable Advantage: Outdoor Recreation and Rural Community Development in California
Presenter: Chuck Flink, Owner, Greenways Incorporated; Kim Greendahl, Greenway Specialist, City of Grand Forks, North Dakota; Cathy Ruff, Director, Charleston County Greenbelt Program
Date and Time: June 30th at 1PM EDT
Overview: This webinar will summarize the main findings from multiple interviews on the dynamics with state and local stakeholders in government, business, and nonprofit who work in rural communities on outdoor recreation.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: The Greenway Imperative: A Call to Action
Presenters: Aaron Wilcher, Independent Researcher; Fran Doherty, Independent Researcher
Date and Time: June 25th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: The impact of COVID-19 has heightened the role that greenways and conserved greenspace play in providing critically important outdoor space for human activity, while at the same time promoting public health, safety, and well-being.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Tribal Transportation Planning and Pedestrian Safety
Presenters: America Walks and partners from the tribal community planning world
Date and Time: June 23rd at 3-4:15PM EDT
Overview: This webinar will ask why pedestrian fatalities are so prevalent in tribal communities. American Indians and Alaska Natives are much more likely to be killed while walking than any other racial or ethnic group with a recorded pedestrian death rate almost five times the national average. And these shocking statistics probably understate the true disparity because of a fragmented reporting system. Webinar panelists representing government agencies, research organizations, and the communities of Pueblo of Laguna and Yakama Nation will provide an overview of the pedestrian fatality/injury data and explore potential solutions to this problem. Participants will learn how cultural heritage, communication challenges, and jurisdictional issues involving tribal, state, and federal governments have contributed to pedestrian fatalities, and presenters will discuss case studies in which collaboration, a unified advocacy voice, and safety campaigns are starting to improve outcomes. This webinar will also provide important background information for the second webinar in the Walking Towards Justice in Indian Country series on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which is scheduled for August.
Hosted by America Walks.

Title: COVID-19 and Field Work Learning Session
Presenters: Kevin Shuck, Director of Operations, Wildland Restoration Volunteers; George Grygar, Program Operations Director, American Conservation Experience; Meryl Harrell, Executive Director, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
Date and Time: June 18th at 3-4:30PM EDT
Overview: Hear and share experiences and adaptations from the first few weeks working on field-based projects during the pandemic. Discuss COVID-related questions from partner organizations working on National Forest System lands.
Suggested audience: Nonprofit organizations and other partners performing field work on National Forest System lands during the summer of 2020.
Hosted by the National Forest Foundation.

Title: Women-Led Stewardship and Conservation — a Panel Discussion
Presenter: Shelley Silbert, Executive Director, Great Old Broads for Wilderness
Date and Time: June 16th at 3PM EDT
Overview: From Marjory Stoneman Douglas to Mardie Murie to Winona LaDuke and more, women have long led the fight for land protection, conservation, and stewardship. Yet women’s contributions have often gone unrecognized, and too few have held leadership positions in national, regional, or local organizations. Join Shelley Silbert, Executive Director of Great Old Broads for Wilderness, for a panel to explore why women are so critical to public lands protection, and how women’s leadership is critical to protection of our last wild places.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Gatehouses and Greenways: Interactive Community Engagement for Trails
Presenters: Mikey Goralnik, AICP, PLA, Community Design and Development Planner, Mariposa County Planning Department; Andrew Dawson, PLA, ASLA, Associate, WRT, LLC
Date and Time: June 11th at 1PM EDT
Overview: This webinar will provide attendees with ideas and solutions for getting projects implemented through creative coalitions and engagement activities.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: DEI: How to be a vehicle for change
Presenters: Kristin Carpenter, founder and CEO of Verde Brand Communications, and Emily Newman, Executive Director of Camber Outdoors, and Renita Smith, Chief Programs Officer. 
Date and Time: June 10th at 3PM EDT
Overview:  With recent news headlines dominated by protests and violence around the country, this Facebook Live discussion is about what a business can do to be a vehicle for change during this time of challenge and complexity.
Hosted by Verde Brand Communications and Camber Outdoors.

Title: 20 Ways to Engage and Empower Kids on Trails
Presenters: Windy Gordon, Educator and Author of 50 Hikes with Kids
Date and Time: June 3rd at 3PM EDT
Overview:  With the pandemic, neighborhood walks, backyard time, and any moment outdoors is extra special with kids. As the trails cautiously open around the US, Wendy’s got tried-and-true strategies, games, scavenger hunts, and tech apps that help keep engagement at an all time high while you explore! Come prepared to share in the chat and meet fellow adventurous, trail-loving families.
Hosted by American Hiking Society.

Title: Hiking and Playing Outside in the Time of COVID-19
Presenters: Kate Van Waes, AHS Executive Director
Date and Time: June 2nd at 3PM EDT
Overview:  American Hiking Society has seen how getting outside near our homes helps manage mental and physical health under COVID-19 quarantine, but there are a lot of questions about how to get outside safely and responsibly. AHS will provide a few guidelines and have a live Q&A to help answer your questions.
Hosted by American Hiking Society.

Title: Ratcheting Up Rural Response, Recovery and Resilience: Five Good Ideas for Philanthropy Right Now
Presenters: Funders – national, regional, state and local – and rural practitioners
Date and Time: June 2nd at 2-3PM (3-4PM optional) EDT
Overview: Across the country, rural communities and regions grappling with the immediate consequences of COVID-19 are already thinking about long-term ramifications. Many rural hub organizations – community action agencies, community development financial institutions, community foundations, tribal and local governments, schools and colleges, social enterprises, and a wide range of nonprofits – are taking swift action, working creatively and collaboratively to provide immediate relief. But they could use help – both to respond and to improve prospects for recovery. Since they are the experts in what they need, we asked seasoned rural action leaders what they think could help the most – especially ideas that might not be front and center on funders’ radar screens.
Hosted by Aspen Institute.

Title: Leveraging Outdoor Recreation to Revitalize Rural Economies
Presenters: Stephanie Bertaina, Senior Public Analyst, U.S. EPA Office of Community Revitalization; Garrett Villanueva, USDA Forest Service; Elyse Peters, Assistant Vice President for Community Impact, United Way of Central Alabama
Date and Time: June 2nd at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Together rural communities, land managers, agencies, and counties are creating a vision to leverage the power of outdoor recreation to strengthen main street revitalization, contributing to stewardship of public lands and creating new opportunities for prosperity.
Hosted by American Trails.

Title: Nature, Health and the Future of Environmental Leadership
Presenters: Florence Williams, author of “The Nature Fix,” and Ciarra Green, Juan Lazo Bautista, and Jessi Johnson, alumni of SHIFT’s Emerging Leaders Program
Date and Time: May 26th at 12PM EDT
Overview: In her book, “The Nature Fix,” Florence Williams explains why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative. But can it make us better stewards as well? Learn about the ways the next generation of environmental leaders are working toward both public and planetary health.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Connecting the Appalachian Trail, Conservation Landscapes, and Communities
Presenter: Julie Judkins, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and Katie Hess, Pennsylvania’s South Mountain Partnership
Date and Time: May 20th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Join Julie Judkins, with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and Katie Hess, with Pennsylvania’s South Mountain Partnership, to see how they are engaging with communities to support the Appalachian Trail and broader landscape conservation.
Hosted by the Network for Landscape Conservation as part of the NPS Connected Conservation (C2) Webinar Series.

Title: Shifting Your Events Online During COVID-19
Presenter: Taina Sanon, Membership Director, Nonprofit New York; Alexa Salame, Learning and Resources Manager, Nonprofit New York; Chris Bunting, Curriculum Design Manager, Candid
Date and Time: May 20th at 2PM EDT
Overview: Join Nonprofit New York and Candid to learn how in a short amount of time they have shifted their in-person events to an online format during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. In this webinar, the panelists will share how they determined the purpose of events, evaluated different scenarios, selected an online platform, leveraged their talents, and delivered successful events. The panelists will have an honest conversation on how they managed these programmatic changes and what lessons they learned throughout the process.
Hosted by Nonprofit New York and Candid.

