DIRT Overview:
Combining interests in outdoor recreation, natural resource management, tourism, and workforce development, this interdisciplinary group engages state, nonprofit, and business partners in a highly participatory approach of research-meets-action. The group aims to generate understandings of the challenges and opportunities that community-based recreational trail organizations face in developing and improving trails and regional trail networks. Additionally, this working group aims to help such organizations increase their own capacities through collaboration, partnership-building, and knowledge-sharing, in part by facilitating programming and evaluation pertaining to topics of identified need such as grant writing and volunteer management. Stakeholders in Central New Hampshire’s “Foothills Region” (the recreational corridor between Franklin and Laconia) comprise a case study and opportunity for pilot programming, setting a foundation for future research and curricula development.
DIRT is supported by the UNH Collaborative Research Excellence (CoRE) Initiative.
Phase 1 - Planning and assessment (Summer-Fall 2023)
Meet with organization and business representatives to better understand trail development and stewardship needs and opportunities
Phase 2 - Education and outreach (Winter-Spring 2024)
Host educational, planning, and networking workshops and meetings to build capacity and leverage assets
Phase 3 - Research and evaluation (Spring-Summer 2024)
Reflect upon which strategies in Phase 2 are most effective toward reaching overall goals; identify where there is most opportunity for expanding resources and engagement both in this region and beyond
Collaborators
UNH Group Members:
- Jada Lindblom, Ph.D., Associate Extension Field Specialist, Community & Economic Development; Affiliate Associate Professor, Recreation Management & Policy
- Jayson Seaman, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair, Recreation Management & Policy
- Michael Ferguson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Recreation Management & Policy
- Markus Schuckert, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Hospitality Management
- Rob Robertson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Natural Resources & the Environment
- Shannon Rogers, Ph.D., Associate Extension Professor, Community & Economic Development
- Michael Polizzotti, Associate Extension Field Specialist, Community & Economic Development
- Emma Tutein, Associate Extension Field Specialist, Natural Resources & Land Conservation
External Partners:
- Foothills Foundation
- New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) Central NH Chapter
- Highland Mountain Bike Park
- NH Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development
- NH State Parks/Bureau of Community Recreation
- …plus additional trail/recreation organizations and supporting businesses
For more information, please contact:
Jada Lindblom, Ph.D.
Field Specialist, Community & Economic Development, Belknap County
Associate Extension Professor, Recreation Management and Policy
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
64 Court Street, Laconia, NH 03246
Office: (603) 527-5475
Email: jada.lindblom@unh.edu