Courses

Read descriptions of all Trail U courses below.
Course Title Course Description Course Level
Invasive Plants & Native Alternatives - A Primer for Gardeners Workshop

Invasive Plants and Native Alternatives–A Primer for Gardeners is a broad-based information-packed session that will teach you the basics about invasive plants and native alternatives.

 

This course will help you gain or brush up on the skills necessary to understanding what characteristics many invasive species share, how invasive species are introduced and spread, and common invasive species in our region.  Native plants are the alternative.  You will learn why native plants are important and which ones are best for supporting different types of wildlife.  You will leave armed with resources that will allow you to take what you learn to the next level including New York’s invasive species regulations and New Jersey’s Do Not Plant list.

Please register.  Space is limited.
Invasive Species Identification and Management

Who should take this class:  Natural areas managers, parks staff, landscapers and other professionals who want to improve their skills and capabilities for protecting preserved areas.

What you will learn: Invasive species Impacts • Regulations • FIFRA 2(ee)• IPM Principles • Environmentally sensitive techniques • Hands-on Look at Equipment • Widespread Invasive plants—Impacts and Control Methods * New Invasive Species to Watch out for * Garden Escapees • Regional Prioritization

New York Pesticide Applicator Credits Applied For: CORE, 2, 3A, 3B, 6A, 10

New Jersey Pesticide Applicator Credits Approved: CORE=4, Cat. 2=6, 3A=6, 3B=6, 6B=6, 10=2

Instructor:

Dr. Linda Rohleder is Director of Land Stewardship at the New York – New Jersey Trail Conference. She built the Trail Conference’s Invasives Strike Force volunteer program over the last 9 years. The program currently has trained over 450 invasives-mapping volunteers who have collectively surveyed more than 1,500 miles of hiking trails for invasive plants. She has organized dozens of invasives-removal workdays and runs a seasonal conservation corps crew that removes invasive plants in parks across southern New York and northern New Jersey. Since 2013, Dr. Rohleder has been the coordinator of the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), a partnership of more than 50 organizations and agencies, which plans and conducts a regional strategy for invasive species management in the Lower Hudson valley of New York.

 

Dr. Rohleder received her PhD in Ecology from Rutgers University, where she studied the effects of deer on forest understories. While attending graduate school she worked as a park natural resource technician in Monmouth County, NJ, and taught beginning Biology labs at Rutgers and Wetland Plant ID for Rutgers’ Wetland Delineation certification series. Dr. Rohleder also has spent more than 10 years creating a native plant wildlife habitat in her backyard.

 
Invasive Species Overview Workshop

invasives strike force logoInvasive Species Overview is a course discussing the issues invasive species pose to our forests and trails. 

 

This course helps you gain or brush up on the skills to identify several common invasive plants.  You will also learn about the Invasives Strike Force and how to become a volunteer surveying invasive plants along hiking trails or participating in invasive removal workdays. 

 

Please register.  Space is limited.
Invasives Strike Force BlockBuster Surveyor Workshop

class of students learning about blockbuster survey training

This course builds on the skills you've learned in the Invasives Strike Force Standard and Intermediate Surveyor workshops. 

The Invasives Strike Force BlockBuster Surveyor course helps fill in data gaps throughout the region - not just along hiking trails. The data you collect helps land managers and scientists understand the distribution of invasive plants across our region and the vulnerability of our natural areas to invasion.

This data also helps us identify areas to send our Invasives Strike Force removal crew.

You'll learn to identify a few more invasive plants and then, using the same data collection methods learned in the first two workshops, you'll seek out different habitats and areas where these invasive plants are likely to be found within an assigned 5 x 5 km (about 3 x 3 mile) block.   Surveying should be completed by the end of the summer.

This program is part of the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management's (Lower Hudson PRISM) efforts to stop the spread of invasive species in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Pre-registration is required.
Invasives Strike Force Intermediate Surveyor Workshop

Class of students learning advanced invasive plant identification

This course builds on the skills learned in the first Invasives Strike Force Standard Surveyor course by introducing you to emerging invasive plants. 

