Fall 2020 Workshops in Cumberland County
Pedestrian trails that provide access to wetlands and stream banks offer some of the most unique opportunities for people to observe and interact with nature in particularly exceptional ways. The unique and specialized environment of wetlands demands specialized trail planning, design, and management approaches to protect and sustain these increasingly rare environments. In September the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and Penn Trails will be conducting two workshops that will focus on planning, design and managing trails in wetlands. CEU credits are available.
To accommodate social distancing and other guidelines from the PA Department of Health, registration will be limited. Participants must bring and wear appropriate seasonal work clothes, rain gear and boots (no sneakers!), and bring a water bottle, work gloves and protective eye wear for construction. All other tools and materials will be provided. Questions? Please email cgrayshaw@conserveland.org.
For more details, and registration, see the accordion at the bottom of the page.
Wetlands protect and improve water quality, provide wildlife habitat, store floodwaters, and maintain surface water flow during dry periods. Wetlands also filter and clean water, which decreases the costs of drinking water treatment, and they reduce the frequency and intensity of floods. They support the life cycle of 75% of the fish and shellfish commercially harvested in the U.S., and up to 90% of the recreational fish catch. These beneficial services, considered valuable to societies worldwide, are the result of the inherent and unique natural characteristics of wetlands.
RELEASE FORM
Instructors
Larry Knutson | Larry Knutson is President and owner of Penn Trails LLC. Penn Trails specializes in the planning, design and construction of sustainable, natural surface hiking, equestrian and universal access trails and shared use pathways. Penn Trails is a member of the Professional Trail Builders Association. Larry is coauthor of the 2014 Universal Access Trails: Design, Management, Ethical, and Legal Considerations, published by PALTA and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. In addition to managing trail projects in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, Knutson also teaches a variety of trail classes and workshops for PA Land Trust, PA Recreational & Parks Society, PA Parks & Forests Foundation, Penn State, the US Forest Service, counties and municipalities. He served two 3 year terms on PA DCNR’s State Trails Advisory Board. Larry is the recipient of the American Hiking Society’s 2003 Volunteer of the Year award for his trail work in Pennsylvania, he is a former Appalachian Trail overseer and Pennsylvania DCNR Park Ranger.
Sarah Walter | Sarah Walter is a Professional Landscape Architect in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with a background in County-level planning and conservation. She joined Penn Trails in 2019 and manages projects from early conceptual planning through detail design. Penn Trails specializes in design projects for complex sites, and has designed and constructed hundred of miles of trail in the mid-Atlantic and beyond.
PennTrails, LLC
Over the past decade, Penn Trails has been involved in the assessment, planning, design and construction of hundreds of miles of recreational pedestrian trails in a number of states, from Pennsylvania to Oregon. The majority of the planning projects included interaction with wetlands and waterways. These workshops will provide information and insights to assist land trusts, conservancies, and other entities managing these sensitive areas to prepare and implement pedestrian trail planning, design, construction, and ongoing management to work around streams and wetlands. Experience has shown that most soil erosion problems originate with the improper layout or construction of trails, trailheads and gathering areas. The focus of the all-day workshop is to provide guidance (through both classroom and hands-on experience) to properly design and implement an effective trail plan in a wetland area.
South Central PA - Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
September 24 – 25, 2020 | Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
The 2020 Trail Workshop: Building Trails in Wetlands and Wet Areas, developed in partnership between the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and Penn Trails, LLC, will be hosted by the Kings Gap Environmental Education Center [Map it]. Day 1 classroom sessions will be held at the Kings Gap Environmental Education Center. For day 2, participants should plan on meeting at at the Kings Gap Environmental Education Center from 8:30-9:30, and driving to the Lower Irish Gap parking area off of Pinebrook Drive [Park Map]
To accommodate social distancing and other guidelines from the PA Department of Health, registration will be limited to 15 participants. Participants must bring and wear appropriate seasonal work clothes, rain gear and boots (no sneakers!), and bring a water bottle, work gloves and protective eye wear for construction. All other tools and materials will be provided.
Agenda
Day 1: Participants will learn and practice basic trail construction tasks related to wet trail sites.
- 8:30AM | Registration and coffee
- 9:00AM – Noon | Morning session (includes 15-minute break)
- Noon – 12:30PM | Lunch
- 12:30 – 4:30PM | Afternoon session (includes 15-minute break)
Day 2: Participants will gather at the Lower Irish Gap parking area and walk to project site. Skills learned on day 1 will be put into practice on day 2 as participants build a bog bridge and/or puncheon walk.
- 8:30AM | Gather at education center, then drive to project site
- 9:00AM – Noon | Morning build (includes 15-minute break)
- Noon – 12:30PM | Lunch
- 12:30PM – 4:30PM | Afternoon build (includes 15-minute break)
Credit: Larry Knutson, Penn Trails, LLC
Lodging
Hotels:
Fairfield Inn & Suites Carlisle
1528 Commerce Avenue, Carlisle PA 17015
(717) 243-2080 | Website
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Carlisle
1529 Commerce Avenue, Carlisle PA 17015
(717) 241-4900 | Website
Camping:
PALTA has reserved the RUSTIC group camping site at Kings Gap for September 23 & 24. This is a walk-in site, about 3 minutes from the parking area. If you are interested in taking advantage of this camping opportunity, please email cgrayshaw@conserveland.org.
