In March, life as we knew it changed for the greater New York metropolitan area. The pandemic created unprecedented circumstances and challenges for the trails and our service community. As the world grappled with a new reality, we closed our headquarters and decided to put safety first, suspending all volunteer activities from March to May and delaying
On Nov. 7, I spent a very pleasant Saturday with members of the Trail Conference blazing the new reroute of the Hasenclever Iron Trail in New Jersey’s Long Pond Ironworks State Park. The idea for this unique trail and the initial layout of the trail route came to me and my fellow Long Pond volunteer Martin Deeks in
MEVO (Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization), in partnership with the Trail Conference, recruits college students to serve on a seasonal trail crew working in Northern New Jersey. This season’s MEVO Crew, emerging from uncertain times, embodied resilience. Half of the crew commuted from South Jersey, driving an hour-plus each way. They were tossed from isolation into a social
The New Jersey Park Service is revitalizing the trail network at the former Jungle Habitat in West Milford. The project will improve trail conditions and connectivity, as well as contiguous trails in Long Pond Ironworks State Park and northern Norvin Green State Forest. Project partners include the Trail Conference and the Jersey Off Road Bicycle Association (JORBA). The Trail Conference will work
Thanks to a recent land acquisition, the Trail Conference has now preserved more than 1,000 acres in total in this area of the Catskills. A forested, 50.4-acre parcel in the Town of Durham, Greene County, N.Y., was the last piece of the puzzle in the Trail Conference’s 30-year effort to completely protect this stretch of
Through last year’s Subaru Share the Love Program, Liberty Subaru was able to direct over $41,000 to the Trail Conference! Your participation in the program this year can help raise even more funds for great trails and healthy parks. Plans to buy or lease a new car? During Subaru of America’s annual Share the Love event, Liberty Subaru in Emerson,
As we enter our second century of service, we are in many ways entering a new era. This has been a year of unprecedented challenges, but when thinking about our Centennial, I see the strength of this organization. I see hope. I see the remarkable ways we have adapted to provide great trail experiences to the millions of people
Celebrating the Trail Conference at 100. On Oct. 19, the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference turns 100 years old—a special occasion for any organization. Yet there will be no cake, no gala—not this year, circumstances considering. It is certainly not how we envisioned our Centennial celebration in the years leading up to this moment, but
ent loop hikes, these improvements have also included strategic new trail connections that opened up expanded hiking possibilities. In areas seeing spiking visitation and persistent issues with lost hikers, these changes have helped keep novice trail users safe while providing more opportunities for veteran outdoor enthusiasts. It’s a win-win for everyone. This year, additional trail networks are receiving similar attention. Based on
Spotted lanternfly (SLF) has been found in New York and New Jersey—and you need to be aware of the threat it poses to our region. First discovered in Berks County, Pa., in 2014, these planthoppers are native to China, India, and Vietnam. They are thought to have arrived in the States as egg masses on
Several trail improvements, which aim to make the trails easier to follow, have been completed throughout Abram S. Hewitt State Forest. The improvements include changing blaze colors and creating new trails. This “Completed Major Trail Changes” map shows the trail system in Abram S. Hewitt State Forest as completed on September 17, 2020. Please take a moment to review this map, and photograph
Several trail improvements, which aim to make the trails easier to follow, have been completed throughout Ramapo Mountain State Forest. The improvements include changing blaze colors and creating new trails. This “Completed Major Trail Changes” map shows the trail system in Ramapo Mountain State Forest as completed on September 17, 2020. Please take a moment to review this map, and photograph or
