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Published on: March 7, 2019
Health Impact Assessment, Physical Activity and Federal Lands Trail Policy
Sally M Davis1, Theresa H Cruz2, Richard L Kozoll3
1Professor and Director, Prevention Research Center and Professor of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
Objectives:
The objectives of this paper are to describe the application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) to inform trail decisions affecting a rural, under-resourced community and propose the routine integration of HIAs to enhance NEPA environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for trail decisions on federal lands.
Methods:
Screening, scoping, assessment, recommendations, reporting, monitoring and evaluation are being used to examine the health impact of trail location and design.
Results:
HIA recommendations are being integrated into the public lands National Environmental Protection Act process for planning access to a new segment of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Potential users from a nearby rural New Mexico community and a region of almost one million may benefit from this HIA-informed planning.
Conclusions:
HIA can be integrated into the policy and decision-making process for trails on public lands.
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