On September 4-5, 2014, FMST convened its first-ever Trail Towns Conference. We had a dynamic group of speakers who shared information about how a community can benefit from its relationship with a long-distance trail like the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Representatives from 22 North Carolina counties attended, including tourism & economic development professionals, elected officials, and government staff. The conference facilitated networking, strategic planning, and ideas were generated for boosting the economic benefits of the trail and for improving the experience of people walking the trail. See below for some of the presentations that were shared at the conference. Thank you to the sponsors who made the conference possible: Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, First Citizens Bank and the Hillsborough Tourism Development Authority and Tourism Board.
View our Photo Album from the Inaugural Trail Town Conference 2014.
Overview of MST Progress
Trail Town Vision– Kate Dixon, Executive Director-Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
2014-2015 MST Master Plan– Carol Tingley, NC Division of Parks & Recreation
Video Summary of these two presentations-video by Randy Johnson
3 Great Trails-How Trails and Towns Work Together
Appalachian Trail Community Program– Julie Judkins, Appalachian Trail Conservancy Community Program Manager
Appalachian Trail Community-Franklin, NC- Bill Van Horn, AT Volunteer
How to Assist Local Communities in Becoming a Trail Community
Trail Community Program- 12-Step Process
2010 Hiker Survey and 2010 Hiker Survey Results
AT Community Action Items Prioritized
The Great Alleghany Passage & The Trail Town Program– William Prince, Program Manager-Progress Fund
Tour of MST in Hillsborough
Riverwalk Planning & Funding– Margaret Hauth, Planning Director-Town of Hillsborough, NC
MST Trail Towns at Work
The Haw River Trail in Alamance County– Brian Baker, Haw River Trail
Roseboro/Pondberry Plant Conservation Preserve- Roland Hall, Roseboro Town Commissioner and Bill Scott, FMST Task Force Leader/Board Member
Elkin Valley– Bill Blackley, Elkin Valley Trails Association and Leslie Schlender, Elkin Economic Development Director
State Government: How We Can Help
Grant Programs for Trail Acquisition and Development– Brian Strong, NC Division of Parks & Recreation
Supporting Recreational Infrastructure– Libby Smith, NC Department of Commerce
Visit NC– Mark Shore, Marketing Manager, NC Division of Tourism
NC Department of Transportation & the MST– Lauren Blackburn, Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation, NCDOT
