The Trail Lands Protection Program accelerated in 1991 when John Myers was selected to work as coordinator. Coming to the Trail Conference with a strong professional background in land trust work, John's efforts to date have opened or permanently protected over 200 miles of trails, while preserving many thousands of acres of landscape buffering the trails. To accomplish this, he, together with a number of volunteers, contacted 355 property owners and negotiated 175 agreements -- including revocable agreements, easements, purchases and donations. In the process, John and others have worked with over 45 different federal, state and local government agencies and land trusts. Currently, John is working on 55 "properties in progress," primarily on the Appalachian Trail, Long Path, NY-NJ Highlands Trail, and Shawangunk Ridge Trail.