Whether it be a jaunt in the woods, a visit to a historical landmark, or a road trip across the country there is no denying that many if not most American\u2019s have stepped foot on or traveled along\u00a0at least one of our national trails.<\/p>\n As we continue to work towards the preservation and completion of this trails system, it is important to know that there is still a great deal of work to be done. This is why we head to Washington each year with the American Hiking Society<\/a> and fellow partners to \u201cHike the Hill.\u201d<\/p>\n Hike the Hill \u00ae is a week-long event that provides opportunities for participants\u00a0to advocate for the protection, completion, and funding of our NTS.<\/p>\n Throughout the week citizen advocates speak with members of Congress, congressional\u00a0staff, and leaders of the federal land managing agencies. Through these conversations we\u00a0learn how to better work together, continue to provide education and advocate for important issues and legislation, and plan for the future of our NTS.<\/p>\n One of the ways we use our voice in Washington is by speaking with Congress about legislation that positively affects the NTS. Some of the key\u00a0legislation currently being considered is as follows:<\/p>\n Furthermore, we believe that\u00a0greater federal funding for the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and USDA Forest Service’s trails program will\u00a0help leverage our ability to care for, connect, and protect our NTS.\u00a0In 2015 alone, for every federal dollar provided the return on investment equaled 1.5:1\u2014thanks to volunteer stewardship of the trails. In total, over 1,000,000 hours of volunteer service were documented<\/a>\u00a0along the NTS, which equates to a value of over $24,750,000. Furthermore, private contributions from the national trails organizations for the NTS totaled over $12,390,000.\u00a0However, as incredible as these contributions are, they are not enough to fully develop and sustain our trails.<\/p>\n Full funding of the LWCF and greater funding for the agencies’ trail programs by Congress will help to provide means to close missing links, protect high-priority recreational and historic areas, and fund additional maintenance and necessary resources to already existing trails.<\/p>\n We are excited to continue to partner with the National Park Service (NPS) in celebration of the NPS Centennial, while also preparing for the celebration of the National Trails System Act’s 50th<\/sup> anniversary in 2018.<\/p>\n After this year\u2019s trip to Washington, we are confident that big things are ahead for the NTS.\u00a0If Hike the Hill teaches us one thing, it\u2019s that when we use our voices together, they become amplified.<\/p>\n You can make a difference too. Providing a voice for our trails and public lands is key to ensuring they\u00a0are available for generations to come. There is no doubt that nature\u2019s pristine beauty is evident to all those who use it, but for those who are yet to discover this beauty, it is up to us to magnify its voice.<\/p>\n Learn more about\u00a0contacting Congress<\/a>\u00a0to express support for our National Trails System.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pnts.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/National-Trails-map-1.jpg\")
\nAbove: Map of National Trails System. View full map <\/span>here<\/a><\/p>\nA Week in Washington<\/h4>\n
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\nAbove: US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell speaks with Hike the Hill attendees at the Sidney Yates Building, headquarters of the USDA Forest Service<\/span><\/p>\nThe Big Picture<\/h4>\n
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\nThis is one of the most well known pieces of bi-partisan legislation that relates to the National Trails System. The LWCF provides funding that allows for protection and completion of critical sections of trails. Revenue from offshore drilling for oil and gas helps to fund\u00a0various conservation projects, with no cost to tax-payers. Currently the LWCF will exist for the next three years. We believe, however, that LWCF should be permanently authorized and fully funded at $900 million annually. The LWCF is crucial to the future of our trails.<\/li>\n
\nThis bi-partisan act would help to decrease the backlog of work needed to be done to maintain the trails on National Forests by\u00a0increasing opportunities for\u00a0volunteers and partners to maintain them.<\/li>\n
\nThis bi-partisan act would change how the federal government budgets for the suppression of wildfire disasters by treating\u00a0wildfires like other U.S. disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Clean-up and other responses to these events is funded by the\u00a0Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) budget. This act would fund more of wildfire suppression costs from the FEMA budget rather than the U.S. Forest Service budget.<\/li>\n
\nThis bi-partisan act would restore the authority to facilitate the sale of not needed\u00a0federal land by the Bureau of Land Management\u00a0in order to provide funding to purchase high-priority land for conservation and outdoor recreation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pnts.org\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/MG_2307.jpg\")
\nAbove: Lewis Trout (Pacific Northwest Trail Association), Tom Reveley, and Mike Dawson (Pacific Crest Trail Association) pose for a picture outside of the Cannon House of Representatives building)<\/span><\/p>\nMoving Forward<\/h4>\n
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\nAbove: Judy Bittner (Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance), Denise Ryan (National Park Service\u00a0Deputy Director for Congressional and External Relations), Gary Werner (Partnership for the National Trails System), Elizabeth Stewart (Anza Trail Coalition), and Chelsea Bodamer (Partnership for the National Trails System) pose for a picture at the Department of Interior South Building<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThank You<\/h4>\n