Big South Fork Hosts Conservation Planning Information Session on May 20

Date: April 23, 2014
Contact: Dave Carney, 423-569-9778

The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will be hosting a Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program information session on Tuesday, May 20, at the Bandy Creek Interpretation and Education Building starting at 5:00 p.m.

The Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program is a part of the National Park Service that works directly with communities to help connect all Americans to their parks, trails, rivers, and other special places.  The national network of conservation and recreation planning professionals partners with community groups, nonprofits, tribes, and state and local governments to design trails and parks, conserve and improve access to rivers, protect special places, and create recreation opportunities.

When a community asks for assistance with a project, National Park Service staff provide free, on-location facilitation and planning expertise.  They can help guide a project from conception to completion.  The RTCA staff draw from project experiences across the country and adapt best practices to a community's specific needs.

The RTCA program can help a community:

• Define project vision and goals.
• Inventory and map community resources.
• Identify and analyze key issues and opportunities.
• Engage collaborative partners and stakeholders.
• Design community outreach and participation strategies.
• Develop concept plans for trails, parks, and natural areas.
• Set priorities and build consensus.
• Identify funding sources.
• Develop a sustainable organizational framework to support the project.

The purpose of the Tuesday, May 20, meeting is to introduce the RTCA program to the communities surrounding the Big South Fork and the Obed Wild and Scenic River and to discuss how the program may be helpful to ongoing tourism-related planning in the area.  The meeting is open to all interested persons.  For more information on the RTCA program, please go to https://www.nps.gov/orgs/rtca/index.htm or call park headquarters at [phone].