Our Stewards have been bringing face-to-face user education and sustainable, on-the-ground solutions to some of the region’s most popular outdoor destinations since 2013. They are key in protecting the ecological integrity of these special places being threatened by issues such as misuse and high usage. By encouraging public participation, Stewards are a solution multiplier.
Table of Contents
Hudson Valley Crew:
By Ryan McLean, Hudson Valley Trail Stewards Crew Leader
Stewards during an invasive species removal project along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. From left to right: Declan Urffer, Ryan McClean, Christina Ufland, Ben Straebler, Kathrine Ledermann, Sarah Spencer-Piszczek.
Key Accomplishments:
- Stewards educated thousands of hikers on things like how to plan a route, how to read contour lines on a map, how to identify and limit the spread of invasive species, and how to safely plan for and execute a hike.
- Stewards had their first season of pulling invasive water chestnut from the Hudson River at Margaret Norrie State Park. They coordinated with former members of the NYNJTC’s Aquatic Invasive Strike Force, as well as invasive species experts to determine where their efforts would be most beneficial.
- They filled 847 baskets of water chestnut, which translates to an estimated 33,450 pounds of the plant. From shore, the invasive species was brought to an inland dump.
- Stewards helped members of the Taconic Trail Crew prep stones for new staircases by pulling nine stones up a steep cliffside with a grip hoist.
- Stewards helped re-naturalize a cliffside that the trail crew interrupted in building a staircase. Stewards brought already displaced soil, and replanted native plants alongside the newly constructed trail.
- Stewards pulled over 1000 emerging and widespread invasive species from three targeted sections of the Old Croton Aqueduct trail with the goal of limiting spread and clearing room for native species plantings scheduled for late September.
- Four stewards joined the Palisades Trail Crew for a day and assisted with finishing work on stretch of new trail.
- Three stewards joined two volunteer leaders on a section of the Long Path near Lake Tiorati in Harriman State Park to work on a stream crossing.
- Stewards worked together to plan a Guided Hike on the Cornish Trail in Hudson Highlands State Park, set to take place in September.
- Stewards hosted members of all three Trail Crews, the Invasive Strike Force, and the Catskills Trail Crew, teaching them some of their skills and learning from them techniques that they employ.
- Stewards worked with volunteers along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail during invasive species removal projects.
Stewards just before beginning a water chestnut removal project at Margaret Norrie State Park. From left to right: Ben Straebler, Christina Ufland, Phoenix Pliskin, Eleanor Dunlevy, Declan Urffer, Kathrine Ledermann.
Stewards and Volunteers at the start of an invasive species removal day along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. From left to right: two volunteers, Ben Straebler, Kathrine Ledermann, Ryan McClean, Declan Urffer, Christina Ufland, Sarah Spencer-Piszczek.
Stewards carry baskets of water chestnut from the river bank to a truck. From left to right: Phoenix Pliskin, Christina Ufland, Eleanor Dunlevy.
Declan Urffer tosses water chestnut into the back of a truck, which would transport the invasive species to an inland dump, decreasing the risk of its spread. These trucks were filled several times each day the stewards removed water chestnut.
Invasive Water Chestnut Removal
In 2022, I was a member of the Hudson Valley Trail Stewards crew (HVTS), and lived at the Welch Trail Education Center with four of the five members of the Aquatic Invasive Strike Force (AISF), and befriended all five. I found them to be a uniquely inspiring group of people, and the work that they did over the course of the 2022 season greatly impressed me. Amongst the most meaningful days of the 2022 season for me personally were the days when the HVTS worked with the AISF on some of their larger scale projects. At the end of the 2022 season, it was announced that due to some decisions about funding made by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, the AISF would be disbanded. During the off season, I was making plans to come back as a crew leader with the HVTS me and the outgoings AISF crew leader talked about trying to include some of the most important work that the AISF does in the HVTS schedule. This was something I discussed with the programs manager, Myra Romano, and together we were able to work a few days into the schedule that would focus on this task. This ended up being a multi-day project at Margaret Norrie State Park where we removed water chestnut from the Hudson River.
