Don has been contacted by IMBA. The IMBA Trail Care Crew is set to come visit us the last weekend in March to conduct trail-building training. Awesome!!!
Your visit is scheduled for: March 27-30 The Crew will be: Kelly and
Collins Bishop
I will be your primary contact at IMBA to help organize this event.
The Crew travels to a new locale every weekend and will most likely not
be contacting you until the week of the visit. I’d like to start
working with you to plan the details.
It is up to you and your club/organization to make the most of this
visit. A Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew visit can do a lot more than train
volunteers in sustainable trailbuilding - think big picture about how to
leverage this event to make the most impact in your community.
With more than 70 visits a year, we rely on local volunteers to help
coordinate many of the details. This email includes an outline of how to
plan for a visit–it seems like a lot, but I will be available for
advice and assistance throughout the process.
I’ve cc’ed your IMBA Rep, so he/she may be contacting you as well.
At this stage in the planning process, it is important to focus on three
important tasks:
1.) Choosing a trail project
2.) Getting the land manager’s permission for the project
3.) Beginning to publicize the visit
CHOOSING A TRAIL PROJECT
Depending on your area, the type of project can vary. Different land
management agencies have unique rules about trail construction and
maintenance. It is important to start talking to them early in the
process to ensure that you jump through all of the hoops necessary to
gain approval. If trail work is not approved, the work day will have to
be cancelled. The project could be a new section of trail, a reroute or
a new technical trail feature. For this weekend, the trail project
location should be accessable by no more than a half mile hike so that
non-bikers (i.e. land managers, hikers, etc.) can access the work site.
Please do not plan on using mechanized trailbuilding equipment, as this
is beyond the Crew’s experience level and can endanger volunteers. Any
chainsaws, if necessary, should be used by certified operators. It’s
okay if you have a couple different projects in mind. Sometimes, it’s
best for the Crew to check out your trails with you the week of the
visit to help you decide which area is the highest priority.
GETTING PERMISSION
A Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew visit is a unique opportunity to
invigorate a local base of volunteers. If your land manager is at all
reluctant to give permission, explain the long-term benefits that come
from the workshop and try to illustrate how you and your volunteers can
help make their job easier.
PUBLICITY
We want to invite as many people as possible to the IMBA events, and we
rely on you to spread the word. Please contact the following people:
-Local land managers (city, county parks and rec.) -State land managers
(parks, natural resources) -Federal land managers (National Parks, U.S.
Forest Service, BLM, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) -Bike clubs, bike
shops, and bikers -Hikers -Equestrians -Trail runners
This is one of 70 events throughout the country. You need to talk up
the event and make people realize that it is exciting that IMBA is
coming to town. Bill it as more than just another trailwork day! More
people will come if they realize that this it is not every day that the
Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew comes to town.
HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE DO YOU SPREAD THE WORD?
An event is only as successful as its advertisement. When it comes to
publicizing the Trail Care Crew visit, sooner is better. Before the
Trail Care Crew comes to town, we expect the following:
Immediately (2 or 3 months before the event):
- Add the event to your calendar and website. Make sure to include the
description, date, time, and location of all public events. In addition
to providing the weekend details, drum up the food that will be
provided, the fun that will be had, and any additional offerings (free
swag, raffles, group rides, BBQ, social event, etc.)
At least one month prior:
- Display fliers at all local trail head kiosks - these are the most
important places to advertise as a trail head kiosk is the only place
you are guaranteed to reach all of the trail users and avoid a turnout
of only “the usual suspects.”
- Display fliers at all local bike shops - bike shops provide an
invaluable connection with the community and can really drive a turnout
up
- Send out a notice to the Club’s email lists.
- Put a notice on your local Club’s forum (also consider doing the same
on MTBR.com’s local boards, and other Club forums.)
- Start talking about the event and spreading the excitement through
word-of-mouth advertising.
Two weeks prior:
- Send out a reminder to the Club’s email lists.
- Bump forum postings.
3 Days prior:
- Send out a final reminder to the Club’s email lists.
- Bump forum postings.
You are welcome to create your own flyer for the weekend’s events or you
can this basic one: http://www.imba.com/tcc/press_kit/tcc_flyer.pdf
In addition, I will be inviting all IMBA contacts within 200 miles from
you a few weeks prior to the event. You can also get listings in your
local newspaper calendar sections or write a press release and send it
to local newspapers, radio and TV stations. Information for writing a
press release is available here: http://www.imba.com/
tcc/press_kit/
press_kit.html
REGISTRATION
Trailbuilding School participants will be asked to register for the
event through imba.com. This allows us to build our network of
advocates by maintaining a current list of contacts and adding new
volunteers. A few days before the weekend, I’ll send you a list of
registrants, which will help you plan accordingly.
After we get started on these first three steps of the process, I will
send you further information about scheduling the weekend’s agenda.
Naturally, feel free to call or e-mail with any questions.
I’ll give you a call soon to discuss this. Thanks again for your help. I
look forward to working with you.
– Spencer
Spencer Powlison
IMBA Field Programs Coordinator
PO Box 711
Boulder, CO 80306
ph: 303-545-9011 x101 fax: 303-545-9026
spencer@imba.com
Join us in 2008:
National Bike Summit - March 4-6 (Washington, DC)
IMBA World Summit - June 18-21 (Park City, UT)
Details at: http://www.imba.com
