Collaboration Powers New Glarus Trail Expansion

New trails are coming to New Glarus Woods State Park! Trail steward Ben Neff and volunteer Karl Wigdal spent three months this summer training with Mike Riter of Trail Design Solutions at Wild Oaks Preserve, learning the art and science of sustainable trail construction. Day after day, they learned to operate trail-building equipment, turn trail flags into flowing singletrack, and build trails that will stand the test of time. Now, they’re bringing those skills home to help create new, sustainable trails at New Glarus Woods.

At New Glarus Woods State Park, that knowledge and experience are now being put to work! The three-mile expansion will use the same model, with CORP Trails volunteers working alongside a professional to refine their skills. The goal is not simply to build more trail this season, but to develop the capacity to maintain and expand trails for years to come.  This has been made possible through a collaboration between CORP Trails, Driftless Area Land Conservancy, Badgerland Foundation, and Friends of New Glarus Woods. Together, they partnered to purchase a mini skid-steer and attachments to build and maintain miles of new trails.

Most importantly, the partnership is investing in people.

By combining resources and allowing volunteers to train alongside an experienced professional, the partners are developing a pool of skilled volunteers who can use the equipment effectively. That shared knowledge will benefit not only Wild Oaks and New Glarus Woods, but future trail projects as well.

This model is built on collaboration: nonprofits sharing resources, professionals sharing expertise, and volunteers gaining the skills needed to keep making trails happen.