Title: The Great American Outdoors Act: Vital to recovery and our future
Presenter: Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), coauthor of the Great American Outdoors Act, Lise Aangeenbrug, Executive Director of the Outdoor Industry Association, and Trust for Public Land National Board Member Lucas St. Clair
Date and Time: May 14th at 5PM EDT
Overview: Right now, we’re on the brink of a defining legislative victory: securing full and dedicated funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This has been a generation in the making and could transform the outlook for outdoor equality across the country. We’ll discuss the urgency of this moment, how to advocate for parks and public lands in your community, and what to watch for in the weeks to come as the nation weathers the pandemic and begins to invest in recovery.
Hosted by the Trust for Public Land.

Title: Conservation & Recreation Advocacy From Home
Presenter: OIA and partners
Date and Time: May 14th at 1PM EDT
Overview: Join us for a collaborative campfire conversation with Outdoor Industry Association, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, The Conservation Alliance and Outdoor Alliance while they discuss supporting efforts of policy initiatives through in-person and virtual advocacy amid the pandemic safer-at-home orders.
Hosted by the Outdoor Industry Association as part of the Campfire Conversations series (which includes this recording of How to Swiftly and Safely Re-Open Parks and Trails).

Title: Common Ground: Shared Goals for the Trails and Health Communities
Presenters: Eva Garcia, Project Manager, Caracara Trails, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), Dr. Morgan Green, Pediatrician, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, John Henderson, Executive Director, Park Rx America, Mike Quinn, Sr., Retired Nurse Anesthesiologist, Mayo Clinic, Mikaela Randolph, Children and Nature Network, Mike Passo, Executive Director, American Trails
Date and Time: May 14th at 1PM-2:30PM EDT
Overview: Trails are shown to improve health both mentally and physically, yet the healthcare industry and the trails industry rarely work together. There are many reasons for this, such as logistics, bureaucracy, and communication issues. We asked some leading experts how we can begin bridging these gaps.
Hosted by American Trails as part of the Advancing Trails Webinar Series.

Title: Walking and Walkability in the Time of COVID-19: New Policies and Practices
Presenters: Allison Arieff, SPUR; James F. Sallis, Ph.D.; Don Kostelec, AICP
Date and Time: May 13th at 1PM EDT
Overview: As America responds to the coronavirus pandemic, how do physical distancing, stay-at-home orders, and a slower economy impact walking and walkability? This webinar will discuss why it’s especially important to stay active right now, how new policies and practices can help you do so safely, and what the national walking movement might learn from the crisis. This webinar is intended for those who are familiar with topics and issues related to walking and walkability. Attendees of this webinar will: Learn the importance of staying active during these times; Hear examples of how people are sharing streets to stay safe and keep physical distance while walking in the time of coronavirus; Hear from professionals who are advocating for policy and practice changes during this time and how it can lead to permanent change in our communities.
Hosted by America Walks.

Title: Citizen Science — Innovative Approaches to Engagement, Data Collection, and Management Support
Presenter: Mark Eller, Lisa Gerloff, Michelle Toshack
Date and Time: May 12th at 3PM EDT
Overview: In the face of agency reductions, and the parallel growth of a wide-ranging base of engaged and knowledgeable volunteers in our wild areas, “Citizen Science” has become a key approach to gathering solid data and sustaining the science which supports wilderness management. Michelle Toshack, Senior Manager for Volunteer Experience at Adventure Scientists, will discuss how outdoor adventurers can help scientists make conservation impacts, by volunteering to collect high-quality data in hard-to-reach places. Lisa Gerloff, Program Director for Citizen Science at the University of Montana’s Wilderness Institute, will present on how engaging community volunteers assists in assessing on-the-ground conditions and monitoring wilderness character in Wilderness Study Areas in Montana managed by the BLM. Mark Eller, Director of Foundations and New Business for Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, will present the Center’s approach to designing a citizen science program that focuses on community monitoring of recreation-based impacts.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Create Stronger Online Relationships During COVID-19
Presenters: Matt Tanzer, Cornershop Creative
Date and Time: May 1st at 2PM EDT
Overview: As we adapt to working in an ever more virtual world, nonprofits are finding incredible ways to engage and connect with their supporters online. Join Cornershop Project Manager, Matt Tanzer, and examine new examples of online fundraising and outreach including digital care packages, holiday-centered eCard fundraising, and digital advocacy efforts.
Hosted by Salsa.

Title: This Week in Washington
Presenters: Allison Grayson, Independent Sector Director, Policy Development and Analysis; and Ben Kershaw, Independent Sector Director, Public Policy and Government Relations.
Date and Time: April 30th at 2PM-2:30PM EDT
Overview: With each passing day, the United States’ COVID-19 response presents new challenges and complications. As we look to our leaders in Congress and the White House to help stabilize our communities, it’s critical that nonprofits are keeping up with the latest developments — and preparing for what might come next. Join us for an interactive conversation about breaking developments in federal policy, with a focused lens on the ones that you need to understand to help your organization keep moving in this unprecedented moment in history.
Hosted by the Independent Sector.

Title: How Mobile Work Crews Enhance Trail Maintenance
Presenters: Bill Hasenjaeger, Owner,  Trail Boss; Ben Ellenberger, Board Member, Sage Trail Alliance; Dave McGill, Advocacy Director, Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE); Todd Bauer, Trail Liaison, MORE; Frank Comer, Member, MORE; Art Alcantara, Founder and Former President, Tucson Off-Road Cyclists and Activists (TORCA), and Co-Owner, Home Grown Tours LLC.
Date and Time: April 30th at 1PM-2:30PM EDT
Overview: This presentation describes how mobile maintenance “strike teams” utilizing packable hand tools can enhance single-track trail maintenance. It discusses user examples showing how mobile teams improve the quality of trails and trail maintenance. The session will highlight stories and examples from different trail organizations around the country, illustrating their use of mobile maintenance teams doing continuous trail maintenance.
Hosted by American Trails as part of the Advancing Trails Webinar Series.

Title: Mapping the Customer Experience
Presenters: Chuck Lennox, Lennox Insites
Date and Time: April 29th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Based on the popularity of his convention session “Mapping the Visitor Experience,” we’re joining forces once again with Chuck Lennox of Lennox Insites to pivot a bit toward the mapping of the customer experience. We’ll explore the Experience Economy, why it matters and its current use in the retail and virtual world. Then, we’ll delve into mapping for customers — what it is and the value it brings, who’s involved and how to get started. PLA fully recognizes the gravity of our current environment, but we’re keeping our eyes on hope by offering content that will benefit our members and the public lands community when it’s time to move forward.
Hosted by Public Lands Alliance.

Title: Looking Forward: Arizona Trails in the Next Phase of the COVID-19 Crisis
Presenters: Kent Taylor of Pinal County Open Space & Trails and the Summit for AZ Trails Team
Date and Time: April 29th at 3PM EDT
Overview: COVID-19 recovery planning; keeping new users engaged in the long term; the “New Normal” and the future of management strategies developed for the crisis; how can we continue to engage volunteers, and leverage future opportunities?; exploring the trails/outdoor recreation related economic development opportunities presented by COVID-19 relief.
Hosted by Summit for AZ Trails.

Title: Volunteerism During COVID-19
Presenters: Marie LeBlanc, Independent Sector Director, Design; Laura Plato, VolunteerMatch VP Business Development and Marketing
Date and Time: April 29th at 2PM EDT
Overview: You’re invited to join Independent Sector and Volunteer Match for a dynamic conversation about the critical needs and long-term opportunities to sustain volunteerism in your community in this unusual time. We’ll share information about policies and processes to safely engage volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ll explore the longer-term implications for leveraging skilled volunteers to build nonprofit capacity and resilience.
Hosted by Independent Sector and VolunteerMatch.

Title: Virtual Camber Exchange: Inclusive Leadership Through COVID-19 and Beyond
Facilitators: Alyssa Macy, Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters; José González, Latino Outdoors; Ashley Miller, evo.
Date and Time: April 28th at 7-8:30PM EDT
Overview: This virtual event will bring together a community of people who support workplace inclusion, equity, and diversity. Join Camber Outdoors and host companies for a few hours of captivating conversations and networking with peers. Spark ideas, meet new friends, and leave inspired!
Hosted by Camber Outdoors.

