One of New York State Park’s Commissioners once said, “Don’t hide your uglies; let people know you have problems. Then tell how you will fix them, and go and do it.” She led one of the biggest efforts to improve NYS parks—and it’s time the Trail Conference followed her lead. As the Trail Conference prepares
Trails in the Catskills are cared for by volunteers who are outdoor-lovers just like you! Late last year, the Trail Conference signed a new 5-year Catskill Forest Preserve Trail and Lean-to Maintenance Volunteer Service Agreement (VSA) with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). This renewed commitment comes at a time when visitation and tourism to the area
At its July meeting, the New Jersey Highlands Council voted to award a contract to the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference to provide digital mapping and to create a trail and roadside signage system for the New Jersey portion of the Highlands Trail. The project is expected to be finished by early 2021. “The New Jersey portion of
Thank you for giving back to the trails you love by supporting the Trail Conference’s mission. Great trail experiences are made possible through the passion and generosity of outdoor enthusiasts who know the value of connecting with nature—people like you! Thanks to the support of our trail community, we raised more than $39,000 in two
This past spring, in the Catskill Mountains just north of the Forest Preserve, one of our partner organizations, the Long Path North Hiking Club (LPNHC), identified the need to replace rotted raised bog treads on the Long Path in Schoharie County. Marcus Capobianco of Boy Scout Troop 56 in Lawyersville, N.Y., answered the call for help with his proposal to design
January 2021 Update: The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference supports the Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) and NYC Parks’ Stewardship to run the NYC Parks Trail Maintainer Program. NYC Parks Trail Maintainers are a group of advanced volunteers who steward and maintain NYC’s nature trails to improve the overall health of the city’s diverse natural areas. Becoming an NYC Parks
Inwood Hill Park on the northern tip of Manhattan has seen a lot of positive change in the past two years. I visited the park in 2017 for a scouting expedition to determine what trail work might be needed to bring the trails up to a higher-quality user experience. I’ll admit that as I walked
Our 2019 Trail Conference Conservation Corps crews are hard at work protecting your parks! The Trail Conference Conservation Corps trains, enables, and empowers future conservation leaders by teaching sustainable trail building and stewardship techniques. This year’s Conservation Corps crews include: Our Corps crews engage and teach community volunteers on the responsible use and care of open space
Thank you to all who came out to celebrate and give back to the trails! On June 1, nature lovers and outdoor adventurers throughout the region joined the Trail Conference and our partners to celebrate and give back to trails in honor of National Trails Day. Created by the American Hiking Society, National Trails Day is observed
Our long-time Executive Director, Edward Goodell, has left his position with the Trail Conference. We wish him continued success as he pursues new career opportunities. We thank him for his dedicated service and the growth of the Trail Conference during his 18 years as Executive Director, including securing our award-winning home in the historic Darlington
The Trail Conference is committed to educating and assisting the public in the safe, enjoyable, and responsible use of trails. One of the most successful ways we accomplish this is through our Trail Steward program. This season, Trail Stewards serving through the Trail Conference Conservation Corps will be stationed on the summits of Slide Mountain and Giant Ledge in the Catskills, on the Appalachian Trail at Bear
The Trail Conference expands efforts to protect parks and trails from the threat of invasive species. The Lower Hudson PRISM (our local Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) is a group of more than 50 organizations and concerned individuals who work together with funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to prevent or minimize the harm