I will preface this next paragraph by saying I am certainly biased-in addition to this project being a bit of a pet project for me, I also enjoy the work of pulling water chestnut. That said, I do believe an unbiased account would still be that the work was quite successful. We managed to pull roughly 33,450 pounds of water chestnut from the Hudson, creating an area where native fish and plants could thrive outside of the monoculture of water chestnut that had existed before. A researcher studying the area commented to us on her last day that her work on fish in the Hudson was made significantly easier, as their population in what had been a field of water chestnut had greatly increased. In addition to this, it a was fun and collaborative effort, with various stewards playing a significant part in making our efforts more streamlined and effective. Christina Ufland suggested wading in but dragging a canoe with us, cutting down on the time we spent walking greatly. Phoenix Pliskin kept track of how much was being pulled while working herself, as she was able to keep track of seven people’s movements almost effortlessly. Kathrine Ledermann and Declan Urffer both stepped into leadership positions when their crew leader was not present, coordinating with project partners, gathering data, taking photos, and ensuring everyone was staying on task and feeling comfortable. Ben Straebler, Eleanor Dunlevy, and Declan Urffer all offered high energy, high quality work, each pulling a great many plants and keeping energy levels high throughout the whole day, each of the days they came out to work.
Christina Ufland holds up water chestnut during removal efforts.
Balancing Accessibility, Novelty, Safety, Challenge, Sustainability and Natural Appearances
When hikers were the ones to initiate conversation with stewards at Breakneck in August, the overwhelming majority of the time it was related to the Fjord Trail’s project at the trailhead. Many are impressed with the work that Tahowas Trail Company did, or comment on the beauty of the new stewarding station, or mention the novelty of the green roof. Many more however, are frustrated. They find the inclusion of stairs at the start of a hike known for its naturally challenging rock scramble to be an offensive change. Since the grand reopening of the Breakneck Ridge Trailhead on the last day of June, there have generally been at least a dozen people a day who voice their discontent with the changes made. The new stewarding station, while quite beautiful, does have some downsides. It is located abut 100 steps and a few hundred feet from the trailhead, meaning stewards stationed exclusively at or beyond it do not get the chance to engage with people who arrive at the trailhead and decide to hike elsewhere. Furthermore, hikers tend to make their plans at the trailhead, and then become less willing to speak to or take advice from stewards. Finally, the station is located in between the entrance and exit of a side trail to a scenic overlook. This makes it easy for hikers to walk around the station without having to linger near the stewards at all. These new challenges are significant, as many hikers are initially uncomfortable or too prideful to ask questions to the stewards, so having some roadblocks that give the stewards a longer window of time to start conversations are crucial.
This is not to say that no changes should have been made, of course. The beginning of the trail was clearly suffering from overuse, and it was especially vulnerable to storm-caused damage. The new stairs are drastically better at handling the volume of people that come through as well as the damage done by extreme weather events than the old trail was. It is very important that as hiking spots become more and more popular that trails are designed and redesigned with durability in mind, yet at the same time these natural spaces should retain as much of their ‘natural’ appearance as possible. Similarly, larger parks and construction apparatuses should consult with the people who use, volunteer, or work in these parks before they begin making changes, and they should take the advice that they get seriously.
Stewards and a visiting Trail Crew Member sit at the new stewarding station. From left to right: Christina Ufland, Eleanor Dunlevy, Leah Borton (of the Taconic Trail Crew).
Eleanor Dunlevy working with the Palisades Trail Crew in Sterling Forest. She is gathering soil to help build up a low lying section of trail.
Before and After Photos of Water Chestnut Removal
These photos show slightly different angles, but as you can see in the picture on the left, the water chestnut previously grew all the way to the stone dock.
Eleanor Dunlevy in a sea of water chestnut.
Stewards at an invasive species educational workshop and pull. Clockwise from top left: Ryan McClean, Christina Ufland, Phoenix Pliskin, Sydney Veitinger, Kathrine Ledermann, Ben Straebler, Eleanor Dunlevy, and Declan Urffer.
