Lake County >> Members of the Konocti Regional Trails (KRT) team and Lake County representatives attended the annual California Trails and Greenways Conference to accept a statewide award for the KRT website on April 23. This was presented during the awards dinner at the Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite.
Gigi Stahl, former trails coordinator for Lake County, and Mireya Turner, planner in the Lake County Community Development Department as well as Lakeport City Council woman, accepted the award on behalf of Lake County. The award was presented by Jeff Weinstein, president of the California Trails & Greenways Foundation.
The California Trails and Greenways Conference Awards acknowledge and show appreciation for individuals, organizations, agencies and businesses that, through their work, integrity and social responsibility, have made outstanding contributions to promote, enhance or expand public awareness and use of trails and greenways in California during the year.
The conference theme was “Building Connections: Enhancing the Links between Communities and Trails.”
The KRT website was presented with the Social Media, Websites and Technology Award from the California Trails and Greenways Foundation. The award is given for “achieving excellence in design and creative approaches in developing trails or greenway information systems using technology, social media or Websites.”
The UCLA Interpretive Media Laboratory — Los Angeles State Historic Park Trails mobile website, and the San Francisco Bay Trail Project — San Francisco Bay Trail phone app were also award recipients in this category.
“Lake County and the KRT sharing the limelight with illustrious award recipients that include the aforementioned organizations as well as well-funded agencies like the County of Santa Clara, the East Bay Regional Parks District and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is a huge honor,” Stahl said. “It demonstrates the positive momentum that a small community can create in just a few years.”
Through the use of social media, calendaring, blog posts, videos, electronic newsletters, QR codes and downloadable trails maps, the group has been able to maximize a global presence, drawing recreational enthusiasts to Lake County with minimal expense, according to Holly Harris of KRT.
KRT’s use of Google Analytics propelled the Lake County marketing program to place more emphasis on trails and outdoor recreational activities. Working together, KRT has promoted recreational retail and rental businesses, outdoors events such as the Konocti Challenge and the Road Scholar wildlife and birdwatching tours, as well as support of photography and musical talent.
All KRT outreach combines information on outdoor activities, blended with cultural, historical, geographical and environmental facts, providing each visitor with a better understanding and appreciation of Lake County’s special qualities, Harris stated.
KRT has also encouraged regional destination tourism by collaborating with neighboring trails organizations through links, blog posts and events.
“The KRT website is a great example of how powerful a group of staff and gifted volunteers can be when we are passionate about trumpeting the message of Lake County’s natural beauty to the greater community,” Turner said.
The mission of the California Trails Conference Foundation is to inspire recreational trail leadership through the annual California Trails and Greenways Conference in collaboration with California Department of State Parks.
The website is located at konoctitrails.com. Besides finding trails for hiking, horseback or bike riding, and paddling, visitors can sign up for the email/newsletter distribution list, trails events notifications and volunteer opportunities.
