The Trust for Public Land will present the 2019 Georgia Trail Summit on May 5 and 6, 2019 at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center in Columbus, Georgia. The 2019 Georgia Trail Summit will bring together nonprofit leaders, city planners, elected officials, greenspace advocates, recreation enthusiasts and others to envision an accelerated and ambitious approach to improving Georgia’s trails.

Based on the theme, “Ideas to Action,” the visionary keynote speakers who will help set the tone for the event include:

●      Activist Aimee Copeland, known for her inspirational journey following the amputation of both of her hands, her right foot and entire left leg after she was infected by a flesh-eating bacteria while zip-lining at age 24.

●      Author and national leader in greenway development planning, Chuck Flink

●      Dr. Anne Lusk,  research scientist in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health with more than 36 years of experience researching, designing, permitting and funding bicycle facilities.

“Georgia has the potential to create a world-class trail network for cyclists, hikers, commuters, and paddlers,” said George Dusenbury, state director for The Trust for Public Land in Georgia. “By hosting the 2019 Georgia Trail Summit, The Trust for Public Land will bring together professionals with an interest in connecting Georgia’s communities to each other and to our mountains, rivers, beaches and forests.”

The Summit will offer:

●      mobile workshops to showcase Columbus and neighboring communities that have imagined, planned, designed and constructed some of the strongest trail networks in Georgia.

●      speakers and sessions  to inform and inspire attendees.

●      networking to spark collaboration and continued dialogue.

View the full program here.

The Summit is organized by a team of volunteers dedicated to creating a world-class trail network in every corner of Georgia. Organizations involved include: Atlanta Regional Commission, East Coast Greenway, Georgia Bikes, Georgia River Network, Georgia Trails Alliance, Million Mile Greenway, PATH Foundation, REI, SORBA, The Trust for Public Land, and others.