FNST Coalition 

The FNST Coalition is comprised of a diverse, representative sample of trail partners dedicated to ensuring the development, maintenance, and promotion of the Florida Trail to ensure an optimum recreation experience. The variety of perspectives, backgrounds, concerns and organizations helps ensure that a wide spectrum of recreationists’ interests are considered in management decisions going forward. Visit the FNST Coalition page to learn more.

University of Florida Visitor Assessments

Researchers from the University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation began Florida National Scenic Trail visitor assessments in 2003. The goal of these assessments is to develop reliable use estimates at each study site within a given year, which can then be inferred to all FNST survey sections that are yet to be studied, forming a trail-wide estimate of use. The assessments also describe FNST users in terms of their socio-demographic and trip characteristics, as well as their level of satisfaction with their Trail experience.

Land Managers

As it traverses the state, the Florida National Scenic Trail crosses numerous public and private lands. The FNST would not be the celebrated public resource it is today without the cooperation and assistance of many land managers. Land managers and their staff work with and support volunteers in building and maintaining the Trail. They support and advocate for the development, maintenance and promotion of the Florida Trail. Visit the Land Managers List for more information. 

The following graphic illustrates the breakdown of Florida Trail land managers by agency type:

 
 

Request for Projects

Priority will be granted to those projects which address critical safety concerns, involve updating existing kiosk and sign infrastructure to communicate with the public, and which further the objectives of the Florida Trail's Five-Year Strategic Plan for 2023. 

General Application Requirements

• Projects must be located on, or within the priority planning corridor of, the Florida National Scenic Trail.
• Trail and infrastructure projects must be submitted by, or with concurrence of, the underlying land manager.
• Project financial plans must demonstrate a minimum 20% partner contribution, direct or in-kind.
• Any submitting partner must have a recently completed Trail Assessment as justification for the proposed project.

Please complete the FNST Project Application form and e-mail to FNST@usda.gov or your local FTA Regional Program Manager.

Florida Trail Association

Volunteers are the backbone of the Florida National Scenic Trail. Some of their highly valued efforts include building, planning and maintaining the Florida Trail, guiding hikes, filling leadership roles and working with land managers. The Florida Trail Association is a partner to the USDA Forest Service in managing volunteers on the Florida Trail. The Florida Trail Association builds, maintains, protects, and promotes the unique Florida National Scenic Trail along with a network of hiking trails throughout the state of Florida. Together with their partners, the Association provides opportunities for the public to contribute to meaningful volunteer work, engage in outdoor recreation, and participate in environmental education.

Incorporated in 1964, the Florida Trail Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit volunteer organization that helps build, maintain, protect and promote the 1,500-mile Florida Trail. Visit their Volunteers page for more information on how to help on the trail.

Florida Trail Association's Volunteer Hours Reporting System

The Florida Trail Association debuted its updated volunteer hours reporting system at the end of summer 2013.  The previous system had the ability to track what maintenance and construction happened on various trail sections. It also tracked how many volunteers participated and the number of volunteer hours contributed. The updated system has the ability to track individual hours and will provide more maintenance-related details.

Through the updated system, FNST land managers will be able to pull reports of work done on their sections of trail, in addition to having the ability to enter their own volunteer hours. Tracking volunteer hours is key to tracking progress on the trail and acknowledging the hard work that that the volunteers contribute to the FNST. A user guide on the updated system will be available at the end of summer 2013.

Interested in learning more or curious as to how many hours were contributed to your section of trail this past season? Reach out to the Florida Trail Association at fta@floridatrail.org.

To report hours, visit the Florida Trail Association's Volunteer Reporting Portal.