International Water Trail Topics
Choose from an array of presentations, panels, and discussions led by professionals and volunteers active in water trails from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
Presentation |
Presenters |
Description |
Hear how national organizations are responding to the need for water trail knowledge. Learn about National Park Service Rivers & Trails, American Canoe Association, and American Rivers assistance programs and how the three operate on the national level to promote water trails. |
||
Most news stories on the relicensing of hydroelectric facilities overlook important, positive outcomes. This discussion group will focus on recreation – what is legally required, how to facilitate getting your needs met and what happens when the Federal Energy Regulatory decides they know better than you do. Recreation is fun – making sure the resources and accesses are protected is a lot of work. |
||
So, you want to create a paddling trail? The session will cover the different options for maps and the types of things to include as part of your trail planning. Should a trail be planned to rely on GPS points for navigation or signage or both? What are the necessary landmarks that paddlers will need to help navigate? Where can long-distance paddlers obtain water and supplies? Is a paddling trail more than just water and shoreline? What are some points of interest that will help paddlers learn more about the area’s culture and history? What are some of the ways that paddlers can access trail maps? |
||
Water Trails in the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail corridor |
The presentation will describe, from different perspectives--planning, management, interpretation and administration--ways that the concept of modern water trails contributes to the continuing development of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail network and the experience and understanding of the history, culture and ecology of the Trail corridor. |
|
Water Trail Member Organizations - Everything you didn’t and did want to hear! |
Water trails are human activity on a dynamic environment. How much work is creating and sustaining a water trail member organization? How do organizations benefit water trails? The experience of the three panelists will briefly relate the pros and cons of member organizations before clearing the deck for discussion and questions. |
|
This session will help you understand how to make elements of your trail and facilities accessible and useable. Find out the current best practices and guidelines for boating and paddling facilities. Learn what makes a site accessible or at least useable by all. Do current ADA standards apply at your site? Come and find out. |
||
Chesapeake Water Trails: Making a Connection with the Bay, Then and Now |
A nationally significant resource, the Chesapeake Bay is nonetheless assailed by impacts characteristic of all coastal estuaries. Worthy of conservation it also needs restoration. Its protection is predicated on broad public support. First and foremost, people must care. Fortunately the Chesapeake is a first rate recreational resource with many great stories. Water trails on the Bay and its tributaries are proving to be a wonderful way to connect people to the Chesapeake and engage them with their local waters. The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network afford both national recognition of the Chesapeake and a creative means for Federal assistance for local stewardship. |
|
The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers will be conduct an awareness workshop focusing on the 7 principles of Leave No Trace. The workshop will include skills and ethics speficially for sea kayaking, as well as information on how Leave No Trace can be incorporated into water trail work and our partnerships with WWTA and MITA. Come engage in a fun interactive workshop, while learning how to minimize recreation impacts. |
||
On-River Ed: Integrating Paddling into an Education Curriculum |
The Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership's Education Programs integrate classroom programs, field trips, service learning projects, and on-river programs. The Partnership has experimented with a variety of different ways to provide an on-water education experience, before recently developing a program that revolves around two 34-foot canoes. The presentation will highlight how the on-river program exposes students to paddling and the water trail as well as the success and challenges of on-water education programs. |
|
Last year Gerry found out what over 500 involved paddlers wanted. The Northwest Paddler Survey gathered data on demographics, places people were paddling, affiliations, and concerns about various political hot button issues from the environment to boat registration and mandatory boater education. Gerry will talk about the process used to make the survey and the results. He will discuss how this relates to a WWTA 2002 member survey and other recent statewide boating surveys, and how this knowledge can be used. |
||
Jan Houck |
In response to an overwhelming interest in water trails, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department adopted a state water trails plan in 2005. The plan encourages and facilitates the development of water trails along rivers, lakes and coastal regions in the state. This session will focus on plan development and implementation in rural and urban settings, partnerships, and any other issues of interest. It is intended that the panel discussion will stimulate audience participation. |
|
A successful water trail website provides current and relevant information in an accessible format to the public. How will your water trail stay afloat in the information age? This session will explore several examples of water trail websites and discuss what worked and what didn’t in terms of mapping and managing internet information. |
||
The Maine Island Trail Association has successfully worked with private landowners to allow recreational access to private property. After an overview, Dave Mentions will examine three case studies. Stewardship, legal concerns, and other management issues will be discussed. |
||
This session will focus on how to plan and develop a water trail. In particular, Dan will focus on the steps involved in doing so, including: formation of a planning team, inventory of public parcels & river segments, generation of issues, public outreach & involvement, analysis of the river inventory, making site recommendations, issues resolution, plan creation, guidebook/map development, funding and implementation. Dan is a planner for the NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program and has been involved with helping to start up five water trails in the Pacific Northwest. |
||
| Conference Participants | This is for topics and ideas you bring to the Conference and want to discuss. What are your burning issues? Post a theme and then convene with others having a similar passion or dreams for projects and possible solutions. Share what you’ve learned Wednesday evening. |
|
Conference Participants |
A chance to introduce your trail. You have 5 minutes with 3 to 5 of your best slides to highlight what makes your water trail special. And you’ll be hearing about the other great water trails represented at the Conference! |
|
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a multi-state paddling trail, traversing 740 miles across New York, New Hampshire, Quebec, Vermont, and Maine. Our work, however, takes place at the grassroots, where we partner with communities along our route on a variety of projects that celebrate the unique stories each community has to share about its waterways. In this presentation, we will focus on projects linking our water trail and public art, an interesting and creative connection that is a benefit to both trail and community. We will also look at other ways water trails are uniquely positioned to engage their communities in partnerships that benefit all involved. |