INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the 7th World Trails Conference. To all trail advocates, trail professionals and trail users this is your conference. The only truly global conference about trails and for the international trails industry. Trails around the world play a significant role in tourism, in healthy lifestyles, in outdoor and nature recreation and in reconnecting us to nature and cultural heritage and to each other. It is our responsibility as an international network of trail professionals and trail custodians to shape the future sustainability of trails across the globe and to ensure trails are recognised by governments and society for the values they deliver to livelihoods, lifestyles, healthcare, tourism and the economy. The conference organizers and our sponsoring hosts at Xunta de Galicia welcome you to Galicia and the incredible pilgrimage town of Santiago de Compostela. HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE CONFERENCE

1. Enjoy Galicia - Galicia and the historic town of Santiago de Compostela are a remarkable place to visit, with rich culture, culinary specialities and nature highlights. We encourage you to enjoy and explore as much as your itinerary allows for. Sign-up for one of the excursions on the Camino Routes or Camino Journeys.

2. Network - During the conference itself, make conversations, network and make new friends, have an open mind to new ideas, share your experiences. Trails bring out the best qualities in all of us. Learn, share and discover.

3. Attend the Special Sessions - Each Special Session is linked to an earlier session on the same subject (see colour codes on left of session number: Session 1A ). Special sessions are designed to deepen the conversation and develop specific outcomes from the conference that can form guidelines for international best practice in relation to trails. These sessions are moderated by World Trails Network Task Team Leaders, who chair these international volunteer and networking teams to influence policy, develop projects and champion global campaigns in their respective fields of expertise. Bring your experience and expertise to these conversations and make a difference for trails around the world. Buen Camino. . . and enjoy Galicia!

Pre-Conference Camino Journeys Walk the Camino Francés - French Route: 17 - 25 September 2018 Cycle the Camino Portugués - Portuguese Route: 16 - 25 September 2018 Run the Camino Inglés - English Way: 21 - 25 September 2018

DAY 1 - Wednesday, 26 September 2018 Registration from 9:00 to 13:00

Pre-Conference Meetings and Conference Opening Evening

Time Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social

8:45 | 12:30

Access to Venue Centro ABANCA Obra Social for Regional Hubs / Association meetings:

●8:45 - 9:30 WTN BOARD MEETING Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social (2nd Floor) - By Invitation

●10:00 - 12:30 INTERNATIONAL TRAIL TASK TEAM REPORTS, STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social ( 2nd Floor) - All Members of World Trails Network

●8:45 - 11:30 SETUP - Trail Exhibition The Trail Exhibition will run throughout the event and will close on Friday - posters, marketing materials. Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social Foyer Areas

17:00 19:00

Free Tour of the Old City and everyone is welcome

19:00 | 20:00

Opening Welcome Address Representatives of the Regional Government of Galicia (Xunta de Galicia)

Chair of World Trails Network (WTN) Japan Hand over Welcome address

Opening of the Trails Exhibition Short introductory welcome speech highlighting the value of trails to tourism.

Venue - Centro ABANCA Obra Social

20:00 | 22:00

Tapas with the World Trails - Welcome tapas for all delegates Venue - St. Martin Pinario's Cloister, Santiago de Compostela

DAY 2 - Thursday, 27 September 2018 Registration from 9:00 to 13:00

Start of Conference

Time Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 1 - 1st Floor Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 2 - 3rd Floor

09:00 | 10:30

Session 1A Trails and Nature Transcarioca Trail: How volunteers can link urban protected areas into a continuous green patch Pedro Cunha e Menezes

The Appalachian Trail in an Age of Climate Change Laura Belleville

Perceptions of tourists on trail use and management implications for Kakamega Forest, Western Kenya Oscar Kambona Ouma

Norwegian Scenic Trails Trygve Sunde Kolderup

Geo-ecological Approach in Trail Management in Protected Areas of Lake Baikal Region Natalia Luzhkova

Trails and Wildfires Kerstin Stender Moderator: Kerstin Stender

Session 1B Special Session Kumano Kodo and Way of St. James

Spiritual Pilgrimages - Dual Experience Santiago Kumano

- Dual Pilgrim Video Release - Overview of the Initiative - Panel Discussion

A "Dual Pilgrim" is someone who has walked both the Kumano Kodo and the Way of St.James. Dual Pilgrim panel discussion on the meaning and value of experiencing these two internationally renowned pilgrimage routes first hand. Moderators: Flavia Ramil Millarengo and Brad Towle Kumano-Santiago 20 Years of Twinning Agreement of Two World Heritage Pilgrimage Paths Francisco Singul and Shingo Uoi

