Building Strong Relationships With Land Managers for Trail Projects

It’s easy to think trail work is all about dirt, tools, and sweat equity. But here’s the truth: your next trail project may hinge less on how many volunteers show up and more on how strong your relationships are with local, state/provincial, or federal land managers.

Whether you’re trying to legalize an existing network or propose a brand-new system, trust is the currency that opens doors. And in an era of limited staff and increasing scrutiny, agencies need partners they can count on. Not just once, but again and again.

So how do you build that kind of relationship?

Let’s dig in.