About

Bob Richards developed a passion for nature and trails early in his childhood where the “woods” were at the end of the street six houses away. His passion grew in the Boy Scouts where he earned the 200 miler merit badge. His achievement included hiking 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Bob graduated with a B. S. in Forestry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus.

After college Bob joined the State of Tennessee first at Falls Creek Falls State Park, then at Savage Gulf Natural Area. He built 100+ miles of hiking trails, 12 backcountry campsites, three major trailhead areas, and was part of the team acquiring over 6,600 acres of land.

Since then, Bob has worked with local, state and federal agencies, and non-profit groups on greenway and trail design, development, operations, management and maintenance. This includes parks and recreation facilities and natural resource management. His responsibilities included federal Recreational Trails Program oversight, managing state and federal grant programs with development of grant applications, preparing budgets and project scopes, project management and onsite inspections of grant projects. He oversaw $20 million in grant funds awarded, contracts executed, and projects either completed or under way.

Bob is recognized for his creative ideas when developing partnerships in order to find funding for park and trail projects.

Bob is a small business owner doing private garden and tree projects. He is certified as a Master Trail Builder by Trail Design Specialists, Inc., a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), and has been a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). He is an experienced trainer for trail construction and maintenance workshops and develops trail assessment and maintenance plans.

Knowledgeable in the 2013 Final Accessibility Guideline requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Outdoor Developed Areas and Trails, Bob provides guidance and on site assistance for facility compliance.

Download Bob's resumé.

News

Bob Richards Wins Bob Brown Lifetime Achievement Award From Tennessee Trails Association

Robert (Bob) Richards of Nashville, who has worked for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation as the Tennessee Greenways and Trails coordinator for the past 11 years, was presented Bob Brown lifetime Achievement Award by Tennessee Trails Association at that groups’ annual meeting in fall of 2016.

Richards started with the state of Tennessee in 1974 as a seasonal naturalist at Fall Creek Falls State Park and then started his trail career there in 1975. In 1976, he transferred to Savage Gulf State Natural Area and was the project manager for 85 miles of trails, nine backcountry campsites and the Stone Door and Savage Creek trailheads, including Fiery Gizzard Trail and the Buggytop Trail in South Cumberland State Recreation Area.

His 30-plus years career in trails also includes working with the Friends of Beaman Park in northwest Davidson County where he was a volunteer project manager for a wood trail bridge, two miles of hiking trails and the Federal Highways Administration Recreational Trails Program funded Accessible Trail project that won the 2013 Coalition for Recreational Trails national award for accessible trails.

At the end of 2016, RIchards retired from the state of Tennessee and relocated to Knoxville where he plans to continue trail work in various projects across the state.

Beaman Park Trail Wins National Award

State Trails Administrator Bob Richards, right, and Nancy Dorman, president of the Friends of Beaman Park, in Washington, D.C., with the award from the Coalition for Recreation Trails Award presented to Beaman Park in Davidson County for the accessible trail built by volunteers coordinated by the friends group. The grant was administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's division of Recreation Educational Services. Dorman, who works as program manager for Tennessee State Parks and Richards, who works for TDEC/RES, worked as volunteers on the project. (Photo Courtesy of the Friends of Beaman Park)

The Friends of Beaman Park recently received a national award from the Coalition for Recreation Trails for the Beaman Park Handicap Accessible and Interpretive Trail at Beaman Park in Davidson County.

The centerpiece of the project at Beaman Park was the construction of a 300 foot long boardwalk which connects to the nature center then loops back on a 300 foot long, barrier free firm surface trail creating a quarter mile loop. The project also includes decks and seating for park visitors to sit and enjoy the quiet wooded setting.

To make the project possible, the Friends of Beaman Park were awarded an $85,000 grant from the Federal Highways Administration RTP program in 2009. The Friends of Beaman Park also received a $20,000 grant from the Memorial Foundation of Hendersonville, which provided the required match for the RTP funds.

