UPDATE 3/20/2020: PNTS Cancels Spring National Trails Workshop
Regrettably, we have decided by consensus among PNTS leadership and workshop leads to cancel the Partnership’s Spring National Trails Workshop scheduled for May 18-22, 2020 at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. This is highly unfortunate and yet we believe the right decision under these unusual circumstances.
We want to recognize Teresa Martinez, Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, and the Spring workshop team who worked hard and produced an agenda with great vision. We know this group will do what they can to help ensure that the work and ideas are not lost in our future events.
In light of this cancellation decision, we ask you to participate in a brief survey that will help inform our future plans and assist us in considering options for:
- Rescheduling the Spring workshop physically or virtually
- Integrating elements of our Spring workshop vision into plans for the Fall workshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina (scheduled for October 26-30, 2020)
- Determining what content is most important and valuable to you
Please take the survey HERE by April 12, 2020.
We also would like to call attention at this time to our ongoing efforts to keep the trails community informed during these challenging times.
As you know, the COVID-19 situation is evolving quickly. Public health experts urgently advise those at lower risk of illness to take proactive precautionary measures (like social distancing, self-quarantining when sick, washing hands) not just to protect themselves, but to protect the most vulnerable and slow the spread of the disease. Learn more about the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Partnership has created a page dedicated to tracking COVID-19. https://pnts.org/new/covid-19-
The Partnership for the National Trails System, to the best of its ability, will be posting updates to this page regarding national scenic and historic trail organization responses, guidelines, policies, event cancellations, related news articles, and resources. Please make sure to check social media or individual websites for up-to-date information, and contact the trail organizations and corresponding federal agencies directly if you have questions.
If you would like something shared to this page, please email Samantha Haas, PNTS Communications Coordinator, at communication@pnts.org.
If you have any questions concerning this email or this decision, please contact Karen Crossley, PNTS Interim Executive Director, at (608) 249-7870 (office), (608) 770-1641 (cell) or karen@pnts.org.
Challenging times make us more aware of how much we value our family, friends and colleagues. We hope that you all are staying safe.
With great appreciation,
Partnership for the National Trails System
Barney Scout Mann, Board President
Karen Crossley, Interim Executive Director
RG Absher, Trail Leaders Council Chair
UPDATE 3/13/2020: Special Update Regarding May Workshop – Coronavirus
Trail friends, advocates and partners: As you know, the COVID-19 situation is evolving quickly. At this point, we have not canceled our workshop for May in New Mexico. We have set a go/no go date in April and will announce the decision at that time.
We understand that people have to make decisions about travel and families and other obligations. If the workshop is held, we will try to make sure that the variety of outcomes and thinking get shared with our community.
Coronavirus is a social and economic justice issue, as well as a health crisis. Public health experts urgently advise those at lower risk of illness to take proactive precautionary measures (like social distancing, self-quarantining when sick, washing hands) not just to protect themselves, but to protect the most vulnerable and slow the spread of the disease (see here).
Check back for additional updates!