Trail Libraries

• Federal Highway Administration—Recreational Trails Program Publications: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/publications.htm
  
  
• Federal Highway Administration—Recreational Trails Program Related Links: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/links.htm
  
  
• Federal Highway Administration—USDA Forest Service Publications List: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs
  
  
• National Transportation Library: http://ntl.bts.gov
  
  
• National Trails Training Partnership—Resources Library: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/index.html
  
  
• Professional Trail Builders Association—Resource Library: http://www.trailbuilders.org/resources
  
  
• USDA Forest Service—Directives: http://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives
  
  
• USDA Forest Service—Technology and Development Publications: http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs (Username: t-d, Password: t-d)
  
  
• University of Minnesota Trail Library—Trail Planning, Construction, and Maintenance: http://forestry.lib.umn.edu/bib/trls.phtml

Trail Organizations

• American Hiking Society (AHS) provides more than hiking information. The AHS Web site has links to information regarding trail-based policy initiatives, funding resources, trail news, and volunteer opportunities, as well as a trail finder service at http://www.americanhiking.org.
  
  
• American Horse Council (AHC) is a national trade association representing the horse industry before Congress. The AHC monitors Federal legislation and regulations that affect the horse industry. Its Recreation Committee provides recommendations to the AHC regarding Federal recreation issues and works with local horse councils. A listing of related sites—including State horse councils—is available under the About Us menu at http://www.horsecouncil.org.
  
  
• American Trails is a nonprofit organization that promotes the creation, conservation, and broad enjoyment of quality trails and greenways. American Trails promotes common ground and cooperation among all trail interests and offers hundreds of articles, studies, contacts, links, and other Web resources at http://www.americantrails.org.
  
  
• Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) is a service club with many local chapters that strives to protect the equestrian use of, and access to, wilderness and backcountry areas. Volunteer members assist government and private agencies with trail maintenance and management. The BCHA strives to educate, encourage, and solicit active participation in the wise and sustainable use of backcountry resources by equestrians and the general public. More information is available at http://www.backcountryhorse.com.
  
  
• Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) is a nationwide organization dedicated to assisting equestrians with access and land issues. The ELCR raises awareness among equestrians about stewardship and land conservation. It also assists grassroots efforts in communities nationwide, encourages collaboration with other conservation and user groups, and provides equestrians with specific how-to information at http://www.elcr.org.
  
  
• International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) provides services that include planning, designing, building, and maintaining trails. Technical resources are available on the Resources page at http://www.imba.com.
  
  
• Land Trust Alliance (LTA) promotes voluntary land conservation and provides training, publications, a digital library, grants, liability insurance for land trusts, and other services. More information is available at http://www.lta.org.
  
  
• National Center for Bicycling and Walking (NCBW) provides useful resources regarding land use, transportation, and planning for pedestrians and bicyclists at http://www.bikewalk.org.
  
  
• National Trails Training Partnership (NTTP), managed and promoted by American Trails, is an alliance of Federal agencies, training providers, nationwide supporters, and providers of products and services. The NTTP focuses on training opportunities. A wide variety of informative trail resources and links are available at http://www.nttp.net.
  
  
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) maintains an online planning resources list for shared-use trails. The PBIC is a clearinghouse for information about health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement, access, and mobility. The resources are available at http://www.pedbikeinfo.org.
  
  
• Professional Trailbuilders Association (PTBA) is an organization for private trail specialists and professional trail contractors, designers, and consultants. The PTBA promotes quality trail design, construction, and maintenance. More information is available at http://www.trailbuilders.org.
  
  
• Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is an assistance program of the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The RTP provides funding to develop and maintain recreation trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreation trail uses. Access RTP's Web page at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails. Some useful features include:
  
  
  • Trail references and links to Federal and State agencies, trail organizations, and trail information resources, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/links.htm.
    
    
  • Links to Recreational Trails Program State administrators, available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/rtpstate.htm.
    
    
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a nonprofit organization that works to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines. The RTC promotes conditions to make trail building possible; works to protect the Transportation Enhancements Program; defends the Federal railbanking statute in Congress; and provides information, technical assistance, and training at local levels. More information is available at http://www.railtrails.org. Some useful features include:
  
  
  • Trails and Greenway Clearinghouse is a service of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Technical assistance, information resources, and referrals to trail and greenway advocates and developers across the country can be found at http://www.trailsandgreenways.org.
    
    
  • Trail-Building Toolbox is a trail development resource center developed by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy for first-time citizen advocates to more experienced planners and trail managers. Access the Trail-Building Toolbox at http://www.railstotrails.org/whatwedo/trailbuilding/index.html or http://www.railstotrails.org/whatwedo/trailbuilding/technicalassistance/
    toolbox/toolbox_index.html.
    
    
• Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA, also known as the Rivers and Trails Program) is a community resource of the National Park Service. The RTCA provides collaborative technical assistance to community groups and government agencies developing trails, greenways, open space areas, and other projects. The program focuses on organization building, planning, and coordination for conservation and outdoor recreation, but does not offer grants. More information is available at http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/rtca.

Funding and Partnership Resources

• Ninety-five Creative Funding Ideas for Trails and Greenways (Macdonald 2003) is available at http://www.americantrails.org/resources/funding.
  
  
• Foundation Center Web site provides advice on how to write and seek grants, along with an extensive list of funding sources at http://www.fdncenter.org.
  
  
• National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC) is a direct descendant of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the Depression era. Information regarding methods to involve youth or conservation corps in projects is available at http://www.nascc.org.
  
  
• National Trails Training Partnership (NTTP) has many resources for trail planners. The Funding and Resources Web page provides links for fundraising ideas, volunteer programs, grants, and grant-writing resources. More information is available at http://www.americantrails.org/resources/funding.
  
  
• National Transportation Enhancement Clearinghouse (NTEC) Web site is a collaboration between the Federal Highway Administration and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Some useful NTEC Web pages include:
  
  
  • Transportation Enhancements Web page, which provides links to basic information for using Federal Transportation Enhancement funds, Statespecific information, and Federal legislation at http://www.enhancements.org. This Web page is an introduction—it is not the Transportation Enhancements Web site.
    
    
  • Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Trail and Greenway Funding Guide, which has a searchable database for many Federal, State, and private funding sources at http://www.enhancements.org/trailfunding.htm.
    
    
• Red Lodge Clearinghouse provides a searchable database of private, foundation, Federal, and State funding sources for trail and greenway projects in 11 Western States at http://www.rlch.org/.
  
  
• Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA–LU) authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit from 2005 to 2009. More information is available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu.
  
  
• Transportation Enhancements is a Web resource for States sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, which provides official legislation and guidance documents regarding Transportation Enhancement Activities. This Web site is not the same as the Transportation Enhancements page on the NTEC Web site. Access FHWA's Transportation Enhancements Web site at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/te.
  
  
• Trust for Public Land (TPL) helps agencies and communities define conservation priorities, identify lands to be protected, plan networks, raise funds, negotiate land transactions, and share knowledge. The trust also has information regarding regional, State, and Federal programs at http://www.tpl.org.
  
  
• University of Wisconsin Grants Information Collection has a Web page devoted to Proposal Writing: Internet Sources: http://grants.library.wisc.edu/organizations/proposalwebsites.html.