Four dimensions of sustainable governance for National Scenic Trails

Sustainable management of protected areas requires attention to the structures, processes, institutions, and funding mechanisms that support them. When protected areas transcend multiple jurisdictions and landownerships, effective governance requires engagement of multiple institutions. In the United States, 11 National Scenic Trails (NSTs) extend across multiple states, landownerships, and jurisdictions, with regional and national partnerships enhancing management capacity. Trail governance requires a systems approach – coordinating among governmental and nongovernmental partners at multiple scales. We conducted 17 interviews with NST administrators and partners and gathered secondary data about trail characteristics and governance to explore existing trail capacities. Here, we explore NSTs along four dimensions of governance that shape trail management: structural and foundational elements, landownership regimes, trail funding, and partnerships. Understanding these dimensions can inform managers of NSTs and other protected areas crossing multiple jurisdictions, helping them recognize strengths and gaps in institutional form and capacity, and strategies for effective governance.