Title: VISTA Capacity-Building for Park Partners
Presenter: Caroline Smith, Program Director of Stewards Individual Placement Program at Conservation Legacy; and VISTAs from Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and Rock Creek Conservancy
Date and Time: April 28th at 2:30PM EDT
Overview: The National Park Foundation partners with Stewards to support park partners in building their organizational capacity by placing AmeriCorps VISTAs for one year through Strong Parks, Strong Communities. Join this webinar to learn about this on-going opportunity for park partners and hear directly from partner organizations,and their VISTAs about their experience.
Hosted by the National Park Foundation and Conservation Legacy’s Stewards Individual Placement Program.

Title: Small Business Support to Boost Economic Recovery
Presenter: Burl Kelton, U.S. SBA and Frances Padilla, Colorado SBA District Director
Date and Time: April 28th at 1PM EDT
Overview: If you are a small business owner, you know that the last few weeks (just barely a month!) have been anxious, frustrating and hopeful. Congress has charged the U. S. Small Business Administration with the huge task of funneling sustaining funds of billions of dollars to small businesses and employees alike, in an effort to sustain them in a difficult and nearly impossible situation. Using the traditional SBA and bank partnership and the Disaster Assistance Office, the agency revamped programs in just days, and the billions of dollars of funding could move directly into the economy in a historical effort unmatched in the more than 50 years of the agency. Join Burl Kelton from the U.S. SBA and Colorado SBA District Director Frances Padilla to learn how the agency is supporting small business.
Hosted by Outdoor Industry Association.

Title: Grief, Trauma & Depression During a Crisis: How it Shows Up, How to Manage it
Presenter: Lisa Brown Alexander, Nonprofit HR; Lisa Dinhofer, Koden Consulting Services, LLC; Christine Allen, Ph.D.
Date and Time: April 27th at 12-1:15PM EDT
Overview: The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our reality. Some among your workforce may be finding healthy ways to cope with concerns about their health, safety and jobs, while others may be experiencing grief, either due to the loss of a friend, loved one, co-worker, or death toll stories they are reading about. As employee grief continues to manifest itself in the workplace, leaders and HR professionals are faced with how to manage this among their staff. Register now for this panel discussion to better understand signs of grief, trauma and depression among your workforce during a crisis and how they can impact the achievement of your nonprofit’s mission.  Gain insight into how you as an HR or organizational leader can help your employees cope during this difficult time.  Learn how to better manage related performance issues, recommend helpful resources, and help build resiliency in your staff.  Increasing understanding of these issues and developing a strategy to address them as we prepare for our “new normal” are an important part of your talent management strategy in these unprecedented times.
Hosted by Nonprofit HR.

Title: Fireside Chat with NPF, NPS and Friends Alliance
Presenter: David Vela, Deputy Director of the National Park Service; David MacDonald, President of the National Park Friends Alliance Steering Committee and CEO of Friends of Acadia; Will Shafroth, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation.
Date and Time: April 23rd at 3PM EDT
Overview: David Vela will open with an update from the National Park Service, including some of the challenges and opportunities posed during the COVID-19 pandemic. David MacDonald will share some perspectives from the Friends community. We will also discuss what it means to take on a leadership position role during these unprecedented times. Lastly, we hope to end with answering some of your questions that can be submitted through the below registration link ahead of time, and there may be an opportunity to ask additional questions during the chat as well.
Hosted by National Park Foundation.

Title: Policy Update on COVID-19 Response and Recovery
Presenter: Allison Grayson, Independent Sector Director, Policy Development and Analysis; Ben Kershaw, Independent Sector Director, Public Policy and Government Relations
Date and Time: April 23rd at 2PM EDT
Overview: In Washington, the COVID-19 crisis response is constantly evolving. What we know today is sure to be different from what we’ll know tomorrow. Join us for an interactive conversation about the breaking developments in federal policy — with a special focus on the ones that you need to understand to help your organization keep moving.
Hosted by Independent Sector.

Title: Tech on the Trail: Engaging Kids on Hiking Trails using Technology
Moderator: Wendy Gorton, Author, 50 Hikes with Kids Series
Date and Time: April 23rd at 1PM EDT
Overview: This webinar will help empower kids, and their parents and educators alike, to lead the way through engaging strategies when on the trail. 
Hosted by American Trails as part of the Advancing Trails Webinar Series.

Title: How to Center Race Equity in Your Organization’s COVID-19 Response
Presenter: Kerrien Suarez, Equity in the Center Executive Director; Habib Bako, Independent Sector Director, Community Building
Date and Time: April 21st at 2PM EDT
Overview: As the COVID-19 pandemic takes its toll across the United States, vulnerable populations (including low-income communities, communities of color, the elderly, and the disabled) are being disproportionately affected. Now, we find ourselves at a unique moment where our response efforts can rapidly accelerate equitable outcomes. Join a virtual Q&A about how you can apply a race equity lens to your organization’s COVID-19 response.
Hosted by Independent Sector and Equity in the Center.

Title: Understanding Nonprofit Funding Through COVID-19 and Beyond
Presenter: Camber Outdoors
Date and Time: April 21st at 2PM EDT
Overview: In this webinar, we’ll put the spotlight on support for nonprofits by developing an understanding of funding and how to best manage relationships with funders during these challenging economic times.This webinar will help nonprofits develop an understanding of: a) Funders’ continuing commitment to fund organizations; b) How the funding planning cycle works; c) How to best manage relationships with your funders during this challenging time.
Hosted by Camber Outdoors.

Title: COVID-19, Stress and Nature: Managing Clinician Burnout During (and After) the Pandemic
Presenters: General Surgeon Dr. Brooke Buckley, Ob-Gyn Dr. Rose Gowen, and Michael Tutty, PhD, MHA, Group Vice President of Professional Satisfaction and Practice Sustainability at the American Medical Association
Date and Time: April 21st at 12PM EDT
Overview: COVID-19 has exacerbated a distressing fact: Nearly half of practicing physicians suffer from burnout, which impacts productivity, morale and quality of care. Join these doctors as they discuss the ways the pandemic has increased the pressures on clinicians—and the ways nature can be used to alleviate stressors and increase resiliency in our front-line defenders in the battle against the coronavirus.
Hosted by SHIFT Health & Nature Webinar Series.

Title: Managing Arizona Trails In COVID-19 Restriction
Presenters: Kent Taylor, Pinal County (local government); Micah Grondin, Tonto National Forest (federal lands); Evan Pilling, Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists (trail users); Wendy Lotze, Arizona Trail Association (volunteerism); Josh Coddington, Arizona Office of Tourism (statewide website)
Date and Time: April 20th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Brief presentations from a panel of representatives from federal, state, local and nonprofit groups will look at impacts trails are feeling as social distancing restrictions drive outside people to enjoy their public lands. Shared discussion through chats and break-out rooms will examine: What network members are encountering – the good and the bad; Where are opportunities for collaboration that might help ease pressures; How the network can help address immediate and long term needs.
Hosted by Summit for AZ Trails.

Title: Virtualizing Your Recruitment and Onboarding Experience
Presenters: Heather de la Riva, Director, Virtual Outsourcing Nonprofit HR; Danisha Martin, Executive Search Consultant Nonprofit HR
Date and Time: April 20th at 12-1:15PM EDT
Overview: Organizations are making unprecedented decisions based on the “new now”. If your organization is seeking answers to continue growing your workforce and to ensure your people are supported and driving toward mission-critical outcomes, you’re in good company. On the next Town Hall, we will share talent acquisition and talent management tips and techniques to use during and after the pandemic: Optimize your employer brand; ensure success in a virtual recruiting environment; leverage best practices for virtual onboarding.
Hosted by Nonprofit HR.

Title: Policy Town Hall on COVID-19 Response
Presenter: Renee Bender, Senate Small Business Committee Senior Professional Staff; Wes Coulam, Washington Council Ernst & Young LLP Managing Director; and Ben Kershaw, Independent Sector Director, Public Policy and Government Relations
Date and Time: April 16th at 2PM EDT
Overview: Nonprofit organizations and the people they serve are scrambling to keep up with implementation of the CARES Act, while policymakers in Congress are formulating their wish lists for further legislation. Hear the latest developments from Capitol Hill and how your organization can get involved.
Hosted by the Independent Sector. 

