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UTAP Certified Coordinator Training selections have been made! The following individuals have been selected to participate in the UTAP training to be held on June 16 & 17 at Gilbert Lakes State Park in Laurens, NY:
About the Program: Beneficial Designs, Inc. developed the Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP) in the mid 1990s with funding from the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation at the National Institutes of Health. The goal was to create a system to assess trails for visitors of all abilities. UTAP is widely accepted as an objective and thorough methodology. UTAP is a land management tool rather than simply an accessibility tool. In this expanded role, the program provides a consistent way of looking at trails and gives land managers a common language by which they can communicate with the public and each other. The process reinforces the concepts of good trail design and has proven to be objective, accurate and reliable. UTAP clearly describes conditions on a trail by assessing criteria such as land surface, trail width, grade, cross slope, obstacles, and accessibility of parking, restrooms, picnic areas and signage. The Federal Highway Administration, the NYS Department of Health, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation all endorse UTAP. There are currently fewer than a dozen UTAP certified coordinators in New York State, all of whom work for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and assess only state-managed lands. Thousands of acres of local and regional parks and hundreds of miles of recreational trails are not being assessed by any other comprehensive effort. Our Goal: It is the goal of Parks & Trails New York to increase the accessibility of New York's outdoor trails for people with physical limitations that affect the quality of their recreational experience. We are providing this training in order to build a group of persons who know how to assess trail accessibility and will do so for at least 3 miles of trail (selected by our organization) within a year of completing the training. The resulting information will be added to the Trail Finder Maps, located on this website. Our
Trainers: Carole Fraser - As Universal Access Program Coordinator for New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Ms. Fraser has worked since 2001 to improve accessibility to NYSDEC programs. Prior to her current assignment, she worked in DEC's office of Legislative Affairs and as the Assistant Editor of the Conservationist, NYSDEC's award winning magazine. The Schedule and Commitment: The UTAP training workshop will be held on June 16 and 17 at Gilbert Lake State Park, Laurens, NY (approximately 20 minutes from Oneonta, NY). Friday's session will begin at 11:00 am. A lunch and dinner break will be included, and the session will end no later than 8:00 pm. Saturday's session will begin at 8:00 am and will include breakfast and lunch and will end no later than 5:00 pm. Up to 14 persons will be selected, including at least one from each of the 11 regions of the state, as defined on our Trail Finder Maps. The workshop will be presented by two UTAP certified trainers. It will consist of both classroom instruction and outdoor trail sessions. Generally, easier trails, with some variation of conditions, will be used for training on Friday. More challenging trails and a greater variety of trail conditions will be introduced on Saturday. At the end of the second day, a certification exam will be given. Participants who score 70% or higher can become certified by UTAP and American Trails, a national nonprofit trails organization. After successful completion of the UTAP workshop, and in return for this free training, each participant will work with Parks & Trails New York staff to select at least 3 miles of trails, in their home region, to assess during the next year. These trails will be chosen from among the 90 displayed in the Trail Finder Maps on this site. Parks & Trails New York will also help each participant organize others to assist with these trail assessments. The accessibility information will then be added to the Trail Finder maps. Costs: The UTAP training will be provided free of charge. In return, each selected participant will be required to evaluate a minimum of 3 miles of trail within twelve months. As part of this training, the following will be provided:
Note: Parks &Trails New York may be able to offer scholarship reimbursement money to cover travel expenses for those with financial need. (See specific needs on the application form.) If you are attending this workshop as a job function and can be reimbursed for lodging, please indicate on the application. This will provide funding for others who may not otherwise be able to attend.
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