New York State support for outdoor recreation is moving in a very good direction, recalling its long tradition of excellence. In the decade before the “Great Recession,” New York poured hundreds of millions into acquiring land, but park maintenance and capital projects seemed to languish. Since then, under the Cuomo administration, capital investments have averaged
It was a year of growth and opportunities for the Catskill Conservation Corps (CCC). We started out strong in 2015, working with the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) to eradicate knotweed from the area surrounding Russell Brook Falls. Throughout the season, the CCC conducted multiple litter pick-up events in heavily used locations such as
Trail Conference Annual Awards are determined by the Board of Directors upon recommendation by the Volunteer Committee. The following awards were given in 2015. Honorary Life Member: Conveys life member status and the right to vote at Delegate’s meetings. Usually given after long (greater than 20) years of extraordinary service to the Trail Conference. John Blenninger,
After 10 years of effort, newly conserved land in the Hudson Highlands will protect drinking water resources for Orange County and preserve a scenic natural area from regional development. The Open Space Institute purchased 405 acres of Mountain Lodge property, which will buffer the Highlands Trail and the Long Path. This will ensure that the
Northern New Jersey’s Ramapo Mountain State Forest reopened today following a two-week closure for monitoring of unusual black bear activity in the area. The decision to reopen the 4,200-acre state forest bordering Passaic and Bergen counties was made as a result of an assessment of Division of Fish and Wildlife biologists who have been monitoring traps set near trails
The closure of 7,500 acres of popular Bergen and Passaic County parklands over the last two weeks by New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection and Bergen County Parks is an understandable but unfortunate response to “unusual black bear activity” reports from the public. The Trail Conference assisted in these closures, but we believe interactions between
Breakneck Ridge has been dubbed the “most popular trail in North America,” and our Trail Stewards can attest to that. Over the past three years, the Trail Conference’s Breakneck Ridge Trail Stewards have recorded a 25 percent increase in hikers annually. In 2013, the most hikers they saw on any given day were around 500. Last
After only 5 years of service, the Trail Conference’s Invasives Strike Force volunteers have surveyed over 1,000 miles of trails in the region, creating the first-of-its-kind map of invasive plants along hiking paths from a broad landscape scale. When the program first started in 2011, the stated goal was to collect baseline data on all of the
Dover Stone Church is one of the most spectacular natural sites in Dutchess County, New York. Volunteers of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference were instrumental in building trails for hikers to explore the protected lands surrounding this hidden natural wonder. Three new trails traversing the Dover Stone Church Preserve were officially opened to the public
The Trail Conference, in partnership with the New Jersey State Park Service, is currently finishing up a project to produce maps for 15 state parks and forests in northern New Jersey. We hope these new maps will bring more awareness to the efforts of the Trail Conference and our outstanding volunteers who help keep trails open
The Nominations Committee of the Trail Conference presents the following candidates for the Board of Directors for three-year terms and Delegates-at-Large for one-year terms. These nominations will be voted on at the Annual Meeting to be held on October 22, 2015, at the Trail Conference Headquarters (600 Ramapo Valley Rd.., Mahwah, NJ). For the Board
This new book is the first ever comprehensive guide to circuit hikes in these two highly popular parks. With 35 total loop hikes, including 8 hikes that can also be suitable for other uses, this guidebook is perfect for anyone interested in exploring the rich network of trails in Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks, including those
