Statewide Trails Conference, PLAN NOW, April 5th - 8th

[AK20]

Seems like some of these things kind of end of popping out of the blue for us, well not this time. Thanks to our friends down south(Little Giant of AK X) we can get a jump on this and plan now to have some reps there for the club.

This is from his post on alaska4x4network....

"The non-profit organization Alaska Trails is putting together a statewide trails conference, to be held in Fairbanks in April. I spoke to the president asking if it was geared mostly to staff personal in land managment agencies, and he said it was not. That all trail users could find the information helpful.

Just thought I'd pass the word along in case any is interested. See the "draft agend" to get an idea of the information that will be presented.


Statewide Trails Conference
Date: April 5 (Wed) - 8 (Sat), 2006
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska

Join other trail users, groups, and managers to talk about:

* best trail management practices
* trail funding sources for construction, maintenance, and enhancements
* nonprofit training opportunities across the state
* universal trail assessments
* economic benefits of trails
* Alaska state trail easement policies and process
* hands-on trail training courses
* successful trail policies and politics from the MatSu Borough
* mini-mechanized trail building and maintenance equipment examples
* trail information displays and more.

Join us with the concurrent Alaska Recreation and Park Association's annual meeting at the Wedgwood Resort.

Download the DRAFT AGENDA and REGISTRATION FORM for the conference. Watch our web site for more details in the coming months."

[AK20]

Opps forgot the links for the Draft Agenda and Registration Form



Draft Agenda
http://www.alaska-trails.org/Trail%20Con...2-1-06.pdf

Registration Form

http://www.alaska-trails.org/Trail%20Con...egForm.pdf

[sevenslats]

Holy carp. 3 days long?!

Kevin, why didn't you tell us about this? I see you're speaking on Friday.

[ChevyKev]

silly me, I thought it was for the parks employees. Tom Martin is one of the main guys heading it up.

[sevenslats]

Here's the email I got on it.

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 21:46:27 -0900
From: Jack & Rosemary Mosby <jrmosby@alaskalife.net>
Subject: Trail Conference April 5-8 in Fairbanks

An updated agenda for the April 5-8 Trails Conference in Fairbanks; info on
the keynote speaker Troy Duffin from Park City, UT; and a conference
registration flyer are being posted to our web site at:
http://www.alaska-trails.org The Alaska Recreation and Park Association
(ARPA) is handling registration for the conferences.

Full conference registration is $140 for Alaska Trails and ARPA members
before March 6 ($200 after that date). Daily rates are $100 (or $125 after
March 6) for members. Student rates are half the above costs. Non member
rates are $175 and $250 for the full conference. Any agenda updates will be
posted to our web site.

Our Keynote speaker Troy Duffin (How Real Estate Developers Can Realize
Ecomonic Benefits by Treating Trails as Assets on Thu Noon Feb 6) is also
giving presentations in Anchorage on Monday Feb 3 at noon to the Chamber of
Commerce, a 7PM evening public presentation at the Loussac Library, and is
meeting with trail interests in Homer on Tuesday Feb 4 before coming to
Fairbanks that evening.

I hope you can join us in Anchorage, Homer, or Fairbanks to share your trail
experiences and knowledge at one or more of the sessions above and/or below
in Fairbanks that include:

* Best Management Practices for Trails (+$30 pre-conference all day Wed
session)

* Train-the-Trainer for Trail Construction and Maintenance for Volunteers
(+$40 post-conference Fri afternoon and all day Sat sessions)

* Trail Economics

* Successful Trail Policies & Politics from the MatSu Borough
(Trail Bonds and Easement Reservations). Find out how they have
reserved over 2,015 miles of trail within the Borough.

* Homer's Kachemak Green

* Funding Sources for Trail Education, Construction, and Advocacy

* Universal Trail Assessment Program Overview

* Mini-mechanized Equipment for Trails

* Trail Easement Reservation Process and Policies

* TreadLightly Principles

* Nonprofit Board Training

* Recreation and Land Management Plans

* Trail Equipment & Vender Displays

Thanks to the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service's
Rivers and Trails Program for providing support to the conference.

Be safe on your trails this spring and watch out for avalanche conditions.

