VOBA Professional Trail Building Training–Water Management

Location: Outdoor Center at von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, Stowe

Description: Are you a current or prospective staff member of a Vermont organization, business, or municipality working on the maintenance or construction of natural surface trails?

This free 2-day training is designed for those entering or currently employed in trail jobs involving trail construction and/or maintenance in Vermont. The training will develop skills in reading the landscape to determine drainage patterns and how to accommodate them to create or maintain sustainable natural surface trails. In a mixture of classroom and field time, participants will learn and apply skills in identifying and assessing drainage patterns and learn best practices for how to plan and accomodate for adequate drainage using a variety of methods and structures.

The training curriculum is anchored in Professional Trail Builders Association’s (PTBA) skills competencies and the applicable multi-use Best Management Practices (BMPs) from Vermont Mountain Bike Association. Instruction will be provided by veteran professional trail builders from L&D Trailworks.

With increasing frequency and severity of climate-related hydrological events in Vermont, designing and maintaining trails with adequate drainge structures is key to the resiliency of our trail networks and communities. Professionalize and prepare to meet this challenge head on by learning the necessary skills through this free training.

PTBA Trail Skills and Competencies:

Construction:

• Demonstrate understanding of basic natural and stormwater induced drainage effects on trails

Maintenance:

• Demonstrate understanding of natural and stormwater induced drainage effects on trails
• Identify locations and the appropriate drainage feature with supervision

Sustainability:

• Demonstrate understanding of trail sustainability as it relates to physical durability, resource conservation, user expectations and experience, and ongoing management

The training is organized by the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance and funded by an Economic Development Administration - Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation grant through the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.

Other Details:

• Maximum class size is 10.

• Apply by 12pm on September 17, 2025.
• Confirmation of acceptance will be emailed September 19.
• Please do not register if you cannot commit to full participation of the two days.
• At the end of each day, there will be plenty of time to ride. Bring your bike!

Eligibility:

• Priority will be given to those currently employed and those seeking trail employment.
• Priority will be given to under-represented communities in the occupation (women, BIPOC, LGBTQ, New Americans, persons of all abilities, etc.)

If you have any questions, please email Brian or Kelly at [email protected] or [email protected].

Info: Meet at von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort in the Strauss Room for indoor classroom time. | Intros+housekeeping | Importance of Drainage and Water Management | Intro to Reading Drainage on Existing Trails | Break | Review guidance docs | Water Management

Info: Bring your own lunch.

Info: Reading Watersheds in the Field (Site 1), Assessing for Water Management (Site 2)

Info: Intro to Day 2 | Drainage Construction and Maintenance | What do you do if the drainage isn't fixing the problem? | What are we aiming for | Trail Sustainability 101

Info: Bring your own lunch.

Info: Trailhead Tool Safety | Field Assessment and Drainage Maintenance | Wrap Up

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Outdoor Center at von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, 800 Trapp Hill Road, Stowe, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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