10:30 10:45

Short Break

10:45 | 12:15

Session 2A Trails and Technology Leveraging PPGIS and VGIS Data, Tools and Technologies to Improve Trail Assessment and Management Jeremy Wimpey

Hiking Apps as a Value for Rural Tourism Jose Barbosa

Create Digital Travel Guides with your Phone Alina Ovesea

Digital Trail Management and Platform based Content Marketing Hartmut Wimmer

Session 2B Trails and Cultural Heritage Dynamic Natural & Cultural Heritage Conservation - Holistic approach to trail network development on Kythera Island, Greece Rigas Zafeirou

Lebanon Mountain Trail Community Based Trail Martine Btaich

Culture, Nature and Pilgrimage in Europe - Incentives for Health and Travel Routes José María Ballester

A Collaborative Approach to Recreation Mapping Nate Irwin

Green Flag Trails - an Online Trail Assessment and Trail Auditing Platform Galeo Saintz Moderated by Jeremy Wimpey

The Trails of Trancoso - Portugal Marco Santos

Listening to the Land, Sea and Each Other - A Walking Journey in Iceland Henry Fletcher

Masar Ibrahim al-Khalil - Walk a Path of History, Experience Nature and Hospitality Thomas van Gool

Discussion and Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: World Trails Network International Task Team - Trails and Culture Moderated by Hüseyin Eryurt

12:15 12:45

Coffee and Tea Break

12:45 |

14:15

Session 3A Trails and Management

The Role and Best Practices of Waymarking András J. Molnár

Management and Promotion of the Pilgrims Routes of St. James over 25 years Rafael Sánchez Bargiela

Developing the Wild Atlantic Way Coastal Trail Brian Quinn

Scientific Planning Procedures of Wilderness Trails Leon Hugo

Managing National and Long Distance Scenic Trails Nathan Reigner

Ecologically Sensitive Trail Design and Construction for Communities and Culture Nick Bowman Moderated by Nathan Reigner

Session 3B Special Session Trails and Nature Trails are critical to all Protected Areas. They give access to the public, communicate the value of the conserved area, foster a new generation of nature custodians and establish nature connection. Moderated discussion to share examples and develop best practices and develop recommendations. Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: World Trails Network International Task Team - Trails and Nature Moderated by Kerstin Stender

14:15 16:00

Break - Please explore the many cafes and restaurants close to the venue for lunch.

Time Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 1 - 1st Floor Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 2 - 3rd Floor

16:00 |

17:30

Session 4A Pilgrimage Routes and Trails Paths of Pilgrimage for Hope and a Culture of Peace - a network of routes for the Near East Paolo Caucci von Saucken

The Protection of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Way of St. James in Galicia María del Carmen Martínez Ínsua

Tamshui-Kavalan Historical and Cultural Routes - the Long-Distance Trails Relinking History Sheng-Hsin Chou

Pilgrimage Trail Network and Events in Central Europe - Current State & Past Experiences András J. Molnár

The Way of St Francis of Assisi - A True Italian Walking Experience Gianluigi Bettin

Literary Geography and Travel Diaries - Exploring connections through the lens of Female Pilgrims’ on the Camino de Santiago Lucrezia Lopez

GR22 Trail - Historical Villages of Portugal Manuel Franco

Moderated by Paulo Caucci von Saucken

Session 4B Special Session Towns and Trails Urban trails are an essential city infrastructure addressing issues from transportation to recreation and wellbeing.

● Making the Connection for Conservation ● Connecting Trails for Transport

Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: World Trails Network International Task Team - Trails and Cities Moderated by Kate Harbour and Kara Wooldrik

18:00 20:00

Optional Free Trip to City Gardens

20:00 22:00

Camino Fiesta - Party and Drinks / Street Party Venue – Hostal Parador dos Reis Católicos (Square of Obradoiro). Included in Conference fee.

