This Trail Walker is about people—the people of the Trail Conference, and the people we serve. When I think about this organization, I am astounded by the dedication of our volunteers, staff, Board, and supporters. And when I think about outdoor recreation these days, I am blown away by the number of people I see. There are…
Trail running has exploded in popularity, providing a new way for people to fall in love with trails. Those of us who are not runners may be pleasantly surprised to learn just how much hikers and trail runners have in common. Both groups share a deep love of nature, passion for adventure, and that physical…
New Board members Deanna Culbreath and Mary Ann Villari were appointed to the Trail Conference Board of Directors in April. Deanna Culbreath was elevated to head coach of Sarah Lawrence College’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams in 2017. She previously served as assistant coach upon her arrival in 2013. An avid trail runner, Deanna’s many accomplishments…
There is no roadmap that makes an organization more diverse, equitable, and inclusive overnight, but we will continue to put in the effort to make real improvements. In January 2020, the Trail Conference Board approved the organization’s first formalized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Policy. In June, we further acknowledged the need to make our…
Update April 13: On April 12, Premium Energy Holdings withdrew its hydroelectric proposal for the Ashokan Reservoir after strong opposition and concern about the impact of the project. Our congratulations and thanks go out to everyone who helped to stand up against this threat to the Catskills. However, our work is not finished. Premium Energy…
Who doesn’t love shopping at Target? Now you can shop + support the trails you love! We are honored and excited to announce that we have been chosen to participate in a special charitable giving campaign, sponsored and funded by Target. And you have the chance to help direct a portion of Target’s donation to…
Volunteers are our superheroes. Every day, we celebrate their passion, dedication, and leadership that make the trails we all love possible. The Trail Conference community faced the challenges of 2020 with determination and resilience. They provided inspiration and hope during a time when we desperately needed it. When parks and trails began to face record-high use with millions of people seeking respite outdoors, our volunteers, service members, and…
The 120-year-old shingle and fieldstone building at the corner of Darlington Avenue and Ramapo Valley Road has been abandoned for 40 years. But the historic Darlington Schoolhouse is now another step closer to being a functional building again.
Has all this snow and indoor time left you feeling a little buggy? Well, it’s time to put that “bugginess” to good use, get outdoors, and join our all-new Invasives Strike Force Survey volunteer program: Spot the Spotted Lanternfly. The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive planthopper insect that arrived in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since…
The Trail Conference has revitalized the volunteer trail maintenance and shelter caretaker program in the Catskills. In 2018, the program was facing 63% of volunteer trail maintainers, shelter caretakers, and leadership positions as vacant. Recognizing this was not an acceptable standard, we made investments over the past year and a half by making the Catskills a priority for our…
The 2020 season was not the first year that the Trail Conference used the Welch Trail Education Center, aka Harriman State Park Group Camp LT-1, to house our AmeriCorps members during their service with the Trail Conference Conservation Corps. Nor was it the first year we fixed some broken lights or windows. But two things happened in our favor this year…
This is the season of hope and optimism. The promise of a fresh start and the chance of doing better in the new year. However, hope is not a strategy, and as we look to 2021, I am excited the Trail Conference has more than just hope for being a successful and impactful organization. The work we do is difficult. With more than 75 partners and new requirements put in place by each of them,…
