HEALTHY TRAILS, HEALTHY PEOPLE

Need help with a trail project?

January 11 Deadline to apply for Technical Assistance from Parks & Trails New York

Applications for technical assistance through our Healthy Trails, Healthy People program are now being accepted until January 11, 2008. Parks & Trails New York staff provide technical and planning assistance, present workshops, and offer organizational support to help communities develop trails. Community organizations and local governments are encouraged to apply. Prior to submitting an application, contact Parks & Trails New York or call (518) 434-1583. Selection is based on the level of community interest, partnership possibilities, and opportunities to increase physical activity levels.

Parks & Trails New York calls for major park capital initiative

$650 million reinvestment needed

Without an estimated $650 million in infrastructure repairs and rehabilitation over the next few years, New York’s State park system will be in crisis condition, the result of many years of underfunding and deferred maintenance.  And the situation is even worse than Parks & Trails New York projected last year in our milestone report, Parks at a Turning Point – Restoring and Enhancing New York’s State Park System. Read more.

Who's On the Trail?

Annual Canalway Trail Count generates exciting numbers

Parks & Trails New York and the New York State Canal Corporation have just released The Canalway Trail User Count 2007 report, that estimates between 100,000 and 200,000 annual visitors to the Canalway Trail at several locations near Rochester.

During July and August, 21 volunteers stationed themselves at five locations on week day evenings between 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The data they obtained was used to generate annual trail traffic estimates of nearly 200,000 persons at Lock 33 in the Town of Brighton and Perinton Park in the Town of Perinton.

In conducting the count and calculating estimates of annual trail traffic, Parks & Trails New York and the NYS Canal Corporation followed a procedure developed by Dr. Greg Lindsey of Indiana University. Dr. Lindsey has spent many years studying trails in the Indianapolis area in order streamline the counting process while improving its validity and predictability.

When it comes to who is using the trail, this year's trail count indicated that 49% of trail users were bicyclists, 38% walkers, 8% joggers, 3% persons with baby carriages, and 2% in-line skaters. Counters also noted that 63% of all bicyclists counted were wearing helmets.

The trail count information can be used in trail design and management to help determine trail surface and width, to factor whether stop lights are warranted at intersections and in determining mowing frequency. Trail counts can also be used in trail funding decisions and marketing activities.

Bike tour registrations open

Registration for Parks & Trails New York 's Cycling the Erie Canal Tour and Great Hudson Valley Pedal is now open!

Cycling the Erie Canal is an eight-day, 400-mile bicycle tour from Buffalo to Albany along the historic and scenic Erie Canal. This year marks the tenth anniversary for the Cycling the Erie Canal Tour. It begins on July 6 in Buffalo and ends on July 13 at the Corning Preserve in Albany.

The Great Hudson Valley Pedal is a six-day, 200-mile bicycle tour from Albany to New York City through the magnificent and historic Hudson Valley. The 4th annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal will kick off from the Sage College in Albany on August 12 and end August 17 in New York City.

Online registration is now possible making it easier than ever to register for both these exciting tours. Don't hesitate. Register today. The tours will fill up fast!

Rare, uninhabited Bronx island donated to New York City Parks Department

On November 20th The Trust for Public Land donated South Brother Island , one of New York City 's last wild places, to the New York City Parks Department. The Trust for Public Land purchased the property from a private landowner using $2 million in federal grants secured by Congressman Jose E. Serrano.

Located a half a mile off the shoreline of the Bronx, the seven-acre, uninhabited island in New York's East River is a key nesting colony for several types of shore birds, including the Great Egret, Double-crested Cormorant, Snowy Egret, and Black-crowned Night Heron. The Parks Department intends to keep the isolated island protected in order to study the wildlife and to develop a plan to best preserve and use the island.

Legislative Agenda

Parks & Trails New York calls for more funding for parks, comprehensive multi-use trails plan

Parks & Trails New York has released its Legislative Agenda that highlights bills it will be supporting during the 2008 Legislative session. Top priorities for 2008:

• Passage of a state budget that increases operations and capital funding for parks and increases the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) from $275 million to $300 million.
• Passage of Parks & Trails New York 's own bill, S02324 Rath/ A9317 DelMonte which establishes a task force to develop a plan for creating a comprehensive system of multi-use trails throughout New York

Once again we'll be working to pass the Bigger Better Bottle Bill that would expand the State's existing Bottle Bill to include most non-carbonated beverage containers. The bill would also require that any unclaimed deposits be paid to the EPF which could help the EPF reach the environmental community's goal of $500 million by 2010.

