Applied Principles of Sustainable Trail Design
Wed., May. 19 - Thu., May. 20, at 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
This workshop has filled to capacity.
Participant limit: 15
Cost: $75 for two days of instruction
Location: Midcoast location TBD
Instructor: Erin Amadon, owner and principal, Town 4 Trail Services, LLC and board member of the Professional Trailbuilders Association; Erin will be assisted by Kat Deely from Frenchman Bay Conservancy
This two-day workshop will focus on applying the fundamentals of sustainable trail layout and design for upgrading existing trails and addressing problem areas. Specifically, the course will cover restoration of damaged trails, prioritizing maintenance through trail triage, understanding hillside hydrology, how trails should work, developing trail eyes, trail structural options, applying construction tactics, and proper pruning techniques for woody plants. Participants will demonstrate trail stewardship skills by applying knowledge learned thru hands-on demonstration throughout the process, and will benefit from one-on-one feedback from the instructor to improve construction techniques. This workshop will follow all current Maine CDC guidelines on the COVID-19 Pandemic.
This workshop is suitable for recreation planners, land managers, trail advocates, designers, landscape architects, trail stewards, volunteers, and trail builders.
Participants will be responsible for bringing their own water, lunch and snacks. This is a rain or shine event and participants will need to be sure to bring work gloves, long pants, a warm layer, rain gear, work boots, a mask and hand sanitizer, in addition to their food and drink.
Erin Amadon
Erin Amadon has a passion for trail work and deep experience going back two decades. As a former Training Coordinator for the Maine Conservation Corps, Erin developed and implemented an eleven-week environmental training curriculum for the Trail Training Academy. Erin is committed to youth conservation work and supporting the next generation of trail builders through her work as a Conservation Work Skills Instructor for the Student Conservation Association and in her role on the Maine Conservation Corps Advisory Board.
Erin holds a United States Forest Service Sawyer certification, Wilderness First Responder, CPR, OSHA 10 Hour Construction Safety & Health, Leave No Trace Trainer, and American Canoe Association quick start certifications. Whether Erin is immersed in a technical stonework project, is building a machine-built trail that meets Federal Trail Standards for accessibility, or in the backcountry, she is committed to building high-quality, trails. Erin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to volunteer groups, clients, students, and fellow trail lovers and continues to do this through her business Town 4 Trail Services, LLC.
Kat Deely
Kat serves as Land Protection Manager for Frenchman Bay Conservancy, protecting new lands in perpetuity in the Union River Watershed, Frenchman Bay Watershed, and the Schoodic Corridor, for the benefit of all. Her work here builds off of years of experience protecting land in Massachusetts and New York. She began her career in conservation in the conservation corps world, and is always happy to pick up a pulaski and get to work. Her professional experience focuses on community conservation and outreach, landscape-scale land protection, and experiential education. Kat holds a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont Field Naturalist and Ecological Planning Program, and serves on the Board of Trustees for Merck Forest and Farmland Center in Rupert, VT. She currently lives in Seal Harbor where her dog, Moose, patiently waits to someday meet her namesake.