Stewards posing at an exhibit which shows what the interior of the Old Croton Aqueduct looks like. This was taken during a training workshop. Clockwise from top left: Christina Ufland, Sydney Veitinger, Ryan McClean, Kathrine Ledermann, Ben Straebler, Declan Urffer, Eleanor Dunlevy, Phoenix Pliskin.
Key Accomplishments:
- Stewards oversaw the reopening of the Breakneck Ridge Trailhead over 4th of July weekend.
- Stewards were able to reliably engage with the public on weekends and holidays at Breakneck Ridge, Anthony’s Nose, and at the entrance to the Croton Gorge Unique Area along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. Some weekends, the Hudson Valley Trail Stewards were also able to cover Sam’s Point in Minnewaska.
- In the aftermath of severe flooding in mid-July, stewards did maintenance and reported damage done in Hudson Highlands State Park. Stewards were able to evaluate and clear the entirety of the Notch, Casino, and Dry Brook trails. They were also able to evaluate and clear much of the Fishkill Ridge trail and parts of the Breakneck Ridge and Wilkinson Memorial trails.
- Also in Hudson Highlands State Park, stewards were able to clear many significant obstacles along the Appalachian Trail near Anthony’s Nose, from the section just north of the Bear Mountain Bridge until South Mountain Pass. The AT needed no further maintenance after stewards were done working on it.
- Stewards cleared obstacles on the Camp Smith Trail in Hudson Highlands State Park, and reported issues that they were not able to clear singlehandedly.
- Formal historical training on the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail was completed, with a history of the construction of the dam and a tour of the Keeper’s House in Harper’s Ferry.
- Stewards attended Professional Development Day, where they were able to engage with professionals in the environmental and outdoor fields.
- Stewards worked led volunteers in an invasive species pull along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. They were working primarily with widespread invasives.
- Stewards continued to work in Mine Hole, a section of the Long Path in Minnewaska that was severely damaged by a bull dozer creating a fire line in 2022.
- The crew joined trail builders in Hudson Highlands and Sterling Forest State Parks, where they helped AmeriCorps crews in constructing new trails.
- Stewards responded to first aid calls, coordinated with other first responders, and dealt with various physical and mental health issues.
Hudson Valley and Catskill Trail Stewards at Mine Hole in Minnewaska; the two crews have an ongoing project there. From left: Volunteer leader Charlie Gadol, Ryan McClean, Kathrine Ledermann, Eleanor Dunlevy, Declan Urffer, Ben Straebler, Catskill Steward Maddie White, Christina Ufland, Catskill Steward Jay Porcelli, Phoenix Pliskin, Catskill Stewards Colleen Stevens, Vanessa Mangual, and Matt Moran. Kneeling in front: Volunteer leader Andy Garrison.
A photo of Bear Mountain Bridge Road flooding on July 9. Taken by a steward returning home.
Stewardship in a Changing World
Throughout the entirety of July, extreme weather events were at the forefront of the work stewards were doing. A planned celebratory reopening of the Breakneck Ridge Trailhead was diminished slightly over the four-day 4th of July weekend as a result of severe Canadian wildfires negatively impacting air quality. Instead of advertising the exciting state of the new trail on social media, they waited to play a role in broadcasting the reopening of the trail, and when hikers arrived at the base of the mountain, along with conversations about supplies and planned routes, stewards mentioned to any hiker who would engage the potential risks to sensitive groups about exercising in the poor air quality. This was not the only role forest fires played in the work stewards did in July. They also spent one day each week working in Minnewaska State Park and Preserve at Mine Hole, repairing a section of the Long Path that was extensively damaged in 2022, when a bulldozer was used to create a fire line with the intent of containing a fire that ravaged other parts of the park. The most direct impact stewards faced from extreme weather however was yet to come.
On Sunday, July 9, 2023, a light rainfall beginning in the morning and steadily increased. Stewards at Anthony’s Nose, the hardest location to shelter at, where the first to call the day. Before leaving, they spoke with some thru-hikers who were still on the trail and warned them of an increasingly dire forecast. After leaving the site, they stopped by the nearby Appalachian Market-a popular spot for thru and section hikers. Inside, they found many hikers who were sheltering there to wait out the storm. Not long after, stewards stationed at Breakneck Ridge and above the Croton Gorge Unique Area were also told to pack up for the day. The stewards leaving from Croton saw early signs the devastation that would follow; as they drove up Bear Mountain Bridge Road, they saw massive amounts of water poured into the road, bringing downed trees, branches, and sizable rocks with it.