DAY 3 - Friday, 28 September 2018

Time Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 1 – 1st Floor Centro ABANCA Obra Social Room 2 – 3rd Floor

09:00 |

10:30

Session 5A Trails Sustainability Investigating Trail Alignment Measurement Methods - Improve Understanding of Trail Sustainability, Appalachian National Scenic Trail Fletcher Meadema

Managing 7,000 km of Trail Experiences at Parks Canada - a Principle-Based Approach Véronique Pelletier and François Duclos

Developing and Maintaining a Sustainable Campsite Inventory: Factors Influencing Campsite Size on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, USA Johanna Arredondo

Collaboratively Working Toward Visitor Use Management Solutions for the Appalachian Trail Laura Belleville and Nathaniel Scrimshaw

The South West Coast Path - Creating an Economic and Environmentally Sustainable Asset Julian Gray

The Asia Trails Network - Regional and Global Collaboration for Trail Sustainability Rachel Kim

Moderated by Nat Scrimshaw

Session 5B Trails and Tourism Hikers Friendly Hotels - An Act of Responsibility Fivos Tsaravopoulos

The Brazilian System of Long Distance Trails. A 10.000 km trails network in the making. Paulo Faria

Sendero Pacifico, Costa Rica - Forging Connections Virgilio Brenes-Cambronero

Portuguese Trails João Portugal

Camino de San Rosendo: Braga-Celanova- Ourense-Santiago de Compostela María González

O Camiño dos Faros (Lighthouse Way) - Galicia Traski Costa da Morte

Galician-Portuguese Marian Path - Pilgrimage through the Marian Shrines to the End of the World José Antonio de la Riera

Armenia: Hiking Towards a Brighter Future Ardag Kosian

Moderated by Sumit Baral

10:30 10:45

Short Break

10:45 |

12:15

Session 6A Trails and Economics Village to Village Trails in the Middle East Case Studies for Sustainable Trail Development Shay Rabineau

Camino de Santiago and Local Population Economic Benefits for Rural Communities Melchor Fernández

Why Walk the Middle East? Odate Hanna

Economic case for Private Trail Organizations Kara Wooldrik

Trail experiences and Social Benefits of Trails Building a Trail in Saudi Arabia Martina Sedlakova

Empowering Village Woman On The Lycian Way Hüseyin Eryurt

Moderated by Shay Rabineau

Session 6B Special Session Trails and Tourism Accreditation of trails can contribute to tourism and peace of mind by international travelers. Green Flag Trails International is a methodology for conveying the accurate information about a trail and that it is under sustainable management. What makes a world class trail or trail network? Janet Mackay Moderated discussion to share examples. Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: World Trails Network International Task Team - Trails and Tourism Moderated by Sumit Baral

12:15 12:45

Coffee and Tea Break

12:45 |

14:15

Session 7A Future of Trails and Trends Inspiring and Educating the Rising Generation of Trail Stewards Delia Clark

Attracting More of the Right People onto your Local Trails Melina Mellino

The Future of Trail Advocacy Nick Bowman

Braga Hiking Trail Network Alpoim Nuno

Building a Trail Culture Blake Dyason

Walking Towards a Clean and Healthy Future Kadri Maripuu Moderated by Nick Bowman

Session 7B Special Session Trails and Sustainability Sustainable trails are quality trails. How do trails globally meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals?

● Exceeding Carrying Capacity - Nat Scrimshaw

Moderated discussion to share examples and develop best practices and develop recommendations. Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: World Trails Network International Task Team - Trails and Sustainability Moderated by Nat Scrimshaw

14:15 16:00

Break - Please explore the many cafes and restaurants close to the venue for lunch.

16:00 |

17:30

Session 8A International Friendship Trails International Field Schools - A practical model for networking trails organizations around the world Nat Scrimshaw

Friendship Trails - Exchange of Experience, Culture, and Beyond. Rachel Kim

Preservation of the Cultural Heritage and Values of the European Pilgrimage Routes Francisco Millán Mon

The Pilgrimage to Santiago and the International Network of Brotherhoods of St. James Segundo L. Pérez López

Way of Santiago and Kumano Kodo: From Their Origins to Their Twinning today Lara Lorenzo Iglesias Moderated by Jackie Randle

Session 8B Special Session Trails, Marketing, Media and Events Promoting Trails -Way of Saint James. Promotion and Media Xosé María García Palmeiro and Cristóbal Ramírez -Trail Expeditions Zak Klein -The Case for Trails Shay Rabineau -International Hiking Congress Víctor Sánchez and Pablo Vidal Discussion to develop campaigns for the International World Trails Day and international marketing of trails. Outcomes inform the projects, guidelines & standards of the: World Trails Network International Task Team - Trails and Events Moderated by Galeo Saintz

