HCCGFC-2009-2010 | Environmental Funders Network

Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County

Purpose: To bridge the gap between health and environment through programs for youth and families that promote outdoor physical activity.
Partners: Healthy Community Coalition, The Center for Community GIS.
2011 Award: $46,000
2010 Award: $60,000
2009 Award: $75,000, 3 year request Read the 2009 proposal (PDF)

HCC - geocaching project

Mapping Our Footsteps is a highly collaborative project that includes Healthy Community Coalition (HCC) and the Center for Community GIS (CCGIS). The overall goal of the project is to deepen the knowledge of Quality of Place assets to stimulate their use to create social, educational, and economic benefits. To accomplish this goal the project works to: build and/or strengthen community networks with a focus on the engagement of youth and their families; develop a knowledge base relating to the Quality of Place assets in Greater Franklin County; and establish a new, more integrated system for information management and dissemination using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a platform.

The project engages area youth and their families, and community organizations that work with youth and families, in the use of cutting-edge digital mapping technologies. Participants physically explore trails and towns in order to inventory and map key assets across the county that include hiking trails, recreational sites, points of cultural interest, and heritage sites. This initiative has the added benefits of encouraging environmental stewardship, service to communities, and increasing physical activity. In order to engage the public in the project, HCC and its partners work closely with schools, students, parents, business leaders, and others to enlist and train youth, their families, and adults who work with youth to participate.

During Year One, Mapping Our Footsteps exceeded its goal for project participation, with over 100 community members and volunteers participating in various events, including trail mapping and historical community walks. Also during Year One several new, unplanned partners became involved in Mapping Our Footsteps. During a free GPS training open to the public, the Maine Department of Conservation Forestry Service volunteered GPS units and instructors. The Phillips Public Library donated the use of its space and internet access for HCC to host its Year One Mapping Our Footsteps Celebration on May 22, 2010. Former University of Maine Professor, Dr. William Berry, agreed to take part in the celebration as a local knowledge expert, giving a detailed account on the history of the Phillips Railroad Trail.

As result of this phenomenal community participation, the Maine Trail Finder website (www.mainetrailfinder.com) launched in June 2009 featuring 30 trails all mapped by volunteer efforts. This interactive website allows for real time information to be uploaded about trails around Greater Franklin County including current pictures, weather conditions, and trail maintenance. EFN funding not only enabled the launching of Maine Trail Finder; it gave the website an important mark of credibility in the eyes of other state agencies and non-profits.

During Year Two, HCC will work to: improve the marketing of the Greater Franklin County’s “Quality of Place” by partnering with local businesses, chambers of commerce, and towns; increase the number of trail listings and the functionality of the website so there will be better engagement of trail managers and land owners to impact trail stewardship; increase collaborative activity / involve community resource organizations to promote the region’s “Quality of Place” assets; and increase youth, family and community member engagement in physical activity.

Through its participation in Mapping Our Footsteps, HCC has stepped outside the realm of public health, learning how to effectively partner with non-public health organizations including local landowners, land trusts and cultural and historical societies. HCC has networked with other EFN grant recipients and learned organically about land conservation, stewardship and environmental collaboration. Through these connections, HCC and partner CCGIS are well equipped to expand on this grant initiative, generate sustainable volunteerism, and engage more property owners on public land use.