Title: Equestrian Trail Design and Best Practices from Backcountry to Urban Edge Settings
Presenter: Matthew Woodson, Okanogan Trail Construction; Justin Azevedo, Coffman Studio; Holley Groshek, Equine Land Conservation Resource; Randy Rasmussen, Back Country Horsemen of America
Date and Time: April 16th at 1-2:30PM EDT
Overview: This webinar is a continuation of the webinar from August 2019 titled Equestrian Trail Design for Urban Shared Use Trails. The presenters will review best practices for trail design planning, construction, and management in undeveloped natural areas and connecting to urban edge settings. The webinar will include trailhead development, urban to wildland transition design, and equestrian trail features to provide best sustainability and lowest impact. Learn more about the webinar, learning objectives, and presenters here.
Hosted by American Trails as part of the Advancing Trails Webinar Series.

Title: Balancing Advocacy and Stewardship to Protect Wild Lands: The Great Old Broads for Wilderness Model
Presenter: Lauren Berutich, Great Old Broads for Wilderness Associate Director
Date and Time: April 14th at 3PM EDT
Overview: We love our wild lands! Whether it is for recreation, exploration, or to find a glorious escape from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, there is a place for everyone to enjoy the wild outdoors. Unfortunately, public lands are threatened and under constant attack from resource extraction to climate change to the impacts of public recreation. There is an excellent way to get involved and protect the places we love while having the opportunity to engage with them. Join Great Old Broads for Wilderness Associate Director, Lauren Berutich, to explore how the alignment of a solid advocacy and stewardship plan can effectively and deeply shift community activism to a new level of success. Let’s go on a “Broadwork”!
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Leading Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity Through COVID-19 and Beyond
Presenters: Reginald J. Miller, VF Corporation; and Heather McKendry, Ruffwear
Date and Time: April 14th at 2PM EDT
Overview: Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity leaders from the active-outdoor industries will exchange ideas and share best practices in a facilitated, peer-to-peer conversation. This webinar will address how to create and sustain inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplaces through the challenges of COVID-19. Topics will include: Identifying and reducing bias and xenophobia, with a focus on anti-Asian bias during this pandemic; Fostering an inclusive culture even when employees are working from home; Leveraging Employee Resource Groups and other tools; How DEI leaders can meet the challenge of economic recession and/or industry contraction; How DEI leaders can prepare for a post-COVID-19 rebound and recovery.
Hosted by Camber Outdoors.

Title: Thriving in Chaotic Times – The Neuroscience Behind Our Distress
Presenter: Julie Auger, MOD master’s in organizational development and leadership
Date and Time: April 10th at 1PM EDT
Overview: How is our brain perceiving and responding to the current threats? As leaders, what may we do to alleviate these threat responses for our employees and ourselves? This webinar provides a look into how our brain is reacting, how we may find our focus and how we may manage our emotions best to adapt to our new reality. There will be time for questions, discussion and connection. Together we can thrive.
Hosted by the Outdoor Industry Association.

Title: CARES Act For Nonprofits
Presenter: Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholar LLP
Date and Time: April 9th at 3-4:30PM EDT
Overview: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law at the end of March in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This act is a mix of direct cash payments to many Americans, financial support for small businesses and targeted sectors of the economy, and more resources for front-line medical support. As many of you know, banks began accepting applications for the program on April 3, so the non-profit and park partner communities have been needing to come up to speed quickly. But what does this mean for nonprofits and organizations like yours? During this webinar, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP will be discussing the relevancy of this act for park partners and will help you better navigate the COVID-19 crisis.
Hosted by the The National Park Foundation and National Park Friends Alliance.

Title: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Geotourism: Growing Community Tourism During Unprecedented Times in Tourism
Presenter: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Date and Time: April 9th at 1PM EDT
Overview: This hour-long webinar will explain the concepts of geotourism and how it relates to The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. As tourism continues to diminish with the outbreak of COVID-19, it is as important as ever for communities to remain united and create a plan of action for when visitors return. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail has built a new travel website — https://lewisandclark.travel/ — specifically designed to bring together businesses, attractions, landmarks, and other points of interest on and around the trail to help promote sustainable tourism..
Hosted by Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Title: The Stimulus Bill and Nonprofits: Answers to Your Questions
Presenter: Dan Parks, Senior Editor of Digital and Data at The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Date and Time: April 7th at 2PM EDT
Overview: As the world adapts to life during a pandemic, nonprofit leaders and philanthropists are looking for support during these uncertain times. Under the historic $2 trillion stimulus bill, all taxpayers will be able to deduct up to $300 in cash giving for the 2020 tax year, nonprofits will be eligible for federal loans that could largely be forgiven, and tax incentives are boosted for corporate giving. A panel of experts will discuss the new legislation and what it means for the nonprofit sector. They’ll examine key questions you may have, including: What’s included in the new stimulus bill that aids nonprofits of different missions and sizes; How nonprofits can apply for and manage the new Small Business Administration loans; and How fundraisers can effectively communicate about and make the most of the $300 universal charitable deduction.
Hosted by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Title: Fundraising for Parks During Uncertain Times
Presenter: Lori L. Jacobwith, Ignited Fundraising; David MacDonald, Friends Alliance Steering Committee; Chrystal Morris Murphy, National Park Foundation
Date and Time: April 6th at 3-4:30PM EDT
Overview: Lori L. Jacobwith will review best practices for fundraising during times of fear and uncertainty. She has seen what works and what doesn’t, and is ready to share some of her insights and provide a broader picture of how to remain successful during moments like these. Learn what three actions might be the most important for your current fundraising efforts. Learn how donor data can be your friend, especially in times of uncertainty. Review what other nonprofits have already begun implementing for upcoming planned events. Learn powerful language to keep donors informed and inspired – so when you DO ask, they’re ready to give.
Hosted by the National Park Development Leaders Network and National Park Friends Alliance.

Title: Workforce Planning during the COVID-19 Crisis: Freezes, Furloughs, Layoffs & Position Eliminations
Presenter: Lisa Wright Ponce, Nonprofit HR; Jennifer Prozinsk, Venable, LLP
Date and Time: April 6th at 12-1:15PM EDT
Overview: How should organizations plan for an uncertain future, especially when the external environment is changing daily and weekly? What does a viable workforce plan look like as the need arises for contracting and expanding staff? Register for this Virtual Town Hall, explore mission sustainability through workforce planning and, hear best practices for navigating uncharted waters. While every organization is unique, it is helpful to understand the legal, financial and practical differences among hiring freezes, furloughs and layoffs.
Hosted by Nonprofit HR.

Title: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Wilderness Stewardship Community: A Town Hall Conversation
Moderator: Randy Welsh, Executive Director, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance
Date and Time: April 2nd at 4PM EDT
Overview: The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting our daily lives and the work of the wilderness stewardship community. In this special Town Hall gathering of the wilderness community, come share how the COVID-19 crisis is affecting your organization and learn successful coping strategies that are being applied by others. This webinar will provide a forum for the community to share and learn from each other.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Understanding What’s in the Economic Stimulus Package
Presenters: T.A. Hawks, Kimberly Ellis and Matt McAlvanah, Monument Advocacy, Washington, D.C.
Date and Time: April 2nd at 1PM EDT
Overview: The U.S. government has approved over $2 trillion in new stimulus spending to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The funding will be distributed to certain American businesses, consumers and federal safety net programs in the coming months. Learn more about the major components of the stimulus package and what may come next from Congress in this short, informative presentation by Monument Advocacy, a leading, bipartisan government and public affairs firm in Washington, D.C.
Hosted by the Outdoor Industry Association.

