2022 WV TRAIL Conference
The 2nd annual 2022 WV Trail Conference was held on October 28th & 29th at Glade Springs Resort near Beckley, WV by WV TRAIL, a fledgling non profit organization aiming to increase awareness of and appreciation for non-motorized trails of all kinds in West Virginia. Over 140 people attended the Conference, bringing together representatives from 75 different businesses, non profit organizations, county visitors bureaus, city representatives, legislative councils, land managers, and trail users.
Program and Presentations
Advancing Trails through Partnerships
Author of Deciding on Trails, Amy Camp, and Kent Spellman will lead an interactive session to build the foundation of address state challenges and opportunities.
An Overview of Planning, Sustaining, and Marketing your Trails
An overview of the trail process from planning to marketing. Frank Maguire, Roanoke VA Greenways Coordinator, will lead you through the chutes and ladders of planning and building trails. Emily Wilson-Hauger of Woodlands Development and Lending will discuss outdoor recreation and trails through community-based programs. Ennis Smith of WV Tourism will highlight trends and what makes a marketable trail.
Planning Process - Frank Maguire
Community-Driven Trails - Emily Wilson-Hauger
Marketing Trails - Ennis Smith
Transportation Alternatives and Recreation Trails Program
Mark Scoular and Travis Hayes of WV Department of Highways will provide information on the present and future of TA and RTP funding in West Virginia. Led by Kelly Pack of Rails to Trails Conservancy.
Leadership Burnout and Building a Volunteer Base
Common challenges and opportunities. Amanda Workman-Scott of WV Hub will lead a session on exploring how to build and sustain a community teams of volunteers.
Statewide Initiatives Townhall
With so much good work happening in WV around trails and outdoor recreation, it’s hard to keep up and see how it all fits together. This session will seek to address all of your questions with Kent Spellman of WV TRAIL, Andy Davis of Mountain State Trail Authority, Andy Williamson of Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative, and Amanda Pitzer of Mountaineer Trail Network Recreation Authority. Moderated by Nathan Hilbert, NPS Community Assistance Program.
Developing Funding and Advocacy for Trails
Explore how partnership and unique funding strategies can fund different phases of your trail development. Panelists will include Cara Rose of Pocahontas CVB, Shae Strait of Fairmont Government, and Sara Cottingham of Downstream Strategies.
Presentation - Shae Strait
Presentation - Sara Cottingham
Presentation - Cara Rose
Promoting Active and Accessible Trails and Streets
Build an understanding of how accessible trail building, health programming, and complete streets work are all part of making a great trail system for all. We will challenge participants to integrate these topics in your work while also asking what other partnerships are missing and what’s next to bring together a collective voice of diverse trail planners and users. Hear from Eric Thompson of Access on the Go, Melanie Seiler of Active Southern WV, and Bre Shell with the statewide Complete Streets Advisory Board.
Congratulations to our Trail Champion, Cara Rose
Cara Rose of the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau, was awarded the 2022 WV Trail Champion for her extensive and inspiring work on the successful The Snowshoe Highlands Area Recreation Collaborative (SHARC) as well as her dedication to secure funding for trail systems in Pocahontas County.