Emerging invasive plants are non-native species just starting to become established in the region.  Early detection can help protect the region’s native species.  The earlier species are detected, the better chance we have of preventing them from becoming widespread. 

This course helps Invasives Strike Force volunteers gain or brush up on the skills necessary to identify emerging invasive species and conduct the intermediate level of monitoring along assigned trail sections. 

After completing training, you will be assigned to a trail section about 2 miles long.  You will be expected to walk your trail section while identifying and mapping these invasive plants.  Surveying should be completed by the end of the summer. This data helps determine where Invasives Strike Force Removal Crews are deployed.

This is an indoor session with live plant examples.

Pre-registration is required.
Invasives Strike Force Standard Surveyor Workshop
Classroom training on Invasives Strike ForceInvasive plants cause problems for our environment and make the habitat less useable by our native birds and butterflies. Our Invasives Strike Force volunteers help spot invasive plants so that we can schedule work days to remove them. You’ll learn easy ways to identify a set of invasive plants commonly found along the trails and how to record information about their locations. 
 
In this first-level course, you will learn everything you need to know in order to become an Invasives Strike Force Standard Surveyor. 
 
You'll learn how to identify 14 common invasive plants, collect data, and use a GPS  unit. GPS units can be borrowed from the Trail Conference or you may use your own or your smartphone. After completing training, you will be assigned to a trail section about 2 miles long.  You will be expected to walk your trail section while identifying and mapping these invasive plants.  Surveying should be completed by the end of the summer.
 
This workshop consists of an intensive class-room style training session in the morning with an outdoor practice component in the afternoon.
 
Pre-registration is required. 
Learn-to Caretaking

William Brien Memorial Shelter at the intersection of the A.T. and the Menomine Trail in Harriman State Park.Lean-to caretaking is the maintenance of an overnight trail shelter in order to keep it harmonious with its surroundings and ready for camping use.

This course helps you gain or brush up on the skills necessary to a Trail Conference Lean-to Caretaker Volunteer.  Skills include cleaning the lean-to and surrounding area, collecting and replacing registries, and assessing and reporting the lean-to’s overall condition.

Please register.  Space is limited.
Native Plant Identification Workshop

Students learning to identify native plants.This course will give you the basics of plant identification and help you learn to identify common native trees and shrubs found along many of our hiking trails.  It is geared towards beginners and is a focused hands-on outdoor course.

 

Please register.  Space is limited.
Orienteering Workshop

A map and a compassOrienteering is navigating using a map and a compass. 

 

This course helps you gain or brush up on the skills needed to read a map, know how to follow blazes, understand contour lines, adjust for declination, use triangulation, and other basic orienteering skills. 

 

Please register.  Space is limited.
Rigging for Trail Work Workshop

Trail builders using a rigging system to install a bridgeRigging utilizes the mechanical advantage of ropes, pulleys, and winches in order to transport materials while minimizing construction disturbances.

This course helps you gain or brush up on inspecting rigging equipment for safety, knowing safe working load limits of the equipment, how to choose the proper rigging system for the job, setting up dragging systems, setting up high lines, and maintaining equipment.

Please register.  Space is limited.
Specialty Stonework Workshop

A stone split into four pieces using the feather and wedge technique. Specialty stonework encompasses utilizing and manipulating stone beyond basic trail structure construction.

This course helps you gain or brush up on splitting one rock into two rocks, shaping a rock to meet your specific needs, building stone structures without mortar, or anchoring structures to bedrock.

Please register.  Space is limited.
Tabling Workshop

Promotion and information table ready to go at an event.

Tabling is representing and sharing information about the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference at various events.

 

This course helps you gain or brush up on the skills necessary to become a Trail Conference Tabling volunteer.  You will learn how to recruit new volunteers and members, share information on where to hit the trails, and promote trail stewardship.  You will work with a partner and learn how to set up an event table attractively.  Tabling gives you the opportunity to share your passion for and knowledge of trails with people from all walks of life. 

 

Please register.  Space is limited.