Funding for NY’s parks and trails gets short shrift in new federal budget

The FY2008 federal budget, signed into law by President Bush at the end of December, decreases the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) stateside program by about 18% -- from $30 million in FY07 to $24.6 million this year.  President Bush had proposed zero funding for the program. 

The stateside LWCF program provides matching grants to states and local governments for public outdoor recreation areas and facilities and is the only way states such as New York, with few national parks and little federal land, can receive their fair share of LWCF funds. 

In the mid-1990’s, the stateside component of LWCF was eliminated.  It was revived in 2000 and by 2005 it was up to $92.5 million.  The next two years saw the beginning of another downward spiral, with $30 million appropriated each year.

LWCF is critically important to the health, economy, and quality of life in NYS.  Parks & Trails New York pledges to work to increase the fund in the next federal budget cycle.

Attorney General sheds light on government spending

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo recently unveiled his long-awaited good government tool “Project Sunlight.” The tool is a database that allows users to access information on legislation, lobbyists, campaign donations, state contracts and charities in a user-friendly Web site. Project Sunlight has been applauded in recent media articles, including the New York Times, which called the project an “extraordinarily useful tool for examining the interplay between money, politics and power in New York.” Project Sunlight may also prove important in allowing individuals to more effectively monitor projects both in and outside of their communities, as well as allow them to find out who lobbied on behalf of specific bills.

Smart growth cabinet created

On December 4th Governor Eliot Spitzer signed an Executive Order creating a Smart Growth Cabinet to review state agency spending and policies to determine how best to discourage sprawl and promote smart land use practices.

Smart growth is sensible, planned development that balances the need for economic development with the need to preserve and enhance our built and natural environment. Studies show that workers and businesses increasingly view quality-of-life and quality-of-place as major factors in deciding where to locate. In a recent study of New York businesses, the New York State Economic Development Council found that two quality-of-life factors were particularly influential in business location decisions – access to outdoor recreation and vibrant, livable urban centers.

Recognizing both the environmental and economic benefits of smart growth, the Cabinet will be chaired jointly by the Governor's Deputy Secretary for the Environment Judith Enck and the Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Infrastructure Timothy Gilchrist.

The Smart Growth Cabinet will consist of policy-makers from various state agencies that have an impact on growth and development patterns, including representatives from the Empire State Development Corporation, Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Transportation, Department of State, and Department of Housing and Community Renewal, among others.

Funding

New York State Safe Routes to School applications are now available online

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a federal, state and local effort to enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school, and to make walking and bicycling to school safe and appealing.

The primary goal of the New York Safe Routes Program, administered by the NYS Department of Transportation, is to combine infrastructure improvements with enforcement, education and encouragement activities. Local and regional governments, schools, and community non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for funding for projects and programs to improve the health and safety of New York children who bike or walk to school. Applications and dates of upcoming informational workshops can be found on the NYSDOT website. Deadline for applications is April 1, 2008.

Documentary Heritage Program grants could benefit historic record of trail

The NYS Archive's Documentary Heritage Program grants could provide an opportunity to gather and preserve records relating to the history of a trail corridor. Grants from $1000 to $25,000 are available for not for profits and educational institutions for projects which identify, survey, and plan for the systematic collection of records relating to under documented subjects, institutions or activities; New York 's changing industries and new population groups; and environmental affairs. Projects which develop strategic plans for historical records repositories, not-for-profit community organizations as well as documentations planning to identify under documented activities or topics will also be eligible. Deadline is February 1, 2008.

$25.3 million in Environmental Protection Fund Grants awarded for projects across New York

Governor Eliot Spitzer recently announced $25.3 million in Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) grants many of which will aid trail, greenway and park projects across the state. Two of Parks & Trails New York's Healthy Trails, Healthy People program projects received awards. The Hoosic River Watershed Association, in partnership with the Village of Hoosick Falls, will use $100,000 to help create the 2.5-mile Hoosic River Greenway adjacent to the Hoosic River in Rensselaer County. The Greenway will run through the Village providing recreational opportunities and access to shops, restaurants and the business district.

The Clinton County Town of Peru in northern New York was awarded $140,000 to create a park at the historic Mason & Sons sawmill site. The park will also serve as the trail head to the 3.5-mile Little Ausable River Trail presently being developed by the community using $500,000 in Transportation Enhancements Program funding awarded in 2006.

