Ever wanted to learn how to build trails? There’s a class for that.
According to a release, the Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation is hosting a two-day “Trail Building Seminar” on September 9 and 10.
The free training will be held at Hellwig Memorial Park at 14420 Bristow Road from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on both days. There will be one day of training in a classroom-setting and another out in the field, according to a release.
“We will cover the basics of sustainable trail design, construction, and maintenance. The classroom and in-the-field trail components of the seminar are designed to give attendees hands-on experience with the latest techniques for trail design and construction,” stated Parks and Recreation Trails Manager Ryan Delaney in a release.
The effort is being done to recruit and train more volunteers to assist with maintaining county trails.
Registration is required to attend the course. Click here to register.
More on the trails class, from a release:
Delaney said experienced and inexperienced trail workers will be equally comfortable in the free classes.
“The training is geared toward trail enthusiasts and the general public, and will be a great introduction for new trail workers and a comprehensive refresher for experienced volunteers.”
People who attend the classes on trail construction and maintenance will learn to manage a crew of volunteers, use hand tools to dig and create new trails from scratch and improve existing trails at the same time they become part of a community and get some exercise, Delaney said. “Hopefully they’ll have a lot of fun outside and make new friends.”
The class is open to all ages, Delaney said. “We can use people ages 10 and up for the heavy work, but we have younger kids helping with pruning back brush, and trail and stream cleanups.”
Volunteers are essential to keeping the county’s trails cleared for the public. “Our volunteers contribute directly to the construction and maintenance of our trail system; They actively work to make Prince William County a better place to live, work, and play.”
With new trail projects coming to the Occoquan Greenway and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, or PHNST, now is a good time to learn about trail creation and maintenance, Delaney said. “We’re hosting a volunteer event on Sept. 30 for National Public Lands Day on the PHNST near Powell’s Creek. The Wildlife Refuge segments will be built in early 2018, and the Neabsco Boardwalk construction crew should be onsite early next month to begin that section.”
