The Power of Trails

Written By Robin LeBlanc

I am fortunate to have lived in Dover for three years now. We love so much about it, including the Community Trail, seen here in September. It is constantly used. People walk, run, walk their dogs, come in singles or twos or families. People go to work and walk their kids to school. Almost everyone says “hello”. For the most part, this part of the trail (a rail bed from an 1842 Rochester-Portsmouth train) is through trees, with peeks into back yards along the way. It’s very peaceful and a great place to go to get a nature fix. In fact, there are lots of trails throughout Dover - as there are all across the state.

These trails are wonderful assets to a community, and a tremendous benefit mentally to the individuals who take advantage of them. A planned trail is as much a part of the built environment as a building, and equally as important (if not more, sometimes) in its impact on the social and environmental fabrics of the town, and could even have a positive economic benefit. (Actually, an “outdoor economy” is an often over-looked or underestimated opportunity in many communities, including as a draw for expanding broader economic development. Remember, economic development is really about attracting the people who own or run or work in those businesses. Who do you want to set up shop where you live?

Robin LeBlanc

Robin has years of experience in teaching, marketing, business development, organizational leadership and facilitation. She has worked in municipalities, in universities, in corporations and in non-profits. Most recently, she was Executive Director of Plan NH, which focuses on the impact of the built environment on the fabrics of a community.

Robin is particularly interested in:

  • Facilitating conversations, especially exploratory ones, that might lead to positive change in a team or organization.

  • Guiding Strategic and other planning processes for small to medium organizations.

  • Assisting with workshop and/or conference planning and design so that attendees feel more connected to the topic or theme, to each other, and to the hosting organization.

Robin can be reached at robin@rhlstrategies.com.

https://www.rhlstrategies.com
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