Planning and Communicating for Excellent Public Access

If your conservation organization currently owns or plans to own land that is open to the public, you are in for site planning and communicating to keep both visitors and the land safe and happy. It’s a big job, but you don’t have to figure it all out on your own!

Lowcountry Land Trust’s Angel Oak Preserve director, Samantha Siegel, will share how community and stakeholder engagement and passion drove the protection of an iconic tree and the planning of its 44 surrounding acres. She will also discuss how Lowcountry Land Trust handles complex site design decisions to balance public access and preservation.

From updating trail condition descriptions after storms to recruiting social media ambassadors, Abigail Harrison, marketing director at the Land Trust of North Alabama, will share how she works closely with her organization’s stewardship team to ensure high quality visitor experiences at the land trust’s 10 preserves and over 100 miles of trails.

Here’s a look at what the webinar will cover:

• Community engagement methods to inform design choices and access options.

• Communicating on multiple platforms to keep visitors safe in public access areas, and to guide visitors in protecting the conservation values of the land.

• Using a visitor analysis framework to improve trail users’ experience and highlight the organization’s role in protecting the places people love.

• Lessons learned about capacity, timing and when to reach out to other experts.

This webinar is included in the 2025 Webinar Pass.

Participants in Land Trust Alliance events should review and agree to the Alliance Code of Conduct.