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Thru-Hiking and Covid-19: Continental Divide Trail
by Francesca Governali Community Engagement Coordinator, Continental Divide Trail Coalition Covid-19 had a significant impact on much of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) in 2020 and we continue to adapt as vaccines are rolled out and guidance in our trail States changes. We saw a…
Virtual Success: Star-Spangled Banner NHT
by Kate Marks Hardy, Partnership Coordinator/Trail Manager, Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail With all the 2020 school and public outreach programs for the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail (SSBNHT) cancelled due to Covid-19, Trail staff looked to collaborate with other organizations to reach audiences virtually. …
Virtual Success: Overmountain Victory NHT
by Tom Vaughan, Treasurer, Overmountain Victory Trail Association In the words of Robert Burns: “… In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy!” Our best…
Virtual Success: Appalachian NST
by Alivia Acosta, Volunteer Development Coordinator, Appalachian Trail Conservancy The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) invited people from across the country to join them on an amazing Appalachian Trail (AT) Ed-Venture Series. Starting in Georgia and traveling all the way north to Maine, each session was led…
North Country Trail 2021 Hike 100 Challenge
by Kate Lemon, Marketing + Communications Coordinator, North Country Trail Association Since 2016, thousands of North Country Trail (NCT) users have signed up for and completed the annual Hike 100 Challenge, one free program offered by the North Country Trail Association (NCTA). Each year this…
New Federal Trail GIS Schema Template Makes Data Sharing Easier
by Kerry Shakarjian, GIS Specialist, National Park Service, Alaska There are 30 Congressionally designated National Scenic and Historic Trails (National Trails) covering more than 55,000 miles in total. The National Trails connect with 70 Wildlife Refuges, 80 National Parks, 90 Bureau of Land Management areas,…
Connectivity Analysis Tool for Trail Land Protection Planning Launched
Adapted from The Connectivity Analysis Final Report by Don Owen. Fifty years after the passage of the National Trails System Act, many critically important landscapes and resources of the National Trails System lack any legal protection. Between 2013 and 2017, PNTS participated in a Collaborative…
Hike the Hill 2021: Addressing a New Administration
In March 2021, PNTS and its long-time partner, the American Hiking Society, led the 24th annual Hike the Hill® as a virtual event. Even a pandemic couldn’t hinder Hike the Hill®, nor could it hamper participants’ enthusiasm or the event’s efficacy. What is normally a…
National Trail Nonprofits Persevere in 2020
When Covid-19 led to the shutdown of many offices in early 2020, trail organizations were justifiably concerned about the impact that might have on their programming, volunteerism, and annual giving. Many fundraising events were cancelled or quickly pivoted to digital formats. In-person volunteer programs including…
Rose, Bud, Thorn: Growing from the Lessons of 2020-21
Executive Director’s Report: As the soft fuzz and bright blooms of Spring cover the Mid-Atlantic, the change of seasons harkens the end of what seemed to be a particularly long winter—one that kept us distanced from one another due to the lingering pandemic. It’s said…
