Anne Todd Osborn and Fred Osborn III serendipitously met in 1969, and after 52 years of marriage, three children, and 10 grandchildren, their story is still being told. Conservation, advocacy, and service are the fabrics that weave this family together throughout generations. The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is proud to be a slice of…
Sticky sage (Salvia glutinosa, glutinous sage, Jupiter’s sage, Jupiter’s distaff), an emerging invasive species in the Lower Hudson Valley, is a nemesis of Ryan L. McClean, the Terrestrial Invasive Species Project Manager for the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference (Trail Conference) under the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (LH PRISM). Sticky sage is…
By Ingrid Strauch — The year 1923 marked the formation of numerous outdoor organizations in the New York-New Jersey area. Among those organizations was the New York Ramblers Hiking Club, officially founded on October 25, 1923. Hiking schedules from the 1930s depict the club operating much as it does today: holding weekly day hikes to various parks, including Harriman State Park,…
Many of our region’s native turtles are bellwethers of high-quality water and a healthy ecosystem. To help monitor these indicators of habitat health, the Trail Conference’s Conservation Dogs Program is helping partners in Westchester and Rockland Counties to improve the survey efficiency of box and wood turtles. To properly manage habitat for these species of special…
On a sunny, cool day in early spring, a group of Trail Conference staff and volunteers gathered together for a celebratory thru-hike on the Briarcliff-Peekskill Trailway (BPT) in New York’s Westchester County. The special occasion? Wrapping up years of significant trail improvements by the Trail Tramps, a volunteer trail crew for the Trail Conference. Revival…
Cheers to the Work of Hudson North Cider Co. Kyle and Sara Sherrer, the sibling duo creators of Graft Cider, launched Hudson North Cider Co., a mission-driven cidery, in March 2020. In just a few years, the Sherrer pair and their crew have met their brand’s initial two goals: Hudson North Cider has raised and donated over $11,000 to the Trail Conference since their inception. In…
Trail users can now enjoy two new trails in the Neversink River Unique Area in Sullivan County, NY: the Fish Hatchery Trail and the Connector Trail! An updated map with the new trails is now available as a free download on our website, and as a free digital map on the Avenza Maps app for Apple and Android phones. A Brief…
Meet Kim Levinsky, ultrarunner in New Jersey and the Race Director for Sassquad Trail Runners, will be completing 358-mile Long Path in New York in an attempt to set the female supported fastest known time – and raise funds in support of our mission. Kim and the Sassquad trail running organization, have been an integral part in bringing local trail runners…
Nonprofit Organization Strives to Protect Lower Hudson Region’s Rich Biodiversity The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is thrilled to announce that they have been awarded a new, 5-year contract with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to continue leading the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (LH PRISM) from 2023-2028. The…
H. Neil Zimmerman, a steadfast leader of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference in various capacities for multiple decades, passed away in February. He was 77. Neil served as president of the Trail Conference Board of Directors from 1987 to 1999, was an honorary life member, and received the Raymond H. Torrey Award, the Trail…
Conservation Corps member Brandon Elgun shares the story of his rewarding leap from a job in healthcare to serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer.
After about 15 years primarily spent in the public health sector, I told bewildered friends and colleagues that I was taking a “hard left turn” in my career. I left a job working for New York’s largest hospital system, and with that, a decent salary, a manager title, and probably the best benefits I will…
