2006 National Trails Awards<strong>America</strong>n Trails recognizes volunteers, pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, <strong>and</strong> <strong>trails</strong> community leaders<strong>The</strong> National Trails Awards are presented by<strong>America</strong>n Trails for outst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g efforts to createa national system <strong>of</strong> <strong>trails</strong> for all <strong>America</strong>ns.<strong>The</strong>awards were presented on October 21, 2006, at the18th National Trails Symposium <strong>in</strong> the Quad Cities <strong>of</strong>Iowa <strong>and</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois.✯ LIFETIME SERVICEAWARD: Bill BlissFor 40 years, Bill commuted towork from his home <strong>in</strong> San Joseto Lockheed <strong>in</strong> Sunnyvale. Hecrusaded for safer <strong>trails</strong>, bicycl<strong>in</strong>g,<strong>and</strong> bicycl<strong>in</strong>g facilitiesuntil he was tragically killedwhile rid<strong>in</strong>g his bicycle acrossthe country. Bill said, “It is nothow fast you ride, all that mattersis that you are mov<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> theright direction.” This was Bill’sapproach to bik<strong>in</strong>g, advocacy,<strong>and</strong> life.Bill Bliss✯ HULET HORNBECKAWARD: Tom Ross<strong>The</strong> first Hulet Hornbeck Awardwas presented to Tom Ross,who led the National TrailsSystem <strong>in</strong> the National ParkService’s Wash<strong>in</strong>gton Offices<strong>in</strong>ce 1988. As a believer <strong>in</strong>community-based conservation,Tom encouraged <strong>and</strong> helpedsusta<strong>in</strong> long-term partnershipswith national <strong>trails</strong> <strong>org</strong>anizations.His guidance, commonsense, broad-rang<strong>in</strong>g vision, <strong>and</strong>Tom Rosscharm have graced the national<strong>trails</strong> community for 16 years.✯ TRAILS FOR HEALTH AWARD:Arkansas River Trail Medical Mile ProjectMemorial Hospital Foundation - River Bluff Trail<strong>The</strong> Arkansas River Trail Medical Mile is a multi-year collaborationproject between the City <strong>of</strong> Little Rock <strong>and</strong> HeartCl<strong>in</strong>ic Arkansas, the state’s largest cardiology cl<strong>in</strong>ic. To raiseawareness <strong>of</strong> public health issues <strong>and</strong> the benefits <strong>of</strong> trail10 NEW YEARS 2007 <strong>America</strong>n Trailsuse, the collaboration was developed to raise $350,000 forthe construction <strong>of</strong> a “Medical Mile” on the Arkansas RiverTrail. To learn more about this project, see pages 30-32.<strong>The</strong> Memorial Hospital Foundation <strong>in</strong> Logansport,Indiana, formed a team to build the River Bluff Trail for thecommunity, to stress exercise as a path to a healthy life style<strong>and</strong> longevity, <strong>and</strong> to <strong>in</strong>sure the protection <strong>of</strong> communityenvironments by develop<strong>in</strong>g a walk<strong>in</strong>g trail.✯ PARTNERSHIP AWARD: <strong>America</strong>n DiscoveryTrail, Quad Cities Section<strong>The</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> a segment <strong>of</strong> the <strong>America</strong>n DiscoveryTrail, completed <strong>in</strong> 2005, required fund<strong>in</strong>g, support <strong>and</strong> partnershipfrom many entities. <strong>The</strong> trail section connects theGreat River Trail/Gr<strong>and</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois Trail/Mississippi River Trail<strong>in</strong> Rock Isl<strong>and</strong> over the Government Bridge on ArsenalIsl<strong>and</strong> to the Mississippi River Trail <strong>in</strong> Davenport, Iowa.✯ TRAILS PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD:Steve AndersonSteve Anderson <strong>of</strong> Tucson, Arizona, is Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal Planner <strong>of</strong>Pima County Natural Resources Parks & RecreationDepartment. A <strong>trails</strong> advocate for more than twenty years, hehas been <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> successful <strong>trails</strong> <strong>and</strong> open space conservationprojects at the local, state <strong>and</strong> national levels.✯ OUTSTANDING MEDIA AWARD:Des Mo<strong>in</strong>es Register, Iowa<strong>The</strong> Des Mo<strong>in</strong>es Register newspaper has consistently <strong>and</strong> formany years been a public source <strong>of</strong> reliable <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>and</strong>strong advocate for trail development on a local, state <strong>and</strong>federal level. <strong>The</strong>ir coverage has addressed trail issues fromnumerous perspectives such as personal stories, l<strong>and</strong> condemnationissues, fund<strong>in</strong>g (state & federal), ma<strong>in</strong>tenancecosts, location, public participation, volunteers, design, editorials,<strong>and</strong> public reactions.✯ TRAILS AND THE ARTS AWARD:Back to the River, Inc., Iowa<strong>The</strong> Lewis <strong>and</strong> Clark Interpretive Trail tells stories <strong>of</strong> theLewis <strong>and</strong> Clark Expedition through monumental public art<strong>and</strong> outdoor exhibits <strong>in</strong> 15 parks <strong>and</strong> public spaces along 40miles <strong>of</strong> the Missouri River. <strong>The</strong> trail exposes people to thehistory <strong>of</strong> Lewis <strong>and</strong> Clark’s Expedition <strong>in</strong> a fun, orig<strong>in</strong>alway while encourag<strong>in</strong>g use <strong>of</strong> the Nebraska <strong>and</strong> IowaRiverfront Trails <strong>and</strong> riverfront parks.
National Trails Awards for 2006 cont<strong>in</strong>ued✯ PLANNING/DESIGN AWARD:Fantasy Isl<strong>and</strong> Task Force,ArizonaPrairie Pathways Interpretive Project, Iowa<strong>The</strong> Fantasy Isl<strong>and</strong> Task Force brought together the <strong>trails</strong>community <strong>and</strong> conservation groups. <strong>The</strong>ir Master Plan ultimatelywon over the State L<strong>and</strong> Department, demonstrat<strong>in</strong>ghow creative master plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scape design, supportedby community advocacy, can generate a success.Prairie Pathways created a systematic approach to trail<strong>in</strong>terpretation, wayf<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> other enhancements. Trac<strong>in</strong>gthrough the communities <strong>of</strong> Iowa’s Cedar Valley is an 80-mile network <strong>of</strong> recreational <strong>trails</strong> that me<strong>and</strong>er through historicl<strong>and</strong>scapes <strong>and</strong> pass by historic resources, provid<strong>in</strong>gopportunities to <strong>in</strong>terpret the region’s cultural heritage.✯ CORPORATE AWARD: Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal Riverwalk<strong>The</strong> Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal Riverwalk made a great contribution to Iowaby highlight<strong>in</strong>g the revitalization <strong>of</strong> downtown Des Mo<strong>in</strong>es.This project l<strong>in</strong>ks the areas east <strong>and</strong> west <strong>of</strong> the Des Mo<strong>in</strong>esRiver at the heart <strong>of</strong> downtown with walk<strong>in</strong>g paths along theriver banks as well as bridges to connect them.Georeference marker applied to trail bench✯ STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY AWARD:Cedar Valley Trails 911 - Signs Project, Iowa<strong>The</strong> project designed a comprehensive method to georeferencetrail locations on the 95 miles <strong>of</strong> paved trail <strong>in</strong> BlackHawk County, Iowa. As trail use <strong>and</strong> the trail systemexp<strong>and</strong>ed <strong>in</strong>to secluded areas, an improved means <strong>of</strong> communicat<strong>in</strong>gtrail location was needed.
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