Introduction to the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Peter Dolan

New Jersey Program Coordinator

New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

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

Darlington Schoolhouse Future Headquarters of the

New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Our Future Headquarters

Volunteers and Members: • 10,000 individuals• 100 organizations

2,000+ miles of trails including…• Appalachian Trail (“AT”)• Highlands Trail• Long Path• Shawangunk Ridge Trail• 190 Parks, Nature Preserves, and Areas

The Trail Conference Today

What the Trail Conference Does

Develops, builds and maintains trails Protects Open space lands through support and advocacy Educates the public in the responsible use of trails and the

natural environment

• Patrol their trail section a minimum of two times a year

• Clear their trail of natural obstructions and litter

• Blaze and maintain the section according to established standards

• Educate hikers about trail use and preservation

Trail Maintainers

Recap

• Work in groups

• Perform heavier trail work:– Water bars, bridges, and steps– Clearing large ‘blow-downs’– New trails & relocate old trails

• Tools are provided by the Trail Conference

Trail Crews

• Introduction to Trail Maintenance • Trail Structures • Invasive Strike Force • Trail Inventory • Trail Assessment • Shelter Caretaker Training • Trail Layout and Design• Stone Work• GPS and GIS for Trail Management• USFS Chainsaw Safety Certification• Trail Land Corridor Monitor Training• Learn On the Job With a Trail Crew

Trail U

Protecting Open Spaces • From the Hudson Highlands to Sterling Forest to the Shawangunk Ridge, the Trail Conference has been active in land preservation in our region since our founding.

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

On-Trail Volunteer Opportunities• Become a trail maintainer• Work with a trail crew• Protect the AT corridor as a monitor• Field checking• Collect trail GPS data• Join our Invasive Strike Force • Become a Shelter Caretaker

Be Part of the Action

Be Part of the ActionOff-Trail Volunteer Opportunities• Become an office assistant• Work on book projects • Manage a map project• Web Development• Cartography• Represent the Trail Conference at events• Advocacy opportunities • Represent the Trail Conference at public meetings

Benefits of Trails Generally

• Environmental• Social/Health• Economic

– Commercial– Real Estate– Fiscal

Environmental Benefits of Trails• Environmental

– Habitat– Water supply and

purification– Air cleansing– Noise absorption

Social/Health Benefits of Trails• Family and group

recreational outings • Increased health and

fitness• Personal skill

development• Environmental

education and research

• Scenic beauty • Connecting with

nature

Economic Benefits of Trails

• Commercial• Real Estate• Fiscal

Economic Impact Analysis • Definitions

– Direct Impact: Initial purchases by trail-related visitors

– Indirect Impact: Purchase of supplies and services by the businesses directly impacted

– Induced Impact: Household spending of earned income by impacted business’s employees

• Value of Economic Impact Analysis– Better informed decisions

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Montana (NPS, 1991)

• 75,000 visitors annually • $750,000 annual economic impact• 61 businesses within 2 miles of a 35-mile

long segment– 80% of businesses were in

favor of trail– The trail influenced 17% to

locate there initially – 28% had increased

investments since trail opened.

National Visitor Use Monitoring Project, Rio Grande National Forest (Anon., 2001)

• 50% of visitors listed hiking as their primary activity

• Spending per individual visit within a 50 mile radius of destination

– $568 lodging– $320 food– $168 transportation

Comparison of Trails (Moore, et al, 1992)

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

Expenditures* Heritage Trail St. Marks Trail Lafayette Trail

Avg./user $9.21 $11.02 $3.97

Total annual $’s $1,243,350 $1,873,400 $1,588,000

New (outside) $’s $630,000 $400,000 $294,000

Add’l. durable $’s $523,652 $746,910 $342,172

*All figures reported without use of multipliers

Effects on Property Values (Moore, et al, 1992)

• Effects of 3 rail trails on the value of properties within ½-mile

– Large majority of property owners were frequent trail users

– Majority felt that proximity would increase property values

– Vast majority of real estate professionals felt trails had no effect on property values

Attitudes about Trails (Bhullar, et al, 1991)

• Landowner concerns prior to trail development are greater than the subsequent problems experienced

Attitude Before After

Opposed 43% 34%

In favor 31% 41%

Conclusions1. A multiplicity of benefits2. Economic benefits are varied and

substantial3. Gaps in the literature

– What factors affect the types and levels of benefits that trails provide?

– What are the particular impacts/benefits of long-distance trails?

CitationsAnonymous. 8/20/2001. National Visitor Use Monitoring Project, Rio Grand National ForestBhullar, et al. 1991. Missouri state river trail study. Univ. of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources.Moore and Barthlow. 1998. The Economic Impacts and Uses of Long-Distance Trails: Featuring a Case Study of the Overmountain Victory

National Historic National Park Service by North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C. http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/12000/12200/12275/12275.pdfMoore, et al. 1992. The Impacts of Rail Trails: A study of the users and property owners from three trails. Washington, DC: Rivers and Trails

Conservation Program, National Park ServiceMowen, A. J. 1994. Differences between rail-trail users and general trail users of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Unpublished masters

thesis. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityNational Park Service. 1991. Economic impacts of protecting rivers, trails and greenway corridors: A resource book. San Francisco: NPS Rivers,

Trails and Conservation Assistance ProgramPKF Consulting. 1994. Analysis of economic impacts of the Northern Central Rail Trail. Annapolis, MD: Maryland Greenways CommissionSchutt, A. 1994. The Bruce Trail: An initial study of summer users. Peterborough, Ontario: Trent University, Frost Centre. Unpublished Report.Swan, L. 1991. Preliminary economic impact analysis: Three alternative uses of a railroad right-of-way. Klamath Falls, OR: USDA Forest Service,

Winema National Forest, Pacific Northwest Region.

The Economic Impacts and Uses of Long-Distance Trails (Moore and Barthlow, 1998)

Web CitationsPresentation to the Ontario Trails Council Annual Conference, May 2004, John Marsh, Trail Studies Unit, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario <jmarsh@trentu.ca>

• American Trails has an webpage devoted to trail economics: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/• “Economic Benefits of Trails and Greenways,” Rails to Trails Conservancy:

http://www.railtrails.org/resources/documents/resource_docs/tgc_economic.pdf• The Business Case for Active Transportation: Economic Benefits of Walking and Cycling (March 2004) - Active Living and

Environment Program (Canada): http://www.goforgreen.ca/at/Eng/PDF/at_business_case.pdf• “Economic Benefits of Trails,” American Hiking Society: http://www.americanhiking.org/news/pdfs/econ_ben.pdf• Greenways and Trails: Bringing Economic Benefits to New York – The Business Council of New York State with the New

York Parks and Conservation Association: http://www.nypca.org/pdfs/5_Greenways_Trails.pdf• Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails, and Greenway Corridors. Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance, National

Park Service. Fourth Edition, Revised 1995. http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rtca/econ_index.htm

Other Citations

The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation, 2007, Trust for Public LandThe Health Benefits of Parks, 2006, Trust for Public LandSullivan 2020 Toolbox, www.co.sullivan.ny.us/documentView.asp?docid=329“Does Open Space Pay?” By Philip A. Auger, UNH Cooperative Extension (no date)“The Economic Value of Open Space,” 1996, Charles J. Fausold and Robert J. Lilieholm, Land Lines,

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy“Open Space Is a Good Investment: The Financial Argument for Open Space Preservation,” Assoc. of

New Jersey Environmental Commissions, 2004