2025 Trail Care Academy
To improve the knowledge and skills of trail management stakeholders along the PHNST and broader Northern Virginia trail network, NVRC, with support from Fina Trails LLC, is hosting an education series consisting of webinar events as well as viewshed inventorying and two, half-day in-person training events centered around key maintenance topics, including maintenance funding, volunteer management, invasive plant removals, environmental sustainability, and viewshed management.
Each education event will feature local experts who will share best practices, case studies, and other information that participants can apply to their individual trail systems and the greater PHNST network. The series also aims to emphasize the importance of safety, environmental stewardship, and community engagement in trail maintenance efforts.
The program is made possible with funding from the National Park Foundation.
Event Schedule
Invasive Species Identification and Management
April 29, 2025 | 1 - 2:30 pm Register HERE
The second webinar in the Trail Care Academy education series will provide an overview of the invasive species, plant and insect, that affect trails in Northern Virginia and share information on effective identification and management.
The webinar will be presented by local invasives expert Rob Lamar, PhD, former Natural Resource Management Specialist for the National Park Service. Currently retired, Rob serves as the Natural Resource Advisor and Invasive Plant Management Team leader for the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.
Half-Day Maintenance Workshops
Workshop #1
June 1, 2025 | 8:30 am - 12:30 pm | Registration opens soon!
Location: Lansdowne Area of Loudoun County
*Exact location details will be provided following registration
Fina Trails will host an in-person, half-day workshop to guide participants on tools and techniques for key maintenance topics, including:
-
Trail safety
-
Vegetation management
-
Tread drainage and water dynamics
-
Blazing
-
Blowdown reporting
Further details, including materials to bring and a final workshop agenda, will be provided following registration and closer to the workshop date.
Workshop #2: July 2025
Additional information to come!
More Events Coming Soon!
Maintenance Funding 101: July 2025
Viewshed Training and Inventorying: September 2025
For any questions regarding the education series or events, please contact Rebecca Murphy at rmurphy@novaregion.org
Previous Events
Trail Management 101
April 1, 2025 | 1 - 2:30 pm
NVRC’s first webinar in the Trail Care Academy education series provided an overview of what trail managers need to know about managing natural surface trails, including trail sustainability and management tasks such as way finding/maps, litter management, graffiti, vegetation management, blow downs, hazard trees, structures, tread maintenance, parking, access, restrooms, and emergency response plans. Workforce options, safety, and management were also discussed. The webinar was presented by local professional trail builder Robert Fina, of Fina Trails LLC, drawing on his twenty five years of experience in trail maintenance, trail construction, and managing trail volunteers.
Presentation Slides