Definitions
	NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) — Landowners or residents who generally oppose any changes or development near their property. Friends Group — An organized group of steadfast supporters of a trail project. Trails glossary and acronyms.
	RTC Resources
	Acquiring Corridors: A How-To Manual Chapter 3, "Contacting the Railroad";Chapter 4, "Understanding the Railroad"; Chapter 8, "Reaching a Preliminary Agreement with the Railroad"   Secrets of Successful Rail-Trails , Chapter 4, "Working with Landowners and Opposition"; Chapter 5, "Working with Government Agencies"   Fact Sheet: Working with Trail Opponents    Fact Sheet: Economic Benefits of Trails and Greenways    Ask Our Listserv: Learn about trail development from the experts! Join our listserv to be connected to more than 900 trail managers, advocates and builders across the country. Go to RTC's Trails and Greenways Publication Library For more information, please contact the appropriate regional or national office.
	Additional Resources
	Project for Public Spaces: Public/Private Partnerships  American Trails: The Proper Care and Feeding of Club Volunteers  Write a Persuasive Letter to the Editor  The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Trail Advocates  How to Build a Trails Coalition: The Pikes Peak Model

Outreach:
Working with others to ensure success

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Outreach is one of the most important ongoing activities for any rail-trail project. Without support from community members, politicians and key businesses, even the best rail-trail proposals can fail.

If you've conducted corridor research and determined that the railroad still owns or operates on the right-of-way, you'll need to start the acquisition process by contacting the railroad. Navigating through the corporate structure to find a representative who is willing to discuss rail-trail acquisition and development may be difficult. Negotiations with the railroad will differ depending on the nature of the property and the options and interests of the railroad.

Trails and greenways are community-based projects, and every project needs broad community support to be a success. As soon as you have created your vision, shop it around to groups that may be interested in the project, such as land trusts, bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups, bird-watching groups and equestrians to gain their trust and support.

Many trail development projects are cooperative efforts between trail advocates, local municipalities and state agencies. One of the early steps should be to identify the local municipalities through which the corridor passes, which will vary considerably from state to state based upon the established form of government.
Some rail-trail conversions face opposition from landowners living alongside or near the corridors. Lack of information and unanswered criticism of trail proposals usually fuel this opposition. Some common misconceptions include confusion related to property rights issues, concerns that property values will drop and liability will increase, and fears of increased crime such as littering, trespassing, burglary and vandalism. If informed of the benefits of a trail early in the process, adjacent residents almost invariably become enthusiastic trail users and supporters within a few years of a trail's creation.

Engage with key constituencies, including opponents, early and often. Though you may not be able to turn everyone into a supporter, you will be able to forge a much smoother path to your trail's completion.

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