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Welcome to Georgia Trails and Greenways!
Our office coordinates Georgia’s Recreational Trails Program (referred
to frequently as “RTP”), which provides funding for trail
construction, trail maintenance and trail education.
Although we are housed within the state Division of Parks, Recreation
and Historic Sites, the Recreational Trails Program awards grants to city
governments, county governments, federal agencies, authorized commissions,
as well as state agencies.
Click on a topic below for more information.
Recreational Trails Program Overview
Advisory Committee
Grant Application
Trail Education
Links
Pogo Info
Contact Us
Recreational Trails Program Overview
The RTP is a grant program. The United States Congress appropriates funding
for the Program, and the Federal Highway Administration manages the Program,
but it is administered at the state level. In Georgia, administration
is handled by staff of the Department of Natural Resources, Division of
Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites.
The purpose of the RTP is to provide and maintain recreational trails
and trail-related facilities identified in, or that further a specific
goal of, the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
Grants are generally awarded on an annual basis after the following process
is complete: applicants submit their applications, Program staff rank
the applications, the Trails and Greenways Advisory Committee reviews
them, the Director of the Division of Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites
reviews them, and the Federal Highway Administration approves them.
You can see how Georgia’s funding level compares to that of other
states by going to www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/recfunds.htm.
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Advisory Committee
A committee of individuals interested in Georgia trails advises Program
staff on policy issues and potential grant awards. The committee meets
at least once a year. Meetings are open to the public, and reports of
the minutes are available from Program staff. The current members of the
committee are listed below. You can contact them by way of the Program
staff, whose contact information is here.
HIKERS
Denny Rhodes - Georgia Appalachian Trail Club
Second position vacant
BICYCLISTS
Dan Thornton - National Bicycle Dealers Association
Keith Owen - Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association
OFF-ROAD VEHICLE USERS
Dave Logan - Southern Four Wheel Drive Assocation
Bruce Dreher - Georgia Recreational Trail Riders Association
EQUESTRIANS
Michael P. Medlock - Georgia Horse Council
Larry Wheat - Back Country Horsemen of North Georgia
WATER TRAIL USERS
Position vacant
GREENWAYS USERS
Diane Ayres - Chattahoochee Trail Horse Association
Greta DeMayo - Fulton County
Carlton E. Harris - Lumpkin County
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Grant Application
Division Director Becky Kelley has announced the release of the application for the 2009 grant cycle. You can download her announcement as well as the grant manual and application by clicking here. The application is due (postmarked) November 30, 2009. Our office will be closed November 26 (Thanksgiving Day) and November 27.
Trail Education
The RTP legislation permits Georgia to use five percent of its RTP funds
for educational efforts. The Program currently funds the position of Trails
Education Specialist at Gainesville College. Please contact Mr. Walter
Bready at 404-423-7257 for more details about the courses offered. The
schedule for upcoming classes is as follows:
Winter 2010:
- Design and layout: January 16 and 23, and February 13, 2010
- Construction: January 17, and February 6 and 14, 2010
- Maintenance: January 30, and February 6 and 27, 2010
- Crew Leader Training: January 31, and February 20 and 28, 2010
The Program has also funded trail signs, maps and other efforts. Click
here for a discussion of current issues relating
to the use of these education funds.
If you have an idea for statewide efforts to educate interested persons
about trail design, construction, or maintenance, please call Program
staff at 404-656-3830. Recipients of funding for educational projects
must be governmental entities: city governments, county governments, federal
agencies, authorized commissions, or state agencies.
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Links
www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/
~~ The Federal Highway Administration’s website for the Recreational
Trails Program. This site includes information on how the Program is financed
and whom to contact at the federal level and in other states.
rules.sos.state.ga.us/docs/391/5/13/03.pdf
~~ These are the state regulations governing the grant program, posted
on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website.
gastateparks.org/net/content/go.aspx?s=132975.0.1.5
~~ This is the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, as posted
by the state Division of Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites.
www.pogopossum.com/
~~ This is the official website of ambassador Pogo.
Pogo Info
Walt Kelly’s famous cartoon possum has served (with permission)
as the ambassador for Georgia Trails and Greenways since 1993. For more
information about Pogo and his creator, go to www.pogopossum.com/.
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Contact Us:
To contact RTP staff:
Telephone: 404-656-3830
E-mail: bryan_alexander@dnr.state.ga.us
Fax: 404-651-5871
Mail: Trails & Greenways, Division of State Parks, 2 MLK
Jr. Dr. SE, Suite 1352, Atlanta, GA 30334
To contact the State Division of
Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites:
1-800-864-7275 ~~ Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Headquarters:
Telephone: 404-656-2770 (Mon– Fri, 8 a.m. – 4:30
p.m.)
Fax: 404-651-5871
E-mail: Go to www.gastateparks.org
and click on “Contact Us” at bottom of web page.
Mail: Division of State Parks & Historic Sites
2 MLK Jr. Dr. SE, Suite 1352
Atlanta, GA 30334
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