Title: Connecting the Dots: COVID-19 and Conservation/Outdoor Recreation – A Community Conversation
Presenter: The Avarna Group (Aparna, Ava, José, CJ, Katie, & Sophie)
Date and Time: March 30th at 2:30 PM EDT
Overview: In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, it has become more critical than ever to ensure our individual and collective actions are equitable and just. Even our most well intentioned reactions can exacerbate existing injustices if we aren’t mindful. Join us and members of the conservation and outdoor community to share thoughts, learnings, ideas, and creative strategies in this unprecedented time. We will begin the hour by sharing a few guiding questions and values, and then open up the webinar to host a community conversation. None of us are experts on this, and are learning as we go, so don’t expect a list of all the things to do. Do expect connection, community, and conversations about pressing questions we all have. Let’s learn together. If you’re not in a place to have this conversation now, don’t worry. We will be recording the first portion of it (but are leaving the Q&A portion unrecorded to ensure folks can be candid) and creating an ongoing resource for people to ask and answer each others questions.
Hosted by The Avarna Group.

Title: Using State-Side LWCF Grants to Improve Recreation Opportunities
Presenter: Elisabeth Fondriest, Lacy Alison, and Emily Ferguson, National Park Service
Date and Time: March 25th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Join Elisabeth Fondriest, Lacy Alison, and Emily Ferguson with the NPS to learn about the State-Side Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which provides matching grants to States and local governments for outdoor recreation. Over the years, State-Side LWCF has supported the purchase and protection of 3 million acres of recreation lands and over 44,000 projects to develop basic recreation facilities in every State and territory of the nation. Funding for State-Side LWCF has increased dramatically in the last 5 years, making it an even more important funding source for NPS partners.
Hosted by the Network for Landscape Conservation as part of the NPS Connected Conservation (C2) Webinar Series.

 

Title: Trails Move People: Articulating the Impact and Amplifying the Voice of the Trails Industry
Presenter: Mike Passo, Executive Director, American Trails and Duane Taylor, Executive Director, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
Date and Time: March 19th at 1PM EDT
Overview: In partnership with the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), American Trails and NOHVCC will discuss how trails for too long trails have been taken for granted and the true measure of their impact has not been calculated or shared. Join Mike and Duane for a discussion of how we can all work to break down the silos within the trails community, and what we can do to build support for trails in unexpected areas and amongst unexpected constituencies. Learn more about the webinar, learning objectives, and presenters here.
Hosted by American Trails as part of the Advancing Trails Webinar Series.

 

Title: Leave No Trace – Refresher, Updates, Resources
Presenter: Erin Collier, Brice Esplin, and Faith Overall
Date and Time: March 10th at 3PM EDT
Overview: What’s new with Leave No Trace, and how can you incorporate the principles into your daily work?  Erin Collier and Brice Esplin, Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, will provide a general Leave No Trace refresher with an emphasis on updates, research, and resources, geared toward wilderness stewardship groups and agency partners. Faith Overall, Leave No Trace’s Education and Outreach coordinator and volunteer for the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance, will also join to provide a volunteer perspective and answer questions on getting more involved.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

 

Title: NPS Partnership Tools to Enhance Gateway Communities
Presenter: Bob Ratcliffe and Donny Leadbetter, National Park Service
Date and Time: March 10th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Join Bob Ratcliffe and Donny Leadbetter with the National Park Service to learn about the numerous partnership tools available to enhance gateway communities; improve connectivity with parks; and encourage sustainable tourism.
Hosted by the Network for Landscape Conservation as part of the NPS Connected Conservation (C2) Webinar Series.

Title: The Role of Volunteers in Today’s Forest Service: What Should Volunteers Do/What Should Volunteers Not Do
Presenter: Kevin Cannon
Date and Time: February 11th at 3PM EST
Overview: Kevin Cannon, recently retired from the Forest Service, will talk about his experience working with volunteers in northern Colorado over the last 20 years. He plans to discuss things volunteers do very well, things that volunteers should not do, and tips to make volunteer experiences exceptional. Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

 

Title: Pre-Hike the Hill Webinar
Presenter: PNTS/AHS representatives
Date and Time: January 22nd at 3PM EST
Overview: This Pre-Hike the Hill overview and issue briefing will provide information on the Hike the Hill schedule and what to expect during Hike the Hill. The webinar will also include an overview of the current state of play in Congress and federal agencies and highlight key issues. A recorded webinar will be available.

 

Title: Wildspotter – A Mobile Application for Invasive Species Inventory
Presenter: Rachel Carroll, University of Georgia
Date and Time: January 14th at 3PM EST
Overview: Wild SpotterTM is a national project to promote the engagement and empowerment of the public in our fight against invasive species. Since launching in 2018, Wild Spotter has expanded into 19 National Forests and 8 Tribal Lands across the United States. The project continues to grow and develop through its collaboration with great partners. To date, Wild Spotter has established 54 partnerships with federal and non-federal agencies as well as nonprofit organizations and stakeholders which ultimately grows the local capacity for documenting invasive species. This webinar will provide an overview of Wild Spotter, highlight its progress as an innovative citizen science project, and offer details for future Wild Spotter project updates. Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title: Successful Volunteer Recruiting
Presenter: Katie Currier, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards; Alivia Acosta, Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Ken Norden, U.S. Forest Service; Kellie Flowers, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
Date and Time: December 10th at 3PM EST
Overview: Volunteers play a vital role in the stewardship of our public lands but recruitment of these volunteers can be time consuming and challenging. Learn about the challenges, strategies and success stories of volunteer recruitment from other stewardship professionals across the country. Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

 

Title:  Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI): Part 2 
Presenters: The Avarna Group
Date and Time:  November 5th 2PM EDT
Overview: JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) can feel like the elephant in the room. It’s big. It’s heavy. It’s overwhelming. If you feel like you’ve been talking about JEDI but don’t know how to walk the talk, this webinar will help guide you to action. In this webinar we review a 4-Quadrant Approach to planning for JEDI  in a way that allows you to take one bite at a time. We consider the universe of JEDI strategies (from partnerships to training to hiring to program and advocacy), and map these strategies out on a 4-quadrant framework that frames out internal and external strategies as well as individual and institutional strategies. We discuss this online framework. You will leave the webinar with a map that can help you identify priorities for your organization and areas where you need more support.
Hosted by the PNTS, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance, and American Trails

 

Title:  What Keeps Wilderness Stewardship Volunteers Coming Back?
Presenter: Rebecca Niemiec, Ph.D., Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department, Colorado State University
Date and Time:  October 8th at 3PM EDT
Overview: A key challenge that many wilderness stewardship organizations face is how to increase retention rates of volunteers. While many research studies have examined what motivates people to first start volunteering, much less is known about what keeps volunteers coming back over time. Preliminary research suggests that retention rates are influenced more by whether people feel socially connected and appreciated while volunteering, rather than their initial motivations to start volunteering. However, little is known about what types of strategies wilderness stewardship organizations can use to appeal to these personal and social motivations. In this study, we partnered with the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance (NWSA) and the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers (PWV) to examine best practices for enhancing retention rates among wilderness stewardship organizations. We conducted a nation-wide survey of volunteers and staff with wilderness stewardship organizations as well as over 30 interviews with with volunteers of PWV to understand factors influencing retention. We report on the results of those studies and provide suggestions for strategies that wilderness stewardship organizations can use to enhance retention. Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

 

Title:  Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI): Part 1 
Presenters: The Avarna Group
Date and Time:  September 18th 2PM EDT
Overview: In this webinar we define basic terms like justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, cultural competency, and cultural relevance, and then lay out all of the reasons why this work (which we collectively call JEDI) is important in the particular space in which the organization operates (e.g, outdoor education, conservation, land management, environmental advocacy, youth development etc.). This webinar will help you articulate what you mean when you are talking about JEDI and why it is important to your organization.
Hosted by the PNTS, National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance, and American Trails

 

Title:  Empowering Women in the Outdoors 
Presenters: Amy Lord – Ice Age Trail Alliance, and Sabrina Carlson – Arizona Trail Association
Date and Time:  July 17th 2PM EDT
Overview: Girls and women, when given the chance, make confident and inspired leaders, outdoor adventurers and trail stewards. This webinar will explore two groundbreaking programs aimed at empowering girls and women in the outdoors. Gear Girls—a program developed by the Arizona Trail association—uses mountain biking, trail work and snow sports to build confidence, outdoor competence, community and character in young women grades 4-8. The Ice Age Trail Alliance’s Trailtessa Retreats were designed by women for women in partnership with the REI Force of Nature initiative. These retreats are aimed at exploring the rugged beauty of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail while making new friends and finding freedom in the outdoors along the way. Join Amy and Sabrina as they discuss how these two programs are empowering females and building the next generation of trail advocates and stewards.

