11:00 a.m.  –  noon Opening Plenary Session

Keynote – Carmella R. Mantello, Director, New York State Canal Corporation

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2007

8:40 – 9:35 a.m. Plenary

Keynote:  Craig Della Penna, Executive Director, Northeast Greenway Solutions
Trails and Greenways:  Inspiring people to do things beyond their wildest dreams

9:45-11:00 a.m. Session One

Forging a Network of Trails
Creating a Statewide Networks of Trails: How can it be done?

Moderator:  Irene Szabo, North Country National Scenic Trail

Statewide Trails Plan – Robert Reinhardt, Director of Planning, NYS OPRHP

Regional Trails Plan – Robert Torzynski, Program Manager - Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning, Genesee Transportation Council

Local Trails Plan –Julia Stokes, Chairperson, Board of Directors, Saratoga PLAN

Design, Construction, and Operation: Finding new corridors for trails

Moderator:  Jessica DesLauriers, Trails Coordinator, Hudson River Valley Greenway

Developing trails through natural areas – Amanda Stein, Natural Resource Stewardship Coordinator, Environmental Management Bureau, NYS OPRHP

Taking the trail on-road – Steve Beauvais, Transportation Enhancements Coordinator, NYSDOT Region 4

Using Road Rights of Way as trail corridors– Hal Tarry, NYSDOT Region 11

Ensuring the Future
Innovative Approaches that Reap Multiple Community Benefits

Moderator: Linda King, Land Use Training Specialist, NYS Department of State

Meeting the needs and desires of the bicycle tourist – Robin Dropkin, Executive Director, Parks & Trails New York

Making Rivers and Streams the focus – Mike Prescott, Northern Forest Canoe Trail

A new future for horses and villages – Terry Martin, Cattaraugus County Trail Advocate

11:15 a.m. -12:30  p.m. Session two

Forging a Network of Trails
Finding the Money

Moderator:  Elaine Troy – Healthy Heart Program, NYS Department of Health
Panel members:

OPRHP grants - Kevin Burns, Grants Officer, NYS OPRHP

Federal transportation funding - Steve Beauvais, Transportation Enhancements Program Coordinator, NYSDOT Region 4

Professional grant writers - Nikki Nielson, Director of Operations, Shingebiss Associates, Vincent Esposito, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Assemblyman Joseph Morelle

Private sources - Glenn Hoagland, Executive Director, Mohonk Preserve

Design, Construction, and Operation: Getting Started:  Lessons Learned

Moderator:  Justin Booth, Be Active New York State

Chittenango Creek Walk and Neighborhood Trail System – Donna Lynch, Co-Chairperson, Chittenango Creek Walk Committee

Hoosic River Greenway – Margaret Casey, Hoosick River Planning Group

Chenango River Greenway – Tom Holmes, Chairperson, Chenango Greenway Conservancy

Ensuring the Future:
Quantifying the benefits of trails with quality data

Moderator:  Robert Torzynski, Program Manager - Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning, Genesee Transportation Council

Quantifying the Economic Impact of Trails and Greenways - Carl Knoch, Manager of Trail Development, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Northeast Region

Health Impact: Mamakating and Harlem Valley Walks – Brian Fisher, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Prevention Research Center, SUNY Albany School of Public Health

Defining Use: Trail counts and other surveys – John Dimura, Trails Director, NYS Canal Corporation

1:45-3:00 p.m. Session three

Forging a Network of Trails
Securing a Corridor:  Understanding the process and the players

Moderator:  Robert Reinhardt, Director of Planning, NYS OPRHP

Private landowners – Irene Szabo, North Country National Scenic Trail, Finger Lakes Trail Conference

Utilities– Dave Hatch, National Grid

Railroads –Jack Madden, P.E., Civil Engineer, Rail Program Delivery Bureau, NYS DOT

Design, construction, and Operation:
Planning and Designing Creative and Inspiring Trails

Moderator: J. Scott Lewendon, Landscape Architect, Clough Harbor and Associates

Creating a sense of place for your trail – Dave Lutz, Executive Director, Neighborhood Open Space Coalition

Engaging the design and arts community:  Using a trail for place-based art and design - Rick Manning, Landscape Architect

Telling a corridor’s story with attractive yet informative interpretive signs – Greg Smith, Bureau of Historic Sites, NYS OPRHP

Ensuring the Future:
Staying viable long-term

Moderator: Jack Kerson, President, Genesee Region Trails Coalition

Building sustainable and meaningful partnerships – Dick Hermans, President, Harlem Valley Rail

Motivating and retaining volunteers – Lisa Spittal, Ontario Pathways

Understanding and prospering through organizational life cycle changes – Judith Mower, J.C. Mower Consultants, Inc.