Steps to Build a Blue Trail: Manage a Blue Trail

You may already rely on volunteers to facilitate group meetings, conduct surveys and interviews, and perform other tasks needed to develop and manage your Blue Trail. The use of volunteers can help increase public awareness and provide a good source of labor for the program. Many supporters will give their time freely to help their community. However, finding additional help is almost always needed.

A comprehensive maintenance plan will ensure your Blue Trail is a safe and desirable community asset. Safety is central to all maintenance operations. A maintenance plan should include scheduling and documenting inspections of launch and campsite conditions, proper and adequate signage, removal of debris in and around your Blue Trail, and coordination with other groups and governmental entities associated with trail maintenance.

Adopt-A-Blue Trail and similar programs are great ways for your community to help monitor and enhance your Blue Trail. Anyone with an interest in the outdoors can participate. School and youth groups, scout troops, church, community and service organizations, businesses, families, and individuals are all examples of volunteers who are helping maintain and preserve Blue Trails.

Blue Trails have the extraordinary potential to make rivers and communities healthier. You can’t have a successful Blue Trail without a healthy river. Through this guide, you have planned for and built your Blue Trail with conservation goals in mind but your work to protect your Blue Trail does not stop there.