2018 Conference RECAP
Over 250 trails leaders from businesses, non-profits, and municipal, county, state, tribal and federal agencies converged on Wenatchee, WA for the 12th Trails Conference. We hope you were able to be part of this year’s informative and exciting event but if not, you should definitely plan on joining the next conference in 2020!
This year’s attendees were able to:
- Network with hundreds of other trail professionals.
- Attend dozens of high-quality presentations on a range of topics.
- Be inspired and challenged by keynote speaker Glenn Nelson.
- Join optional field sessions to experience Wenatchee’s local trails.
- Enjoy a reception with complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
- Help celebrate the winners of our 2nd WSTC Trail Awards.
View Our Past Winners
Congratulations to the winners and a hearty “Thank You!” from all of the trail users in Washington!
Trail users around the state, and our many out-of-state visitors, owe a debt of gratitude for the hard work of the winning individuals and organizations – and to the many others as yet unrecognized!
The 2018 WSTC Trails Awards Winners were announced during the Friday Night Out Reception of the Washington State Trails Conference in Wenatchee.
2018 Conference Themes & Programs
This year’s conference offered breakout sessions along four themed tracks:
1. Shared Trails, Shared Advocacy: Exploring how collaboration between trail user groups can create a stronger trail system in Washington. Topics could include: collaborative trail planning, trail building and maintenance, user education, leveraged funding, advocacy coalitions, and more.
2. Inclusivity, Diversity, and Access: Strategies, proven or emerging, for fostering an inclusive community, where new generations of trail users feel welcome and enjoy trails in ways that honor their history and identities (including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or income). Can also look at solutions to common barriers that prevent some people from enjoying trails, from transit to trailheads to improving our recreation fee systems.
3. Public Lands – Multiple Uses & Balancing Values: From preservation to resource extraction, solitude to high-use, or active to passive transportation – what we expect of our public lands is influenced by our value judgments. Case studies and strategies that support multiple uses and that balance seemingly contradictory values through the lens of trails.
4. Managing for Change: Change is possibly the only constant in trails. Tactics and success stories for adapting to changing conditions: demographics, population, climate, funding, regulations, access controversies, and user conflicts.