TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s Center for Economic Development in partnership with the Alabama Trails Commission is sponsoring a leadership workshop on Alabama trails from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 14, in Tuscaloosa.
The one-day workshop, which features trail tours, will be at the Mary Ann Phelps Activity Center, 2200 Rock Quarry Drive.
The workshop will feature information on innovative public-private partnership case studies including the Back Country Horsemen Association, the West Alabama Mountain Bike Association, Tuscaloosa Parks and Recreation Authority and the Cheaha Trail Riders.
Other topics include how the “Universal Trail Assessment Process” can help trail operators provide accurate information for their users and how Alabama Trailers for Trails can help groups build and maintain trails.
In addition, experts will lead tours of three Tuscaloosa trails. The first will be a hiking tour of Hurricane Creek Nature Park, a place to explore native plants and aquatic wildlife.
The second will be a mountain bike tour of some of Munny Sokol Park’s 14 miles of mountain bike trails as well as the new “pump” track. The third will be a walking tour of Tuscaloosa River Walk, which is a shaded multi-use trail along the Black Warrior River.
The workshop’s advanced registration fee of $30 includes breakfast pastries and a box lunch. Registration deadline is Friday, May 6. Participation is limited to 100. The online registration link is: http://www.uaced.ua.edu/alabama-recreational-trails-leadership-workshop.html.
The Alabama Trails Commission was founded by the Legislature in 2011 to bring together trail stakeholders and to coordinate their efforts as a way to leverage Alabama’s natural resources and increase tourism and community development.
The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development provides economic development resources and community-based strategic planning in support of local economic development efforts.
Center staff members provide guidance to communities in leveraging other UA resources and partners with the specific focus on community development and capacity building at all levels. Its mission is to assist communities as they prepare to take advantage of economic development opportunities for growth, which puts them in a better position to support existing businesses as well as to create and attract new investments and jobs.
The center is part of UA’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development.
Contact
Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782
Source
Candace Johnson Skelton, UA Center for Economic Development, candace.skelton@ua.edu, 205/348-8338