Later that week, stewards surveyed various trails in the northern section of Hudson Highlands State Park, looking out for downed or weakened standing trees, as well as any other obstacles or debris that may have made the either more difficult or more dangerous to hike. Stewards removed small trees and branches, and reported larger ones. Luckily, though they clearly displayed signs of flooding ad erosion, none of those surveyed trails were particularly damaged. Further south, stewards spent the next two weekends surveying and removing downed trees at Anthony’s Nose. Seven downed trees were removed from the Appalachian Trail (AT), and two from the Camp Smith Trail, using only handsaws. Stewards were able to entirely clear the AT from the Bear Mountain Bridge to the road crossing at South Mountain pass, as well as the Camp Smith Trail up to the viewpoint at Anthony’s Nose. They were later able to survey the entirety of the Camp Smith Trail, but they were not able to remove one tree which was too large to dismantle with handsaws. The tree was reported to parks management.
Based on all realistic projections, forest fires, floods, and other extreme weather events will only become more severe in coming years. This will require a deep evaluation in how stewards operate, and it is likely that some changes will have to be made to adjust for a harsher and less predictable local environment. Some of these adjustments are things that stewards and their project partners have already begun engaging in. For example, the new stairs at the start of the Breakneck Ridge trailhead are significantly more weather resistant than the previous trail had been. While Breakneck was spared the same amount of intensity that places like Bear Mountain and Anthony’s Nose-just a few miles south-experienced on July 9, it was still subjected to extraordinarily heavy rainfall, and the stairs survived this first extreme test quite well. Stewards working along the Long Path at Mine Hole are taking significant steps to ensure that the trail is resistant to heavy rainfall and passable after all but the worst floods. This work is important, and it will lead to a safer, more durable, and more enjoyable section of trail, but this degree of necessary diligence has trade-offs. The project has involved both the Catskill and Hudson Valley Steward crews, and has pulled them away other projects including a connection that would limit a road walk near Tallman State Park. Because trails now require a higher standard to function at the same level, and because the risk of trails being destroyed in severe weather events is likely to rise over time, stewards, their managers, and their project partners will need to put a great deal of thought into where their work is most needed.
Phoenix Pliskin removing a downed tree on the Notch Trail in Hudson Highlands State Park.
Before and After Shots of Maintenance at Anthony’s Nose
June
The 2023 Hudson Valley Trail Stewards standing inside the Old Croton Aqueduct, accessed by the Ossining Weir. Clockwise from bottom left: Declan Urffer, Ben Straebler, Christina Ufland, Phoenix Pliskin, Ryan McClean, Eleanor Dunlevy, Sarah Spencer-Piszczek, and Sydney Veitinger. Not pictured: Kathrine Ledermann.
Key Accomplishments
- Kathrine Ledermann, previously a trail builder, joined the crew.
- All nine stewards became certified in Wilderness First Aid, a three-day course.
- Eight of the nine stewards became Leave No Trace trainers. The ninth steward received LNT training on one of the two days that the course runs, but missed the first day due to illness.
- The stewards had trail building orientation in Sterling Forest, learning about the project there and some of the fundamentals of trail building. They spent much of the day clearing and bench cutting new trail.
- Stewards received a tour of the Ossining Weir, and hiked along the Old Croton Aqueduct trail from Croton to Ossining, giving them first hand knowledge about that section of the trail.
- Stewards had an invasive workshop at Croton. Most of the day focused on identifying widespread invasives, and there was some fieldwork done in the late afternoon.
- Some stewards joined the Taconic Trail Crew and assisted them in foraging for and transporting rocks that will be used for steps.
- Some stewards joined the Invasive Strike Force in Dover, where they talked sticky sage, an emerging invasive species growing on and near the Appalachian Trail, a potential superhighway for the dangerous species.
- All nine stewards attended a communication and volunteer training workshop with the rest of the NYNJTC Conservation Corps.
