Trail School: Fundamentals Kicks Off a New Season of Stewardship at Chehalem Ridge

On the heels of our newly signed stewardship agreement with Metro, NWTA’s Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) launched its first Trail School: Fundamentals class of the 25–’26 dig season on Sunday, November 16, at Chehalem Ridge.

Trail School: Fundamentals is designed to introduce volunteers to the core principles of sustainable trail maintenance. Participants learn safety practices, tool identification, and trail anatomy before heading out for hands-on work. Once in the field, volunteers practiced tread repair, corridor clearing, and building effective drains to keep trails resilient through the wet months ahead.

TSI instructors also offered a bonus teaching moment. Volunteers shaped a small berm on an existing flat turn by aligning it with the natural slope of the hillside. The result was improved drainage and a smoother, safer experience for mountain bikers and trail runners, while maintaining a wide and stable line for equestrians and hiking pairs.

To help the new berm hold up over time, volunteers re-naturalized the backside with nearby fir needles, maple leaves, and small limbs. This protects the trail from erosion, disperses rainwater, and keeps the worksite looking as natural as possible.

TSI will be back in action next month at another Metro Nature Park for Trail School: Fundamentals at Newell Creek Canyon in Oregon City on December 13.

Link to sign up:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trail-school-fundamentals-newell-creek-tickets-1739696171079?aff=oddtdtcreator

Stay tuned for more. Advanced Trail Schools are coming in the new year, including topics like rock work, jump maintenance, and full start-to-finish trail construction.