Webinar – Recognizing National Preparedness Month – Build Back Better: How to Rebuild Trail Infrastructure for Resilience after Disaster
Across the United States, communities are facing increasing risks and effects from extreme weather events, which can cause significant damage to trail infrastructure. However, disaster recovery and reconstruction also present an opportunity to build back better. This National Preparedness Month, Rails to Trails Conservancy turned to the spotlight to communities that are designing resilience into their trail rebuilding projects to mitigate the impact of future disasters on trail infrastructure. Drew Perkins walked participants through the restoration of Big Basin Creek Park’s landscape, trails and other infrastructure in the wake of wildfires in 2020. Participants also heard from Ed Wright and Dennis Sanders on how they are rebuilding the Virginia Creeper Trail different following catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene.
SPEAKERS
- Drew Perkins – Trails Planning Director, Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship
- Edward Wright – Area Ranger, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
- Dennis Sanders – Assistant Division Manager, Environmental at Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)/ US Forest Service Technical Representative
- Eric Oberg – Senior Director of Programs, RTC (moderator)
Related Links
Check out RTC’s Trail-Building Toolbox page on Trails and Climate Resilience: https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/trails-and-climate-resilience/
Learn more about the Santa Cruz Mountain Trail Stewardship: https://santacruztrails.org/
Big Basin Redwoods State Park: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=540
Impacts of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire on Big Basin Redwoods State Park: https://journal.wildlife.ca.gov/2023/04/12/impacts-of-the-czu-lightning-complex-fire-of-august-2020-on-the-forests-of-big-basin-redwoods-state-park/
See how SCMTS partnered with State Parks to rebuild trails following a devastating wildfire: https://act.santacruztrails.org/take-action/fire-relief/
Reimagining Big Basin Redwoods State Park: https://reimaginingbigbasin.org/
Learn more about the Virginia Creeper Trail with the following links: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/gwj/recreation/virginia-creeper-national-recreation-trail and https://www.traillink.com/trail/virginia-creeper-national-recreation-trail/
Blog post: The Virginia Creeper Trail keeps bringing visitors back:https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/appalachian-engine-the-virginia-creeper-trail-keeps-bringing-visitors-back/
This 34-mile trail saw over 348,400 single uses in 2023, representing more than 112,600 visitors coming to the region to use the Virginia Creeper Trail (VCT). Virginia Tech estimated the trails annual impact to be approximately $61.1 million within Washington, Grayson, Smyth, and Russell counties. Read more in the Virginia Creeper Trail Economic Impact Report: https://www.railstotrails.org/resource-library/resources/virginia-creeper-trail-economic-impact-report/
The Town of Damascus, Virginia, has compiled comprehensive information relating to Hurricane Helene’s impact and recovery efforts. Read it all here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/gwj/conditions/hurricane-helene-information-virginia-creeper-trail
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, RTC compiled a number of resources on disaster recovery. Check out our toolkit here: https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2024/october/01/hurricane-helene-resources/
Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail Reconstruction Project: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/gwj/projects/67511
Virginia Creeper Trail Bridges: https://structurecraft.com/projects/virginia-creeper-trail-bridges
Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Success Stories: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/gwj/conditions/hurricane-helene-disaster-recovery-success-stories
RTC’s TrailNation Collaborative, Trail Development and Policy teams produce a free webinar series designed to help trail professionals build, grow, manage, maintain, promote or otherwise support trails and trail networks. Sign up here to get webinar alerts.
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