Barney Scout Mann
By: Barney Mann, Board President, Partnership for the National Trails System
In December 2018, I was elected as Board President of the Partnership for the National Trails System—a position held by Liz Bergeron since 2012. I am 67 and incredibly busy, like many of you, so the challenge of my retirement is saying “no” often enough. But I said “yes” to the Partnership. Why?
Because people I trust asked me to serve. Because maybe I can help the Partnership reach the next level. Because I want you to join me. Because my wife, whom I followed for 2,650 miles on the PCT, said, “You need to do this.” Because to me, the Partnership is a bantamweight boxer punching far above its weight. Since my first Hike the Hill in 2008, I’ve thought, “Why have so few heard of this organization that accomplishes so much?”
The Partnership is a prime mover in convincing Congress to provide more than $81 million over the past five years from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to protect our trails. The Partnership, with our Federal partners, helps set national trail policy. Together with American Hiking Society, our Hike the Hill advocacy week binds nearly all our 34 member trail organizations, with over 100 of us fanning out to most every congressional and agency office. The Partnership sponsors internships, fosters best practices, and holds training opportunities.
I said “yes,” because I saw all this, and I saw the potential for so much more. What a force we can be.
Barney Scout Mann serves as the President of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, is a writer and author of books about the CDT and PCT, and is an avid hiker. His Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2017 completed the Triple Crown, and up next are the Alps, Patagonia, and Arizona Trail. He welcomed a new grandson and has three adult children, two of them married and the wedding for the third is June 29. He and his wife also host over 1,300 starting PCT hikers over a span of eight weeks.
Barney wrote lyrics naming all 30 national scenic and historic in alphabetical order and led the PNTS community in song during the 2019 Hike the Hill board meeting.
These Trails are Your Trails (Tune: This Land is Your Land…)
These trails are your trails, these trails are my trails,
From Ala Kahakai to Washington Rochambeau,
But there are thirty! Can we name them,
Come on and sing their names with me.
Ala Kahakai and Appalachian, Arizona and California,
Captain John Smith Chesapeake and the Continental Divide,
El Camino Real de los Tejas and El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
Takes a big breath to sing the rest with me.
Florida, Ice Age and Iditarod, Juan Batista de Anza and Lewis and Clark,
Mormon Pioneer and Natchez Trace, New England and Nez Perce
North Country and Old Spanish, Oregon and Overmountain Victory
These trails were made for you and me.
Pacific Crest and Pacific Northwest, Pony Express and Potomac Heritage
The Santa Fe, and Selma to Montgomery
Star Spangled Banner, Trail of Tears and Washington Rochambeau
We’ve done it, 30 trails from sea to sea.
Unless otherwise indicated, all material in Pathways Across America is public domain. All views expressed herein are perspectives of individuals working on behalf of the National Trails System and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of the Federal agencies.
