Building Capacity and Technical Skills for Effective Trail Management through Local Practitioner Training in NYC

This is a case study of the Trail Improvement Techniques Training developed by the New York City Citywide Trail Program. This annual training is provided to partners across the city and includes in-field technical skills, identification of trail concerns, trail management best practices and reporting of trail activities. The case study includes the training’s target audience, lessons learned since 2019, professionalization through provision of credentials and a reflection on future growth opportunities.

In a nutshell, this resource offers:

• An overview of a training to teach trails techniques. 
• Discussion of how to best provide training to trail volunteers.

How to use this resource:

• As an example of a training for partners to improve trail conditions in an urban environment. 

Author: Josh Otero and Gabriel Cummings

Date published: April 24, 2025

Point of contact: Josh Otero josh.otero@naturalareasnyc.org

Citation: Otero, Josh and Cummings, Gabriel (2025) "Building Capacity and Technical Skills for Effective Trail Management through Local Practitioner Training in NYC," Cities and the Environment (CATE): Vol. 13: Iss. 1, Article 43. DOI: 10.15365/cate.2020.130143

Resource is available online here.