Research

Administrative History

The Statewide Trails Plan provides the overall vision, goals, and objectives for the creation of a statewide trails system. The plan sets out to: provide statewide policy direction for trail planning, development, and management; develop a framework for the statewide trails system; identify trail related issues and provide strategies to address them; provide standards and guidelines and resources for development of sustainable trails statewide; recommend the creation of a Statewide Trails Clearinghouse; and define roles and responsibilities for implementation.

The Statewide Trails Plan is a requirement of Article 3.09, Section 7a of the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law and is updated periodically. The plan also is a requirement for continued funding under the Federal Recreational Trails Program. The plan is developed and updated using extensive public input, as well as through participation with the New York State Trails Council. There have only been two plans developed to date: the first in 1994 and the most recent in 2010.