19:00 21:00

Dinner Out - Delegates find their own dinner in one of the many restaurants

DAY 4 - Saturday, 29 September 2018 ABANCA Auditorium. Open to the Public

10:00 - 10:30 Welcome Address - Simultaneous interpreting

10:30 - 11:00 Keynote Speaker - Manuel Butler Halter UNWTO Executive Director

11:05 - 12:30

“Trails of the World” Presentations by Participating Organizations Simultaneous interpreting. 6 minutes each - 20 images, 20 seconds per image

Atlantic Forest Trail and Boranda Movement - Brazil Jordan Trail - Jordan

Great Himalayan Trail - Nepal Westfjords Trail - Iceland

Jeju Olle - South Korea Kythera Hiking - Greece

Sendero Pacifico - Costa Rica

12:30 - 13:00 Break

13:00 - 13:30

Trail Visionaries Expedition from Tottori, Japan - The Trail Manifesto Walking Resort Tottori - Japan

13:30 - 14:00 Global Patron of the World Trails Network - Announcement

14:00 - 15:30 Break - Please explore the many cafes and restaurants close to the venue for lunch.

15:30 - 16:30

“Trails of the World” Presentations by Participating Organizations Simultaneous interpreting. 6 minutes each - 20 images, 20 seconds per image

Kumano Kodo - Japan Appalachian Trail - United States of America

South West Coast Path - England Lebanon Trail - Lebanon

Bibbulmun Track - Australia Thousand Miles Trail - Taiwan

Parks Canada - Canada Tibetan Plateau Trail - Tibet

17:00 - 17:45

The Santiago de Compostela World Trails - Hope for Trails Commitment Feedback to delegates and the public on the outcomes of the conference and resolutions.

Nava Castro Domínguez, Director of Turismo de Galicia

17:45 - 18:00

Closing Ceremony Representative from the Galician Regional Government

Chair of World Trails Network

18:00 - 20:00 Dinner Out - Delegates find their own dinner. . . be back in time for the Trails Film Festival

20:00 - 20:15 Trails and Films - An Inspiring Trend in Storytelling

20:15 - 21:30

WORLD TRAILS FILM FESTIVAL - PREMIERE EVENT A selection of new and inspiring trail films from around the world. Open to the public.

Venue: Auditorio ABANCA Main Hall

FILM PROGRAM - WORLD TRAILS FILM FESTIVAL

Trilha Transcarioca - The trail’s name, Transcarioca, suggests crossing Rio de Janeiro (a ‘carioca’ is someone or something from Rio) and the route does just that, running 220.4km in an east-west direction (8 min).

Jordan Trail - the film explores the newly developed Jordan Trail a 450-mile hiking trail traversing the length of the country (5 min).

Ride of the Dead - The trails are thousands of years old and were used to connect local villages and exchange goods, a remarkable bike event now follows them through the Oaxacan highlands (12 min).

Tamshui-Kavalan Historical Routes - Trails that date back 200 years in a network connecting the "Tamsui Subprefecture" in the north with the "Kavalan Subprefecture"in the east in the early Qing Dynasty (6 min).

This Is Not a Beautiful Hiking Video - An inspiring take on hiking the Pacific Crest Trail - a 2650 miles footpath from Mexico to Canada over a 5 month journey (9 min).

Trail Hunter - through the eyes of a local trail builder Hylton Turvey this short film shows us all that the fruit of any trail builder’s devotion is a connection to the trail, the ride, and more (8 min).

Phil’s Camino - For years, Phil dreamt of walking the 500-mile ancient pilgrimage route across Spain, El Camino de Santiago. Although this was an unattainable dream due to weekly chemo treatments, it did not stop him from walking. This inspiring film is a beautifully captured story (28 min).

DAY 5 - Sunday, 30 September 2018

Post-Conference Camino Route Tour and Field Trips (Ensure you register online)

Routes to Camino de Fisterra and Muxía Please note the program above is subject to change without notice. All of the above speakers have been

confirmed and are expected at the conference. We may have additional speakers added to the program where applicable. We look forward to welcoming you in Santiago de Compostela.