With enthusiastic new trail users now seeking more ways to be active and find peace in nature, our Steward program is in even higher demand than ever before. We have a responsibility to teach Leave No Trace principles to protect visitors and protect the land. Preparing novice hikers to responsibly enjoy the outdoors will be…
No more boots will be lost in the mud at The Outlet at Terrace Pond thanks to a floating walkway and the efforts of volunteers. Terrace Pond, an area of great natural beauty, is a popular hiking destination in Wawayanda State Park. It draws people of all ages and experience levels to enjoy some of the finest scenery that…
The Trail Conference welcomes Melissa, Tracy, and Kylie to our trail family. Tracy Arcella Tracy Arcella joined the Trail Conference staff in January as Field Trail Builder. Her love of nature and the outdoors began at an early age and led her to study biology at the College of William and Mary and the University of…
With the increased use of outdoor recreational spaces and natural areas, stewardship of our public lands and wild places has become more important than ever. Despite recent hurdles to in-person field activities, the Trail Conference’s Ecological Stewardship team has made a remarkable push to share the value of caring for native habitats, as well as educate the public about ways…
In 2019, Trail Conference volunteers and Corps members dedicated an incredible 102,952 hours of service to achieving our mission. They came together to build bridges, remove invasive species, assemble maps, and guide trail users—all to provide access to the beautiful lands that our original volunteers and founders strove to protect a century ago. While we…
As the Trail Conference prepares to mark our centennial this October, we’re turning the spotlight on some of our longest-serving volunteers for reflections on their time with the organization. Estelle Anderson + Robert (Bob) Jonas Estelle’s roles: Bob’s roles: Local Trail Chair: CentralNorth Jersey; SawyerCommittee Chair; TrailSupervisor: Central NorthJersey Morristown Local Trail Chair: CentralNorth Jersey;…
The eye-opening death of George Floyd has made so many organizations stand up and say, “Enough. We must change.” The Trail Conference was one of those voices. Our passive approach to diversity, equity, equality, and inclusion (DEEI) for the past 99 years has contributed to society’s acceptance of discrimination and racism. In January, the Trail…
The injustice faced by Black communities across America has made the need to listen, learn, reflect, and change imperative. All aspects of society must examine their behavior and do better. This includes the Trail Conference, particularly if we are to hold true to our mission and values. We have been listening to the conversation and reflecting…
Finally, what you’ve all been waiting for: 13 years since the last revision, the new, 8th edition of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Trail Maintenance Manual (TMM) is now available at nynjtc.org/tmm! This edition was written by a committee of the Trail Conference’s Policy Council consisting of Walt Daniels, Bob Gurion, Phil Heidelberger (subcommittee chair),…
Thanks to your generosity, over $11,000 was raised and then matched by the Haas Family during our Earth Week campaign. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FSBiQagP8 Your support funded our innovative efforts to digitally train our volunteer force in sustainable trail building, maintenance, and invasive species identification, which enabled us to hit the ground running as fieldwork resumed. Thank you for “paying it forward” and doing your part…
Subaru is committed to giving back to local charities and doing their part to protect the environment. That philanthropic spirit is helping to fuel the training and support of Trail Conference volunteers this season. Liberty Family of Dealerships Shares the Love During Subaru of America’s annual Share the Love event, Liberty Subaru in Emerson, N.J., named the Trail Conference as a…
In this time of uncertainty, one thing that has been clear is just how essential the Trail Conference is to our region. Like never before, our partners, government officials, and communities have been looking to us for guidance on safely visiting parks and trails. We know that through this pandemic, we are safest at home. But we…
