2020 Appalachian National Scenic Trail Highlights

Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)

OUTREACH

Education —

ATC launched a new virtual Ed-Venture Series, hosted bi-monthly for young people, taught by environmental educators and partners. Participation ranged from 25 – 150 engaged participants on Zoom and Facebook Live, and metrics for the series on the ATC’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube platforms range from 1,500 to 100,000 impressions per video. 

In northern Georgia, 19 NextGen Forest Ambassadors completed a series of four virtual group sessions and chose two of five sessions. Two alumni and seven mentors supported the group, and sessions covered a variety of topics from the Cherokee language and stories, to birding and tree identification.

Community — $150,000 from the Community Impact Fund supported new projects promoting social, economic, and land justice in eight counties of southeastern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia. Seven community organizations, schools, and municipal/county agencies will activate a variety of projects and people.

PROTECTION

Grants — ATC’s Wild East Action Fund, through the A.T. Landscape Partnership, awarded $671,000 in ten land protection and twelve capacity building grants, leveraging nearly 55,000 acres of conserved lands. 

Land — Acquisitions include: 58 acre Doll Branch Tract adjacent to the A.T. at Hump Mt., TN and 600 acres in the Mcafee Knob foreground, and Bald Mountain Pond in Maine. 

CAPACITY

Strategy — 

ATC reorganized to establish an Advancement Team comprised of communications, membership, development, education, and outreach.

ATC launched a strategic plan for 2021-2023