Who Builds and Manages Rail-Trails?
In most cases the local, state or federal government agency that buys the corridor builds the trail as well. The agency develops it using its own labor and equipment or hires an independent construction company. In a few cases, groups of citizen volunteers have constructed a trail. Trails are generally managed by public agencies, but some are operated by other types of organizations, including nonprofit “friends of the trail” citizen groups, land trusts (such as NCRT) and community foundations. As a land trust, NCRT assisted in acquiring, railbanking and holding interim title to the Dunn-Erwin corridor and worked closely with local agencies and volunteer groups in obtaining resources and building the trail. See our Spring 2002 Little Toot for more on the Dunn-Erwin trail.
