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Brenda Yankoviak selected as Acting USFS Trails Program Lead

by Partnership for the National Trails System Adapted from emails from the U.S. Forest Service The U.S. Forest Service has announced that Brenda Yankoviak has stepped into the role of Acting National Trails Program Lead as of June 8. Brenda has worked around the west…

STEP into trail crossings

STEP into trail crossings FHWA promotes Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) program by Becky Crowe, Transportation Specialist, Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety Shared use paths and trails are popular with pedestrians and cyclists, and trail-roadway crossings are increasingly important locations to consider for…

“The National Trails System—An Illustrated History” by Steve Elkinton

by Steve Elkinton, Author The National Trails System: How did it happen? Steve Elkinton’s book, “The National Trails System—An Illustrated History,” traces the origins of long-distance trails across America, ties them to the cutting-edge conservation legislation of the 1960s and Earth Day, and explains how…

The Partnership on the move – by Barney Scout Mann

As I write this the Partnership stands at the edge of a cliff, is ready to jump, and—I believe—will soar. How long have we discussed a move to Washington, D.C.? Now, we are on the verge of signing a lease—a great location, a space that…

Raising our voices for trails – by Kathy DeCoster

There is exciting news to report! As part of its return to “regular order” legislation, the U.S. Senate voted to pass the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) on June 17. This bipartisan legislation to fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund is…

A time of accelerated change for the Partnership – by Karen Crossley

The Partnership for the National Trails System continues to sail forward amidst stormy seas. We face myriad uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as societal unrest and upheaval associated with recent events and the Black Lives Matter movement. We are paying attention. And…

Reflections in retirement: PNTS founding Executive Director and Federal agency ‘Trail Buds’ reconnect

Reflections in retirement PNTS founding Executive Director and Federal agency ‘Trail Buds’ reconnect by Samantha Haas, Communications Coordinator, Partnership for the National Trails System (Interviews conducted virtually June 17, 2020) Last summer, when the Partnership for the National Trails System announced the forthcoming retirement of…

Bio: Gary Werner

Gary Werner Partnership for the National Trails System: 29 Years In 1958, when Gary was 10 years old, his father read “My Boyhood and Youth” by John Muir and connected with the Sierra Club in San Francisco. There was no organized Sierra Club activity in…

Bio: Rita Hennessy

Rita Hennessy National Park Service: 30 Years In fifth grade, Rita read the “Bears and I” by Robert Franklin Leslie — a story of a guy homesteading in Alaska and raising three abandoned bear cubs. She was hooked. “I will become a park ranger,” she…

Bio: Jaime Schmidt

Jaime Schmidt U.S. Forest Service: 31 Years Jaime has always loved trails. She grew up hiking, camping, and spending time outdoors in the Pacific Northwest with her family, including backpacking portions of the PCT in Oregon. When she was young and visiting Glacier National Park…