 

Title: Update on Wilderness Character Monitoring in the Forest Service
Presenters: Julie King, US Forest Service
Date and Time:  July 9th 3PM EDT
Overview: Wilderness Character Monitoring (WCM) is one of our most important tools for protecting designated wilderness areas.  When we can accurately quantify and measure the five characteristics of wilderness, we can say how well a given area meets the ideal goals set out in the Wilderness Act.  It’s how we can ask our wilderness areas, “How you doin’?”Since 2018 the Forest Service has organized a team to help you set up baseline data to monitor trends.  Julie King, the National WCM Program Manager, will explain what we are learning from pilot programs, and look forward to how we can maintain WCM into the future, through programs like NWSA Wilderness Stewardship Performance grants.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance

 

Title:  National Public Lands Day *FREE*
Presenters: Tony Richardson, Program Officer for Public Lands Engagement, National Environmental Education Foundation 
Date and Time:  June 11th 3PM EDT
Overview: Learn how your organization can build local awareness and interest as you support National Public Lands Day
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance

 

Title:  Latino Conservation Week *FREE*
Presenters: Jennifer Brandt, Deputy Director of Conservation Programs, Hispanic Access Foundation
Date and Time:  Tuesday, May 14th at 3PM EDT
Overview: Join us for “Latino Conservation Week and Your Organization.” Jennifer Brandt of the Hispanic Access Foundation will share how your organization can join with Latinos across the nation to support the protection of our natural resources. During the week of July 13-21, 2019, community, non-profit, faith-based, and government organizations and agencies will hold events throughout the country — 150 events last year!  Events can take any shape.  Latino Conservation Week can raise the visibility of your organization among Latino communities and provide opportunities for them to show their support for permanently protecting our land, water, and air. Learn how to expand your membership and partner with Latino groups.
Hosted by the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance


Title:  Effective Communication Part 2: Giving and Receiving Feedback
Presenters: Andrea Wetherald, Owner &Beyond
Date and Time:  Thursday, May 23rd at 2PM EDT
Overview: In this webinar, you’ll learn about the three primary forms of feedback, and how to offer it in a way that it is receivable and helpful to the other person. The techniques taught in this webinar can be applied in a variety of situations including peer-to-peer feedback, volunteer management, and up or down the leadership hierarchy. You’ll also learn some valuable strategies for receiving feedback without feeling attacked, and responding in a way that allows you to grow when appropriate, release unhelpful feedback when appropriate or both!


Title:  Effective Communication Part 1: Navigating Difficult Conversations
Presenters: Andrea Wetherald, Owner &Beyond
Date and Time:  Tuesday, April 23rd at 1PM EDT
Overview: In this webinar, you’ll learn about the skills that are helpful for navigating confrontation. We believe that confrontation isn’t to merely be contained, but is actually a fantastic building block for creating stronger relationships and fortifying a positive working dynamic when handled in a way that honors you, and the others involved. Many skills such as vulnerability, authenticity, listening carefully, staying in the present moment and honoring the contributions of each other, for example, will allow teams to succeed at communicating with one another when tensions are running high.


Title:  Long Distance Trails in Wilderness
Presenters: Andrew Downs, Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Teresa Martinez, Continental Divide Trail Coalition; Jennifer Tripp, Pacific Crest Trail Association; Ian Nelson, Pacific Crest Association; Chelsea Bodamer, Partnership for the National Trails
Date and Time:  Tuesday, March 12th at 3PM EST
Overview: Work with National Scenic and Historic Trail System Partners to expand volunteer opportunities with long distance trail partners. This panel presentation brings together leaders in the long distance trail community to discuss issues common between wilderness areas and the long distance trail community around volunteer engagement and stewardship.
In partnership with the National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.

Title:  Managing Your Organizations Finances—Best Practices for End of the Year Accounting and Reporting
Presenters: Darcy Shepard – Director of Finance and Human Resources, Friends of Nevada Wilderness
Date and Time:  Tuesday, December 18th at 11AM MST
Overview: This webinar will help your organization start 2019 off on the right foot fiscally. It will review best financial practices, including advice on building your budget for 2019, tracking your unrestricted funds, and what it takes to prepare for and undergo an audit. Set your organization up for success whether you’ve got a budget of $10,000 or $1,000,000. This webinar is brought to you through a collaborative effort between the PNTS and National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance.


Title:  50th Anniversary Rivers and Trails Best Practices for Communications
Presenters: 
• Marta Call – Gila National Forest Public Affairs Officer
• Samantha Haas – Partnership for the National Trail System Communications Coordinator
• Lisa Ronald – Wild & Scenic Rivers 50th Anniversary Coordinator
• Amanda Wheelock – Continental Divide Trail Coalition Marketing and Communications Specialist
• Radha Marcum – River Network Marketing and Communications Director
Date and Time:  July 19 at 3PM EDT
Overview:  As we commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System and Wild and Scenic River Acts, it’s important to spread the word about related events and projects in the most efficient way. Join rivers, trails, and Federal agency communications experts for this webinar about best practices for traditional and social media. You’ll hear examples of successful marketing tactics, learn how to get your 50th Anniversary media off the ground—even if it’s your first time planning an event and you don’t have a communications staff—and how to use event outreach for broader storytelling to strengthen your organization’s presence in the community.


Title: Best Practices for Engaging Young Adults: Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Next Generation Advisory Council
Presenters:  Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Next Generation Advisory Council
Date and Time:  June 15th at 1PM EDT
Overview:  Did you know that millennials will outnumber baby boomers in 2019, making them the largest generation that the U.S. has ever seen? Have you wondered how to bring younger trail users into your trail organization as volunteers and maintainers? Be sure to join us for a webinar to learn more about the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Next Generation Advisory Council and the best practices for engaging young adults! We’ll hear from our young leaders about how trail organizations can reach younger trail enthusiasts and what to expect from this trail-friendly population.


Title: Best Practices for Recruiting and Engaging Volunteer Board Members
Presenter:  Sandi Marra
Date and Time:  May 8th at 3PM EDT
Overview:  Creating an effective and dedicated Board for your nonprofit is critical to the success of the organization
and fulfillment of your mission. Achieving this goal requires a clear understanding of needs, good
recruitment strategies, and well structured and focused board activities to ensure engagement and
retention. Sandi will share her experience and lessons learned and also facilitate conversation among
participants so that they can share their stories.

Speaker Bio: Sandi Marra, Principal Consultant with Marra Consulting Group, LLC, has more than 30 years of experience in both the private and public sectors bringing real life solutions to organizational challenges.
She has lead organizations in both executive staff and Board Chair roles. She understands the importance of respecting cultural norms and traditions while bringing about needed organizational change. Her experience includes Chief Operating Officer of an $20 million organization supporting educational and service programs for developmentally disabled children and adults. As Board Chair, she leads a $10 million national member volunteer-based organization. In addition to her nonprofit experience, she has worked in the private sector for large-scale government contracting firms providing operational and human resource expertise.


Title: Trail Safe! 
Presenter:  Dan Watson
Date and Time:  March 12th at 1PM EST
Overview:  Join Volunteer Coordinator Dan Watson for an introduction to Trail Safe! — a series of online safety training videos which provide all core learning objectives found in NPS Operational Leadership. Trail Safe! is an opportunity for everyone to learn about the Human Factor of safety, covering topics such as Effective Leadership, Stress & Performance, Situational Awareness, Mission Analysis, and more. If your local safety program is looking for ways to share information at no cost, and without the logistical hassle of arranging travel and meeting venues, then Trail Safe! may be your answer. Toward the conclusion of the webinar, Dan Watson will review how you can receive a Trail Safe! “starter kit” and begin sharing this safety resource with your staff, partners, and volunteers.

