Happy July!
The Office of Greenways and Trails is excited to be launching a brand-new funding source this summer for trail maintenance and operation. TRAIL-GO provides grants to local governmental entities for the operation and maintenance of trails located within the Florida Greenways and Trails System (FGTS). Links to the FGTS Land Trails and Paddling Trails are provided below. Local governments may request up to $200,000 in funding per grant application and may submit more than one application during the submission period. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the purchase of equipment such as mowers and blowers, maintenance of wayfinding signage or informational kiosks, trail surface repair, and installation of bike racks, picnic tables and water fountains along trails. Visit the TRAIL-GO webpage for more information. The application cycle will open on August 1st.
OGT will be hosting four informational webinars to share more about TRAIL-GO and answer questions. All webinars will cover the same information. Click here to register.
Join us on July 10th for the newest installment of the Outdoor Florida webinar series. This month, we are featuring Christine Small, Friends Group and Volunteer Program Manager for the Florida Park Service. Christine will be sharing all kinds of information about how to get involved with Florida’s 175 state parks and what to expect as a volunteer. Please sign-up in advance and tune in at 10:00 a.m. EDT for the live stream presentation.
Do you live in the West Orange community? Bike/Walk Central Florida is gathering feedback about how community members are using the local trail system, specifically the West Orange Trail, Horizon West Trail Network, and Clarcona-Ocoee Connector. They are also looking for input regarding trail safety. Click here to share your thoughts via their online survey.
Resources
For more information on requesting a speaker, visit the Contact Us webpage.
The Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail (C2C) was conceived as an ambitious effort to create a continuous paved multi-use trail across the state of Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, the first state trail of its kind in the United States. It will span approximately 250 miles and is currently 88 percent complete. The trail will link communities between St. Petersburg and Titusville along its entire length, allowing residents and visitors to explore Central Florida by bicycle or foot. The trail is linking all or part of several existing multi-use trails and will be managed by a broad range of communities and agencies. The Coast-to-Coast Trail Alliance is coordinated by OGT. For more information, visit OGT's C2C Alliance webpage.
The Coast-to-Coast Story Map Guide is the culmination of efforts to create a practical, adaptable, accessible mode for communicating information about the trail including wayfinding, alternate routes for large gaps, amenities and local information.
The initial scouting and mapping of the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail (CT) was completed in 2007, but periodic updates are needed for a trail of this length and magnitude. For our latest map upgrade, we changed the appearance and scope of the 26 segment maps to make them clearer and more informative. For more information, visit OGT's CT segments webpage. We have also created a CT Story Map and a Suwannee River Wilderness State Trail Story Map.
For more information, visit the Outdoor Florida Webinar Series webpage.
With our sunny skies and active lifestyles, Florida’s residents and visitors enjoy exploring our numerous miles of trails. Trail safety is important, particularly where trails and roadways cross. We all need to do our part to protect one another and prevent accidents. Whether as a motorist or trail user, we have a shared responsibility to:
The Florida Department of Transportation and the DEP's Division of Recreation and Parks joined together to put the spotlight on this important topic by developing a Trail Safety Video.
Feel free to share or download the video along with the extra information found below ... and remember to Always Put Safety First.
| More Trail Safety Information |
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| Trail Safety Poster |
| Trail Safety at Crossings |
For even more information on trail safety, please visit our Assistance and Resources webpage.
Do you enjoy hiking, biking, paddling or horseback riding? OGT, within the Division of Recreation and Parks, provides statewide leadership and coordination to establish, expand and promote non-motorized trails that make up the Florida Greenways and Trails System, pursuant to the Florida Greenways and Trails Act (Chapter 260, Florida Statutes). More can be found in the OGT office overview and historical timeline.
"Florida's Growing Trail System" article in the March/April 2019 issue of Quality Cities Magazine provides an overview of Florida's trail system and Trail Town program.
To be included in OGT's online calendar, send regional and state event announcements to Doug Alderson.
Featured Publications:
Florida trails 500-plus miles in length:
Florida Bike Touring and State Trail Public Camping Options
Florida Bike Touring and State Trail Public Camping OptionsInterested in subscribing to DEP newsletters or receiving DEP updates through email?
Sign UpThe Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship – protecting our air, water and land. The vision of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystems.
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