The EPF, created in 1993, is primarily funded through the real estate transfer tax and provides a dedicated source of funding for a variety of environmental projects and programs administered by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Department of Agriculture and Markets. With passage of the Environmental Protection Fund Enhancement Act in 2007, the EPF will increase from $225 million to $250 million in 2008 and to $300 million thereafter. The EPF funds farmland preservation, park and trail development and acquisition, waterfront revitalization, municipal recycling, open space land acquisition, farmland protection, wastewater treatment projects, invasive species management, and Ocean and Great Lakes initiatives.

General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids Grants

The General Mills Foundation will award 50 grants, $10,000 each, to not-for-profit organizations with innovative programs that help youth develop both good nutrition and fitness habits. Grants will be awarded to 501(c)(3) and 509(a) status not-for-profit organizations and agencies. The proposal must have at least one nutrition objective and at least one physical activity objective. Deadline for Applications is January 15, 2008.

Trail Spotlight

Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Officially opened in 2006, The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is a 740-mile water trail that follows Native American travel routes from Old Forge, New York, across Vermont, Québec and New Hampshire, to Fort Kent, Maine. In addition to being a paddling route, the Trail celebrates the history of the Northern Forest. Paddlers are able to explore both the natural beauty of the rivers and lakes as well as the communities through which the trail passes. The NFCT is made up of 22 rivers and streams and 56 lakes and ponds. In New York primary bodies of water include the Fulton Chain of Lakes, Brown's Tract Inlet, Raquette Lake, Forked Lake, The Raquette River, and Long Lake.

In 2000, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail was formed as a non-profit organization whose mission is to celebrate the rich human heritage and diverse natural environment of the Northern Forest by establishing and stewarding a water trail from New York to Maine. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a member-supported non-profit organization with over 800 members and 300 volunteers.

The NFCT developed a series of 13 maps that detail the 740-mile Trail. Maps include route descriptions, local information, and photos and stories of the landscapes. The maps are available at outdoor specialty retailers, booksellers, and on-line. NFCT recommends that all paddlers obtain appropriate maps and other local information prior to embarking on any paddling trip. For visitors new to paddling or to a particular area, the NFCT website offers a Trip Planner page and contact information for Chambers of Commerce along the Trail to find local guides and instructors.

NFCT Volunteer wins award

At its September statewide conference, Parks & Trails New York recognized Lisa Dyslin of Wilmington with its Volunteer Service Award for her efforts to help establish and maintain the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Lisa served as coordinator of the 147-mile New York section of the Trail and member of the first Board of Directors. Lisa accepted the Award from Parks & Trails New York Board Chairman Jeff Swain.

For more information, email Northern Forest Canoe Trail or call (802) 496-2285.

Trail & Health Resources

Photo galleries showcase multiple trail solutions

Want to see how others address common trail challenges or find some photos for a public presentation? The Design and Engineering Image Library, part of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, provides a wealth of images grouped by category that illustrate paved and unpaved trails, signage, bollards, fences, railroad crossings, bridges and tunnels, landscaping and other elements necessary to create a safe and aesthetic walking and bicycling environment. American Trails also has a complete list of websites with photo galleries that offer a variety of trail design ideas and the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse provides an Image Library of successful Transportation Enhancements Program projects, sorted by category.

Connections newsletter offers Transportation Enhancements Program information

Federal Transportation Enhancements (TE) Program funds will likely be available for bicycle and pedestrian projects some time in 2008. It is not too soon to start learning more about the program and planning an application. The Fall 2007 issue of Connections, the Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse newsletter, includes answers to important TE-related questions such as are all terrain vehicles (ATVs) allowed on TE-funded trails; are there rules to limit the speed of bicyclists; and how can one comply with ADA if circumstances are difficult. Connections is a free, quarterly email publication that contains updates on Transportation Enhancements (TE) from Capitol Hill; technical articles on TE project development; new TE-related resources; and examples of outstanding new TE projects.

Parks & Trails New York is a member of Earth Share of New York, an alliance of leading nonprofit environmental organizations. Please look for Parks & Trails New York and Earth Share in your workplace giving campaign brochure. For more information about giving through Earth Share, or to learn how you can help your office set up a workplace giving campaign with Earth Share of New York, check out Earth Share of New York´s web site, www.earthshareny.org. THANK YOU!!