**This webinar will be held in collaboration with American Trails**

Speaker Bio: Dan Watson has been a career employee of the National Park Service since 1980. He has worked as an Interpretive Ranger and Federal Law Enforcement Ranger at the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River (NY-PA), and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (PA-NJ); Supervisory District Law Enforcement Ranger at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (WI-MN); Chief Law Enforcement Ranger and Site Manager at Fort Necessity National Battlefield (PA) and Friendship Hill National Historic Site (PA); Volunteer Coordinator and Collateral Duty Safety Officer for the North Country National Scenic Trail (ND-MN-WI-MI-OH-PA-NY) and Ice Age National Scenic Trail (WI). Throughout his career Dan has been active in emergency services responses to events such as Hurricane Katrina, BP Oil Spill, and numerous western wildfires. Dan is a certified facilitator for NPS Operational Leadership, and creator of the Trail Safe! program.


Title: Working with Local and Regional Land Trusts

Presenter:  Don Owen – PNTS Consultant, Kevin Thusius – Ice Age Trail Alliance, Megan Wargo – Pacific Crest Trail Association
Date and Time:  January 24th at 3PM EST
Overview:  As agency budgets for land protection are being reduced, and trusts are becoming an essential organizational partner for many trail organizations.  Experienced land trust professionals will explain how their programs work, and what they can offer national scenic and national historic trails.

Speaker Bios:

Don consults for the Land Trust Alliance, the West Virginia Land Trust, the Maryland Environmental Trust, the Land Trust of Virginia, the Partnership for the National Trails System, and more than a dozen other land trusts and trail organizations. He serves as the Land Trust Alliance’s Circuit Rider for the Potomac River Watershed and Southern Virginia, assisting all-volunteer and small land trusts build capacity and improve operations.

Kevin works for the Ice Age Trail Alliance, whose mission is to create, promote and protect the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. As the director of land conservation, he is responsible for property acquisitions and the management of more than 120 Alliance-held land interests. Over the last eight years, Kevin has helped the Alliance and its partners complete more than 75 land transactions for the Trail while instituting a volunteer property monitoring program and creating archives for all Alliance-owned lands. He came to the Alliance from a local land trust where he was charged with assessing and prioritizing hundreds of properties along a scenic riverway.

Megan is Director of Land Protection for Pacific Crest Trail Association, and has more than a decade of experience leading teams and managing landscape-scale conservation projects. She has successfully negotiated land and conservation easement acquisitions to permanently protect over 64,000 acres. Prior to joining the PCTA, Megan worked for the Pacific Forest Trust, the Trust for Public Land, and the Piedmont Land Conservancy. She holds a Master of Environmental Management degree from Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, Economics & Politics from Claremont McKenna College.

Title: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System Act – Tips, Tools, and Next Steps
Presenters:  Chelsea Bodamer – PNTS, Leigh Schmidt – Trails 50 Coordinator, and Kelly Snavely – American Hiking Society
Date and Time:  November 2nd at 3PM ESTIn his 1965 “Natural Beauty Message” to Congress, President Lyndon B. Johnson inspired a national “system of trails” for the American people. Congress passed the National Trails System Act, signed into law by President Johnson on October 2, 1968. Join us for our second webinar on the anniversary and learn how you can take part in the commemoration of this historic act while encouraging a new generation of trail users and stewards. Topics include: • Trails 50 Merchandise
• Social Media Campaigns
• Toolkit updates
• Trail Story Collection

PowerPoint (PDF) – Webinar Recording


Title: Real Estate 101 for National Scenic and Historic Trail Organizations
Presenters:  Don Owen – PNTS Consultant
Date and Time:  October 19th at 3PM EST

Why is protecting land so important for national scenic and historic trails?  What is a conservation easement, and how does it work? What does a title policy do?  How do agencies, land trusts, and trail organizations negotiate land deals?  Learn the basics of real estate from practitioners who have spent years in the trenches.


Title: National Trail Intern Grants Overview
Presenters:   Gary Werner – PNTS, Chelsea Bodamer – PNTS, Deb Salt – BLM, Rita Hennessy – NPS, Jaime Schmidt – USFS, and Kimberly Reaves – Greening Youth Foundation
Date and Time:  September 21st at 2PM EST


Title: Planning a National Scenic or National Historic Trail Protection Program

Presenters: Don Owen, PNTS Consultant and Morgan Sommerville, Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Southern Regional Director
Date and Time: 
Thursday, July 13th 3:00-4:00 PM EDT
Webinar Overview: 
There are a number of different approaches to planning a protection program for a national scenic or national historic trail, with each tailoring its approach to its own unique needs and resources.  Learn tips and techniques
from experts who have decades of experience.   

Speaker Bios
Don Owen
Don consults for the Land Trust Alliance, the West Virginia Land Trust, the Maryland Environmental Trust, the Land Trust of Virginia, the Partnership for the National Trails System, and more than a dozen other land trusts and trail organizations. He serves as the Land Trust Alliance’s Circuit Rider for the Potomac River Watershed and Southern Virginia, assisting all-volunteer and small land trusts build capacity and improve operations.

Morgan Sommerville
Morgan has been pleased to put his NC State University degree in natural resource management to use by helping to design, build, conserve and protect the A.T. from the ground up while overseeing the evolution of the Southern Regional Office from a one man operation to four full-time, one half-time and 10 seasonal employees.


Title: Volunteer Recruitment — Trends and Best Practices (Co-hosted by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy)
Presenters: Alexandra Brownfield CEO, Volunteer East Tennessee, Emily Lord Stewardship Outreach Coordinator, UNH Extension, The Stewardship Network New England, Jamie Burke Volunteer & Outreach Manager, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
Date and Time: Thursday, June 15 6:30-7:30 PM EDT
Webinar Overview:  This webinar will include national trends in volunteering and related studies, tips and tools for effective promotion of volunteer opportunities, and a case study of making transition from first-time volunteers to volunteer leaders.

Speaker Bios
Jamie Burke A Virginia transplant, studied sports medicine at the University of Virginia, where she spent her free time divided between the rugby pitch and nearby Shenandoah National Park. After graduation, Jamie took her passion for being outdoors across the country to the West Coast where she worked as a Naturalist at an Arts and Ecology Outdoor Education Center, followed by a year with Americorps*NCCC, and several seasons as a Wildland Firefighter in El Dorado National Forest. A few years later, Jamie returned to her East Coast roots to undertake a Masters in Educational Studies at the University of New Hampshire, as well as take on a role as a backpacking and sailing instructor for Outward Bound. She relocated to Colorado in 2013 and has spent the past several years in the nonprofit sector working for the American Red Cross. Up until recently, all her free time was spent playing and training for rugby. She represented the U.S. on the Women’s National Team for over a decade before retiring, following the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Retirement has offered her much more time to enjoy all the outdoors Colorado has to offer with her partner, dog, and 16-month-old daughter.

Emily Lord is the Stewardship Outreach Coordinator with UNH Cooperative Extension (UNHCE) and leads digital communications for UNHCE’s the Stewardship Network: New England initiative to create a culture of stewardship in New England through the power of volunteers. An alum of the Student Conservation Association New Hampshire AmeriCorps program, Emily has lead conservation crews performing trail maintenance and restoration work in Alaska, California, Michigan, and New Hampshire. Emily holds a Master’s degree in sociology from Illinois State University and a Bachelor’s in women’s studies and sociology from the University of Maine.

Alexandra Brownfield, CEO of Volunteer East Tennessee, has the incredible opportunity to lead East Tennessee’s HandsOn Network Volunteer Center. She works with hundreds of local nonprofit organizations to effectively recruit and manage volunteers throughout the greater Knoxville region. Alexandra previously worked at the HandsOn Network affiliate at the United Way of Greater St. Louis. She is a graduate of Saint Louis University’s School of Social Work and holds a Chancellor’s Certificate in Volunteer Management from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She currently serves on the Tennessee Governor’s Commission for Volunteerism and is a board member of Mountain Tough and Volunteer Tennessee.


Title: North Country Trail Association’s Hike 100 Challenge: Learnings and Best Practices
Presenters:  Andrea Ketchmark and Amelia Rhodes (North Country Trail Association)
Date and Time:  Wednesday, May 24th at 3PM EST

Webinar Overview: The Hike 100 Challenge engaged thousands of people on the North Country Trail, encouraging them to hike 100 miles in 2016 to celebrate the NPS Centennial. With limited staff resources and budget, the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) built a program that was simple to manage and easy to promote. The Hike 100 Challenge proved to be a smashing success, beyond what they could have imagined – including over 4,000 new leads and eventually 400 new members to the organization. In this webinar we’ll uncover the secrets of the Hike 100 Challenge and how to motivate a new group of users to not only enjoy your Trail, but connect with your organization. 

