The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT), a federation of national and regional trail-related organizations, is pleased to announce its 2015 Annual Achievement Awards to recognize outstanding trail projects funded by the national Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

The awards will be presented in Washington, D.C. during Great Outdoors Month(tm) in June 2015 as part of CRT’s ongoing effort to build awareness and appreciation of this highly successful program which has greatly enhanced the quantity and quality of trail experiences available to the public. CRT will be holding the awards ceremony on Capitol Hill and will encourage Members of Congress to join them in honoring the outstanding achievements of their constituents.

Award winners will be selected from projects nominated by public agencies, trail administrators or other project sponsors. Projects must be completed in order to receive an award. In addition, projects completed before 2007 are ineligible.

Project award categories will include: construction and design; maintenance and rehabilitation; public-private partnerships and access to public lands; community linkage; education and communication; accessibility enhancement; multiple-use management and “corridor sharing;” and use of youth conservation/service corps and community outreach.

Now is your chance to nominate an outstanding project, and to encourage the sponsor(s) of an excellent project in your state to submit a nomination as well. We are also again encouraging those making nominations to solicit support from their Members of Congress- both U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators- to build awareness of excellent RTP-funded projects and the RTP program itself. Additional information can be found on the nomination

A nomination form can be downloaded at
http://atfiles.org/files/doc/2015_Nomination_Form_AT.doc.

The nomination form and any supporting materials, including pictures, should be returned via e-mail by April 1, 2015 to the Chair of the Coalition’s Awards Committee:

Duane Taylor, Director of Federal Affairs, Motorcycle Industry Council, at coalitionforrectrails@gmail.com. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call him at (703) 416-0444 or send him an e-mail. Winners should be notified no later than May 8, 2015.

CRT hopes you will join them in this important effort to recognize the significant contributions to trail-related recreation that the Recreational Trails Program is supporting all across the country.

For more information, and to view past award winners, check out CRT’s Annual Achievement Awards Page at http://www.americantrails.org/awards/CRTawards.html#awards.