- Stewards joined volunteer leader Andy Garrison and the Catskills stewarding crew to work on the Mine Hole section of the Long Path, which was damaged by bulldozers battling a wildfire in 2022.
- On June 4, two full bags of trash were gathered from Anthony’s Nose along the Camp Smith, Appalachian Trail and woods roads on the mountain. From that day forward, litter has been a significantly less extensive issue at the site.
- Many fire rings were dispersed at Anthony’s Nose in addition to one along Breakneck Ridge.
- Graffiti was covered up, and rocks that had been painted were scattered and overturned along the Camp Smith Trail on Anthony’s Nose.
- Stewards collected data and engaged with the public at their three main sites: Breakneck Ridge and the adjoining network of trails, Anthony’s Nose, and the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. At these locations they educated hikers on everything from how to properly read a trail map, how to follow blazes, the threat of invasive species and some strategies to avoid facilitating their spread, locations for nearby scenic viewpoints and alternative hikes, the work that the Trail Conference does and the various forms AmeriCorps positions can take, Leave No Trace principles, some of the history of the trails and surrounding areas, to a variety of other topics.
Kathrine Ledermann, initially a Trail Crew member, joined the Hudson Valley Trail Stewards in June after deciding that that program better aligned with her professional goals.
It’s Training Men! (And Others)
June for the Hudson Valley Trail Stewards was defined largely by learning. On weekdays, this often meant formal instructional learning. This included Wilderness First Aid, Leave No Trace, communication and volunteer training, tours of key locations along the route of the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, and training on widespread and regionally relevant invasive species.
From June 7 to June 9, stewards received in-depth training in Wilderness First Aid which, as has been the case in previous seasons, proved critically important to our work almost immediately after we became certified. On June 10, a group of hikers approached the steward station at the Wilkinson Trailhead, requesting first aid. One of them had an approximately four-inch-long laceration above her right knee. They sat her down, asked her what had happened, and made sure that that was her primary injury. One steward applied direct pressure to stop the bleeding, irrigated and cleaned the wound, and then bandaged it. She was able to leave in good spirits and in the care of her friends.
Similarly, Leave No Trace training was quickly followed up with a clear example of its importance. In one of the most blatant examples of a Leave No Trace violation we have encountered, an illegal fire ring was discovered feet from the flagpole atop Breakneck Ridge. While dispersing it, stewards had the opportunity to share park regulations on fires, as well as general best practice for having legal fires in the wilderness with two curious nearby hikers.
It’s often the case that stewards can turn imperfect conditions into good learning opportunities for the public. The Wilkinson Memorial Trailhead is crawling (always figuratively, occasionally literally) with invasive species. Without moving from our stewarding table, we could easily observe Japanese Stilt grass, Tree of Heaven, Garlic Mustard, Oriental Bittersweet, and Japanese Barberry. While of course unfortunate in many ways, this often led to impromptu mini tours on some of the invasive species, along with descriptions on how to avoid spreading them, reasons certain species are particularly harmful, and explanations for how to identify them. Much of this knowledge had been gained from a training session on widespread and significant invasive species along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.
Intergenerational Corps Member Bonding
At Anthony’s Nose, the Hudson Valley’s newest stewarding location, stewards often have the opportunity to engage with AT thru- and section-hikers. During the first weekend in June, one steward connected with a NOBO AT thru-hiker who had himself served in the Trail Conference Conservation Corps. That thru-hiker had served in 2017, working as a trail crew member in the Catskills, though he stayed at the Welch Trail Education Center during training at the beginning of the season, and the two bonded over some of the unique aspects of living at camp and doing trail work. They also discussed the invaluable role of organizations such as the Trail Conference in preserving the ecology of spaces such as the Appalachian Trail while ensuring their accessibility to the public.
[In May, stewards began recording memorable quotes heard on the trail. Sometimes funny, sometimes instructive, sometimes concerning, sometimes heartwarming, and sometimes absurd, these quotes give insight into the day-to-day interactions stewards have.]
Key Accomplishments:
- Five stewards trained at Anthony’s Nose, along with their program manager, Myra Romano, and Zac Cole the Long-Distance Trails Program Coordinator.