Jack Mosby
Alaska Trails
PO Box 140264
Anchorage, AK 99514-0264
907-333-4442
jrmosby@alaskalife.net
http://www.alaska-trails.org

[AKLJ8]

Just checked my calander and it looks like I'm off that week. I'll plan on attending.

[michaeljr5]

Dude, I just looked at all the prices. Someone is seriously getting paid! :eek: What does the money go toward?

[sevenslats]

Btt. Here's an email I got...


--- Jack & Rosemary Mosby <jrmosby@alaskalife.net> wrote:
Since our web site (http://www.alaska-trails.org) was down most of the past week, the early registration discount for the Fairbanks April 5-8 Statewide Trails Conference is extended through March 15. Look for the button on the right side of the opening page "Statewide Trails Conference" under Upcoming Events. The conference is in conjunction with the Alaska Recreation and Park Association (ARPA) annual conference. ARPA is handling all conference registration - please send your registration to ARPA as indicated on the second page of the registration and not to Alaska Trails. In the event we have any further problems with our web site, you can also reach the registration form on the bottom of the page at: http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/Parks&Rec/ARPA/default.htm
Please, also watch the Alaska Trails web site for more specifics about the keynote speakers in the next week. Troy Duffin, from Park City, UT will be speaking on land use development and trails twice in Anchorage on April 3, in Homer on April 4, and in Fairbanks at the Trails Conference on April 6 and 7. I'll have more info on Shawn DeRosa - Aquatics, Rich Dolesh - Nat'l Recreation and Park Association, and Charlie Dexter (UAF) - ARPA Keynote speaker later this week.
Let me know if you have any problems accessing our web site.
Thanks for your patience.
Jack Mosby
Alaska Trails
PO Box 140264
Anchorage, AK 99514-0264
907-333-4442
jrmosby@alaskalife.net
www.alaska-trails.org

[sevenslats]

...Just over a week away. Who's definately going?

[AKLJ8]

I'd like to attend... I'l be home the night of the 2nd. Do I need to sign up and pay a fee to attend this? Or is that just for speakers?

[naturalbornmudder]

is our PR committee going to be in town?

Do I need to sign up and pay a fee to attend this

look into it, if there is a fee, AO will pick up the tab.

[AKLJ8]

I've sent Jack Mobsly an email regarding attendance. Specifically what portions would really pertain to us and what our costs would be per person. I let him know that our club is paying for it so hopefully we qualify for a discount of some type..

[AKLJ8]

OK here is what I got from Jack...

[I][I][I]HI Craig,

If you have members focused on new trail development and/or maintenance,
grant writing (the ST Recreational Trail Grant program is often under
applied for in the motorized category), or the trail easement reservation
process, I'd recommend any or all of the following.

If you can only attend one session, I'd recommend attendance at the all-day
Wed pre-conference session "Best Trail Management Practices" being
facilitated by Kevin Meyers. He and the other speakers will highlight their
OHV/ATV trail construction and rehabilitation experiences around Alaska -
what's worked & what hasn't. It will also cover trail assessments, trail
location documentation, alignments, maintenance, and re-routing options.
Focus is on building or re-routing for sustainable trails. Cost is $40
including lunch. I've attached the latest copy I have, but I know there are
a couple of presenter changes this past week.

For the next two days, it's probably less expensive to get the conference
rate than paying for the daily rate unless you can only attend one or two
sessions total ($300 for 2 one day rates vs $250 for the conference rate)
unless you are an ARPA member (I didn't see your name on the Alaska Trails
membership list, but joining us either as an individual or trail
organization would get you the member rate).

I've included sessions that should give you some ammunition for better grant
writing as well as an understanding of the procedures and legal process to
reserve a trail easement (assuming this is something your club is interested
in doing with the borough and/or state). The early deadline was extended to
March 25, so you may want to contact Linda Ingham, Conference Coordinator
(lingham@co.fairbanks.ak.us or 459-1070) to see if the deadline has been
extended again or not. You have the correct form to use; be sure to return
it to Linda

On Thursday, I'd also suggest the "Trail Funding" panel 10:30AM-Noon; and
"Economic Benefits of Outdoor Recreation and Trails" (good info & background
for trail grants) Thu Apr 6 3:30PM-5:00PM.