Speaker Bios:
Amelia Rhodes is the Marketing/Communications Coordinator for the North Country Trail Association. Her role is to share the story of the NCNST and the NCTA through traditional and new media. She holds a degree in Business Administration and Communications, and has a background in marketing project management.

Andrea Ketchmark is the Director of Trail Development for the North Country Trail Association.  Her job is to train and empower a diverse group of remote volunteers with the skills, knowledge and attitude needed to build relationships with diverse partners like local governments, land managers and private landowners to build, maintain, and protect the North Country National Scenic Trail.


 

Title: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System Act
Presenters:  Gary Werner (PNTS), Pete Olsen (American Hiking Society), and Chelsea Bodamer (PNTS)
Date and Time:  Wednesday, April 19th at 3PM EST

Webinar Overview: In his 1965 “Natural Beauty Message” to Congress, President Lyndon B. Johnson inspired a national “system of trails” for the American people. Congress passed the National Trails System Act, signed into law by President Johnson on October 2, 1968. Join us for our upcoming webinar and learn how you can take part in the commemoration of this historic act while encouraging a new generation of trail users and stewards. This webinar is FREE to attend. Capacity is limited to 100 attendees. Register early to ensure your spot.

Topics include:

  • The importance of the 50th Anniversary
  • Partners and opportunties
  • How you can take part
  • Available resources and toolkit items

 

Title: The Federal Lands Transfer: What It Means and What You Should Know 
Presenters: Randy Rasmussen Back Country Horsemen of America
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 8th at 2PM EST

Webinar Overview
Some members of Congress remain intent on wrestling control of public lands from the federal government. The idea is not new. Yet transfer proponents continue to perpetuate many myths and half-truths in making their case. One factor driving their push is the claim that the states or local governments are better suited to determine the uses and fate of our public lands. Join us as we discuss the range of values of our federal public lands that are being ignored by land transfer proponents, explore why western public lands differ in many aspects from their eastern counterparts, and speculate how a large-scale federal land transfer might affect public access including management of National Scenic and Historic Trails. We will conclude the discussion with a summary of methods by which your organization might join with others to help “keep public lands in public hands.”

About the Speaker
Randy has been Backcountry Horsemen of America’s (BCHA’s) Director for Public Lands & Recreation since 2012. He assists BCHA’s 30 state organizations to advance initiatives and strengthen partnerships that promote the sustained use and enjoyment of the backcountry and Wilderness “by horsemen and the general public commensurate with our heritage.” This includes recognition of the unique national “birthright” enjoyed by all Americans—where every citizen enjoys partial ownership of an unparalleled system of national public lands.

Randy’s work includes strengthening BCHA’s partnerships with federal land management agencies. He was a key player in BCHA’s effort with The Wilderness Society, regional and national partners—including AHS and PNTS—that demonstrated a groundswell of public support and cultivated bipartisan congressional sponsors for the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act (H.R. 845 / S. 1110). The bill was signed into law by President Obama in November 2016.


TitleInnovative Approaches to Recruiting and Tracking Volunteers
Presenters: Becky Reid Juan Bauista de Anza National Historic Trail Trails and Rails Program, Karl Borton Florida Trail Association, Wendy Lotze Arizona Trail Association
Date and Time: Tuesday, January 24th at 2PM EST

Webinar Overview
This webinar will highlight the various ways that national trail partners are using technology to enhance their volunteer programs. Topics will include Google Apps and MeetUp Groups. Furthermore, tips for overcoming the “fear of technology” barrier will be addressed.

About the Speakers
Karl serves as FTA’s Volunteer Program Coordinator, and is responsible for engaging partners and volunteers on the Florida Trail.

Wendy has been the Volunteer Coordinator for the Arizona Trail Association since 2015, a dream job by any standard.  She believes that she owes her good luck to the karma developed over years of volunteering at trail maintenance events and as a Segment Steward for the Arizona Trail. Wendy also teaches introductory backpacking seminars and founded the Arizona Backpacking Club to encourage responsible backcountry adventures and volunteerism among the hiking community.   She has organized countless trail events and still manages to maintain a contagious enthusiasm for living outdoors.

Becky coordinates, trains and supervises Trails and Rails volunteers for the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. She has been a Trails and Rails guide for 6 years, interpreting the Anza trail between Santa Barbara and San Jose on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight. A long-time educator with a specialty in online teaching and learning, she is always looking for ways to make technology accessible to all.

Title: Telling Our Stories
Presenters: Javier Folgar and Jordan Bowman Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Steve Gonzales El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 14th at 2PM EST

Webinar Overview
With the number of organizations competing for the attention and support of the public, engaging your audience through effective storytelling has become an essential tool for organizations of every size. Join us as we discuss ways to craft your organization’s own stories, how to reach and engage new audiences, and methods for influencing individuals to contribute their own experiences to your cause.

About the Speakers
Javier is the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Javier oversees and coordinates the messaging of the organization, helping to provide clarity and direction for all ATC departments, its volunteer organizations, and the public.

Jordan is the Public Relations and Social Media Specialist for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Jordan oversees the messages transmitted to the public via traditional and new media interfaces, ensuring that both the organization and its membership have a voice in the protection and celebration of the Appalachian Trail.

In addition to serving as executive director of El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association, Steven is on the board of directors for the Partnership for the National Trails System; serves on the steering committee for the Texas Alliance for Geographic Education at Texas State University; is a member of the advisory committee for the Connecting Trails to Parks project between the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, National Trails System Intermountain Region office, and the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program; and is an advisory committee member for the Texas Historical Commission’s Hispanic Heritage Guide for Texas.


Title: Effective Strategies for Advocacy
Presenters: Mike Wollmer Ice Age Trail Alliance and Pete Olsen American Hiking Society
Date and Time: Wednesday, November 30th at 3PM EST

Webinar Overview
This webinar will focus on effective advocacy when meeting with elected officials – particularly at the federal level. After a brief overview on presenting your strongest case, we will use a case study to highlight some effective techniques that anyone can use. In addition, we’ll discuss overcoming the challenges of creating presentation materials that engage elected officials, or even more challenging, their staff.

About the Speakers
Mike Wollmer is the Executive Director and CEO of the Ice Age Trail Alliance.  Mike spent 35 years in his family’s business with specialty outdoor retail stores in the Milwaukee market.  Beginning in the early 1990’s, his history as an Alliance member includes on-the-ground trail work, crew leadership, and a few years as a member of the board of directors.  In recent years he has served as a director of the Partnership for the National Trails System.

Peter Olsen is the Vice President for Programs & Government Relations at American Hiking Society (AHS). Leading AHS’s advocacy efforts, Mr. Olsen works with Congress and federal agencies to shape public policy and legislation affecting trails, public lands, and the hiking experience.


Title: Best Practices for Motivating and Training Volunteers
Presenters:  Eric Sherman, Ice Age Trail Alliance, and Karl Borton, Florida Trail Association
Date and Time: October 27th, 2016 at 3PM EST

Webinar Overview
Learn best practices to invigorate your volunteer program, whether it supports a national historic or national scenic trail. Eric Sherman will give a general overview of the Ice Age Trail Alliance’s (IATA) Volunteer Trailbuilding program. He will also delve into the ways they are building and maintaining the Ice Age National Scenic Trail while also rewarding volunteers through skills-building. Karl Borton will speak about the Florida Trail Association’s Volunteer Recognition Program. This includes both traditional and non-traditional recognitions and awards. Join us to learn more about motivating and rewarding volunteers!

About the Speakers
Eric serves as the Alliances Membership and Grants Coordinator, and is responsible for administering the Alliance’s awards program and volunteer-hours tracking program.

Karl serves as FTA’s Volunteer Program Coordinator, and is responsible for engaging partners and volunteers on the Florida Trail.



Are you interested in being a Partnership for the National Trails System presenter or do you have a topic to suggest? Send us an e-mail at admin@pnts.org