Seven trail projects from across the country were chosen as recipients in the 15th Annual Achievement Awards in recognition for the outstanding use of Recreational Trails Program funds. The awards were presented at a special Capitol Hill ceremony in Washington, D.C., in June, as part of the celebration of Great Outdoors Week 2013. On hand to receive the award were Nancy Dorman, president of the Friends of Beaman Park and Bob Richards, state trails administrator with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

According to LinnAnn Welch, nature center manager at Beaman Park and Bells Bend Park,"This project would never have happened without the hard work and determination of our friends group." The Friends of Beaman Park provided grant administration and served as the volunteer coordinators on the project. "They were committed to providing volunteer labor for as much of the project as possible, further stretching the benefit and value that the project provided to our community," reports Welch. Over the course of the three-year project, volunteers included members of the Nashville Hiking Meetup, the Tennessee Trails Association, Vanderbilt and Belmont University students, the Davidson County Sheriff's Department Inmate Labor Crew, Hands on Nashville, and two Eagle Scout projects.

The Coalition for Recreational Trails is a national organization representing the nation's major trail interests.

Beaman Park is owned and managed by the Metro Nashville Parks Department. The Friends of Beaman Park is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1996.

— from The Tennessee Conservationist, November/December 2013

Testimonials

“Mr. Richards has been an invaluable resource for our firm at TDEC, and has given guidance and assistance in varying stages of grant development. His help involving the NEPA review process was critical in getting the review completed in a timely and comprehensive way. Bob is willing to offer assistance in any way he can, and he is an excellent colleague and friend. He truly cares about making a positive impact on communities in Tennessee, and his knowledge on Trail & Greenway systems is unmatched. Bob is a great communicator, and is willing to go above and beyond his job description to make a project go.”

Will Hargrove Associate Project Designer at Farmer | Morgan, LLC.

“I can't say enough about Bob Richards, the Greenways and Trails Coordinator for the State of Tennessee.. We first met in 2006 at a SW Virginia conference in Abingdon, VA where the focus of the conference was using trail systems as economic drivers and he has been my mentor ever since. ”

“Throughout the past ten years, we have consulted each other several times on trail systems development ideas and the positive impacts trails have had in Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. His breadth and depth of understanding of trails and trail programs such as the federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) far exceeds anyone I have ever met. ”

“He has also been extremely successful in engaging people across Tennessee to develop trails and has been tremendously helpful to me personally on trail initiatives my firm has undertaken in surrounding states. He has organized the biannual Tennessee Greenways and Trails Forums of which I have attended and found to be extremely informative and so worthwhile. And it was he that helped establish a database and map that now features nearly one thousand (1000) trails and greenways across Tennessee. I consider Bob Richards the guru on trails and give him my highest recommendations.”

Debby Spencer President at WMTH Corporation

“ It's rare that someone has as much knowledge and experience about greenways and trails like Bob. When it comes to greenways in the State of Tennessee, Bob is our go-to guy on any state or federal greenway issue. His knowledge base and experience in his position as TN Greenways and Trails Program Coordinator has been helpful to us as a firm providing greenway planning and design services on several projects since 2011. We always look to include Bob as a technical advisor on any TN park and greenway project. Of particular note was Bob's ability to provide insight into a phasing plan for the Yanahli Park Master Plan to best position the project for funding.”

David Tuch President of Equinox

“Bob is passionate about his work and it come through in the way he treated us. Our small little Parks and Recreation Department was just as important as the large metro areas. His attention to detail and knowledge of the processes where extremely helpful along the way. Bob was a valuable resource for my staff and I while I was Director of Parks and Recreations for the City of Mt. Juliet. I look forward to working with Bob in the future.”

Jay Cameli, RLA Principal at Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.

“Bob Richards is a great help to Greenways for Nashville volunteering his personal time to help our program with TrailWatch and other greenways efforts. Bob does a great job promoting us, along with other trail organizations throughout the state, with the connectwithtn.com website. I know when Greenways needs a hand, he will be there. ”

Renee Bates Artist

“I have worked with Bob Richards, our TN State Greenways and Trails Coordinator, in a number of capacities, including planning the American Trails Conference in 2010 and continuing efforts to promote and protect Tennessee's trails and natural and built resources. Bob is a dedicated, committed professional in all ways. ”

Ruth Thompson Communications and Outreach Manager at Thrive Regional Partnership

“Bob is a wealth of information about best management practices for parks and trails, and he generously shares his extensive knowledge. His advice ranges from big picture, long-range planning to practical, on-the-ground implementation. He is responsive and accessible, making time to answer every question and even offering kind words of encouragement when projects experience frustrating delays or problems. Bob is usually the first person I call for advice. ”

Tina Pierce Sullivan Executive Director at Overton Park Conservancy