On Friday Apr 7 8:30AM-10:00AM "Trail Policies, Politics, and Easements"
(MatSu Borough examples of over 2,000 miles of reserved trail easements -
how they did it), 10:30AM-Noon "Use of Mini-mechanized Equipment for Trail
Construction & Maintenance" (what works, what doesn't & how to know the
difference); and the Tread Lightly Principles 3:30PM-5:00PM (Tom Martin has
had to shorten up this session to only 1.5 hours - he may want some help if
anyone in Arctic Off-Road has taken the TL Master Trainer course and would
like to help him).

If your group is interested in building trails, the Trail Training sessions
on Fri afternoon and Saturday focus on training trail volunteers using hand
tools as well as trail crew leadership elements. Future sessions will
include more advanced training modules and some hand-held power tool
training.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Jack

Jack Mosby
[/I][/I][/I]

[AKLJ8]

I'll be attending the Wendsday conference myself. I have a big plate full of house work to do whan I get home or I'd go to the rest too.

[sevenslats]

Thanks for posting that stuff Craig. It makes a lot more sense than the cover letter they sent out originally. Plus it really applies to our sport.

[AKLJ8]

I just got this from Linda...

I may just do the full session myself. Sounds like a lot of good info and alot of fun too. I'm going to become an Alaska Trails member and sign up at the $140 rate...

Linda's email and phone # are:
Linda Ingham lingham@co.fairbanks.ak.us
459-1070

Hello Craig:

The full conference rate is $140 per person for Thursday and Friday. This
does include a ice breaker social at the Palace Saloon on Wednesday as well
as the banquet on Friday night. There is a tread lightly principle session
planned for one of those days. The $140 is the ARPA member rate or Trails
Member rate. To join ARPA it is $35 per person. A day rate is $100 per
day. Joining as Trails members would be $250 for your entire organization.

Please contact me if you have any further questions.

Linda

[AKLJ8]

BTW.... For anyone else signing up I'm looking into Arctic Off road becoming an Organization member with Trails Alaska. I'll be the representative, if thats OK by AO members. I'm checking with Linda to determine if this will let other members attend the conference at the member rate...

More to come....

[AKLJ8]

BTW.... For anyone else signing up I'm looking into Arctic Off road becoming an Organization member with Trails Alaska. I'll be the representative, if thats OK by AO members. I'm checking with Linda to determine if this will let other members attend the conference at the member rate...

More to come....

OK it's official... AO members can attend at the member rate. I'm working on the paperwork for our Alaska Trails membership so anyone who wants to go should contact Linda directly. If I've read through all this confusion right we can attend the full conference for $140 each... Call Linda to be sure and mention your a member of the club.

I haven't sent in my form yet. How many of us should go? If the club is paying as Nat proposed we should get some names together. I'm not sure who all was on the PR committee but I think Stomper was. Anybody else? I need to send this into Linda no later then tomorrow morning so post up. I'll let her know I'm working on a list of people.

[sevenslats]

:yes:

[AKLJ8]

Who's the current treasurer? I'll need to put then in contact with Jack for out Alaska Trails membership and Linda for our attendees of the conference.

[sevenslats]

Mrs. NBM

[AKLJ8]

OK... Sense no one else posted up I assume I'm the only one who plans to go. I have a lot going on at home this R&R but I really want to do this. I'm not the best note taker but I'll try to have some info for the club when it's said and done. I know this is during the week and most people probably have to work.

The Trail Training session is Saturday the 8th. Same day as our meeting. It's 8:30 - 5 pm. Can we push the meeting back to the evening and have a few members attend this session? The Wednesday session on OHV / ATV Trail Management Practices would be good too. Again it's all day. Thursday and Friday seem to be a large number of seminars that are 1 to 2 hours each. Many to chose from and many going on at the same time.

[ChevyKev]

That would be a good idea, but with the host having other stuff going on I don'tknow about the meeting being switched.

Also, I will not be doing the tread lightly calss as I have to go to Juneau for a work related conference that weekend. Big "I OWe YA" to Mudzilla for my having to back out.

[AKLJ8]

Yea... I agree Kevin. After I thought about it a bit. I don't want to see us changing these meeting times at the last minute. As much as I want to attend this I really have too much to do this R&R anyway.