Caledonia State Park has identified a need for synthetic research on Adopt-a-Trail programs. These programs match individual trails with volunteers and/or volunteer organizations for assistance with trail maintenance and limited improvements. To assist Caledonia, as well as other State and Municipal parks and the Michaux State Forest, the partnership is seeking research on success stories, best practices, and useful resources in the development and nurturing of adopt-a-trail programs both regionally and nationally. The specific research components would likely include:
• A survey of similar programs both in and outside of Pennsylvania. The survey should focus on regions and states with similar environmental, land management, and land use parameters.
• An enumeration of Adopt-a-trail program successes and challenges in the survey area.
• The development of best management practices (BMP’s) recommendations for the South Mountain Landscape.
Proposed projects should address these priorities, and multidisciplinary and inter-university partnerships are encouraged.
This project is eligible for grants through South Mountain Partnership or other sources.
Problem-Statement-Adopt-a-Trail.pdf