Video from last week’s hui and links to the presentation
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Trail building insights from the Colorado Rockies
Tēnā koe
In this newsletter:
- Trail building insights from the Colorado Rockies
- Thank you to the Trailmakers Presenters
- Save the date: Trail Makers Meet up – Friday 27 February - Wellington
- 2026 Trailmakers Hui dates
- Join the Trailmakers Map
- Support from our regional field advisors
Trail building insights from the Colorado Rockies
At our November Hui we welcomed our first international speaker, Paul Talley, Executive Director of the Colorado Trail Foundation. Paul shared his experiences working with volunteers to build and maintain trails along the 912km Colorado Trail.
He covered:
- How to fund projects
- How to recruit and keep volunteers
- How to work with local communities
Did you miss last week’s hui, or want to see it again?
Thank you to our Trailmaker presenters and attendees
A big thank you to our presenters this year. We discussed a range of topics, including:
- Accessibility design guidelines (Katie Barry, Recreation Aotearoa, and Simon Alefosio-Tuck, Rotorua Lakes Council)
- A Beginner's Guide for Community-led Walkway and Cycleway Projects (Amanda Bennett, Northland Trails
- Storytelling Panels (Mick Abbott, Wildlab)
- Legal tips for protecting trails (Janeen Wood, Southern Lakes Trails Trust)
- The value of outdoor spaces for young people and rangatahi (Ella Creagh, Sport NZ)
And of course, Paul Talley from Colorado.
We rely on presenters volunteering their time and our trailmakers supporting and learning from each other. A big thank you from Herenga ā Nuku.
Save the Date – Trailmakers Meet-up
Friday 27 February, Wellington
We’re planning an in-person hui featuring speakers from DOC, Recreation Aotearoa, and other organisations. We’ll also talk about making Trailmakers a formal, independent network.
Details coming soon – mark your calendar!
2026 online hui dates
Online Trailmakers Hui dates are as follows
- Thursday 19 February 2026 12-1pm
- Thursday 28 May 2026 12-1pm
- Thursday 27 August 2026 12-1pm
- Thursday 19 November 2026 12-1pm
We will announce the topic and send invites closer to the date.
I’d love it if you could share your group’s on-the-ground knowledge in a future meeting. If you have an idea for a topic, please let me know. I’m happy to help you put together a presentation.
Trailmakers Map - Ngā Kaihanga Ara
This map is for volunteer trail groups or those who are creating and maintaining trails in their area.
What are the benefits to your trail group of joining the map
- You can be visible to other trail groups in your area and across Aotearoa
- You can contact other groups about their experiences on projects that may be similar to yours
- Potential volunteers and donors can see groups in their region. (Our regional field advisors occasionally encourage potential volunteers to look at the map.)
- Government organisations such as councils and the Department of Conservation can more easily contact you.
- Adding your details to the map is easy!
The map now features 54 groups from around the country. It briefly describes them and their work, shows where they are, and provides information on how best to contact them. This map is specifically for community volunteer groups that are building or maintaining trails and outdoor access.
Trailmaker network members frequently want to contact each other. This map enables people to connect with other community trailmaker groups and to see where they sit geographically within a national network.
Get support
Herenga ā Nuku regional field advisors are a great first port of call when you have trail-building questions. They have an incredible wealth of knowledge and will point you in the right direction.
Our website also has a lot of information. If you can’t find a resource you want, please get in touch with me.
Hei konā mai,
Bernice Prakash
Principal Engagement Advisor
