Pacific Northwest NST 2017 Highlights

Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA)

OUTREACH

  • Anniversary — Celebrated the 40th anniversary of both the founding of the PNTA and the first five end-to-end hikes of the trail with a keynote by PNT/PNTA founder Ron Strickland, an amphitheater screening of “A Sense of Direction,” a pop-up PNT museum and interpretive center, two guided hikes, and a supporter campout.
  • Interpretive Ranger Internship — Developed a comprehensive guide to PNT day hikes for website; guided 12 interpretive hikes and developed interpretive packets to train future staff and volunteers to recreate these hikes.
  • Documentation — Published new mapset for 2017 with refined centerline data and detailed notes to aid users in trip planning and to promote Leave No Trace practices.

PROTECTION

  • Planning — Worked with regional planning committees and local land managers to identify opportunities for securing long-term access for and stewardship of the trail corridor; participated in the Baker to Bellingham recreation planning process to advocate for the use of State trust lands in the refinement of the PNT corridor.
  • Rerouting — Identified and secured preliminary approval to move forward with three important trail relocations which will realign the trail corridor through Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest while eliminating 27 miles of roads from the PNT; partnered with regional trail groups to draft and sign trail maintenance commitments in support of the development of a trail relocation through Anderson Lake State Park to eliminate several miles of dangerous roads from the PNT along SR 20; supported local land trust in the pursuit of a conservation easement along the Similkameen River that would replace several miles of roads with new nonmotorized single track in Okanogan County.

CAPACITY

  • Internships — Funded a Western Washington University internship to develop an interpretive plan for the trail; funded an AmeriCorps internship in partnership with the Mount Adams Institute to create day hikes of the PNT resources and guided hikes; supported an internship in partnership with the USFS and University of Montana to study trail use in Western Montana.
  • Membership — Grew to 218 percent of previous year total through new member incentives and retention strategy.

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