- Anthony’s Nose was introduced as a location to the NYNJTC stewarding program. In-field analysis on how best to educate, assist, and engage with hikers was begun by stewards Sarah Spencer-Piszczek and Eleanor Dunlevy.
- Stewards engaged with the public at all three of their major locations-Breakneck Ridge,
- The last of the preseason scheduling for the month of May was filled out.
- The last day of vernal pool stewarding, and education on best practices for preserving the fragile ecosystems of them, was done on the Washburn Trail in Hudson Highlands State Park.
- All eight stewards trained for Wilkinson/Breakneck Ridge Stewarding. They had the opportunity to engage with representatives from the Hudson Highlands State Park office, the Hudson Highlands Land Trust, and the Fjord Trail. Three stewards went on a hike of the Breakneck Long Loop.
- All eight stewards trained along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, near the Croton Gorge Unique Area. They met with local and Friend of the Old croton Aqueduct board member Diane Alden. All the stewards and their program manager hiked to the Croton Dam.
- Five stewards trained at Sam’s Point in Minnewaska State Park.
- Five stewards trained at Gertrude’s Nose in Minnewaska State Park.
- Five stewards engaged in trail maintenance along the Fishkill Ridge Trail, clearing multiple fallen trees with handsaws, clipping back vegetation, and ensuring that blazes were visible. Two social trails were partially obstructed as well.
- Five stewards had a tool safety workshop in conjunction with the Catskills Stewards.
- Five stewards engaged in trail maintenance in Shawangunk Ridge State Forest from the Cox Road Parking area with volunteer leader Andy Garrison. Garrison felled some fallen trees, while stewards clipped back vegetation and moved the felled trees.
Sydney Veitinger and Declan Urffer at the Wilkinson Trailhead in Hudson Highlands State Park
Note: Much of the rest of the report will focus on the identities of the stewards themselves. I do this for a few reasons. The first is that much of May is focused on preparation for the season, so many of the best projects that they will work on lie ahead. More to the point however, as stewarding is so forward facing, and as the success of the program and the projects we work on are so shaped by their specific skills and backgrounds, I find that explaining what each of them will bring to the program over the next several months is a useful place to begin these monthly reports.
From left: Sarah Spencer-Piszczek, Christina Ufland, Declan Urffer, Ben Straebler, Eleanor Dunlevy, Sydney Veitinger, Crew Leader Ryan McClean, Phoenix Pliskin, Program Manager Myra Romano
Over the course of May, the Hudson Valley Stewards slowly came together. In addition to the crew leader, there were two returning members-Phoenix Pliskin (2020) and Declan Urffer (2022). They began on May 11 along with two new members, Sarah Spencer-Piszczek and Christina Ufland. Each of those four members brought a ton of background knowledge and passion into their roles. Phoenix has a background in counseling and has most recently worked at a nature school in Florida, giving her an exceptional ability to speak to hikers about the benefits being in nature can have on one’s mental health. In addition to this, she has an increased aptitude in engaging with and educating younger hikers. After the season, Phoenix intends to continue to pursue counseling, wellness, and ways people can deal with addiction to technology. Declan, as the member who most recently stewarded and-is therefore most familiar with the program as it currently runs-has been instrumental in teaching other stewards the protocols and skills they will need to excel in their multifaceted roles. Furthermore, as a polyglot, he is able to engage with hikers who can speak Spanish, Italian, or French. In May, he spoke to multiple people in Spanish, and last season he had the opportunity to engage with hikers in all four of the languages that he is proficient in. Sarah has worked for many years as a copy editor, leaving her exceptionally skilled in communication. In addition to this, she is the most experienced hiker on the Hudson Valley Stewarding crew, having thru hiked the Appalachian Trail last year. Sarah joined the Trail Conference Conservation Corps as a significant step towards changing tracts in her career. She is a very passionate learner with many goals, but perhaps chief amongst them is to continue her involvement with stewardship and long distance hiking trails. Finally, to round out the corps members with the early start date is Christina. Christina is a recent college graduate with a major in Environmental Studies a concentration in Environmental Education and a minor in Geology. She joined with experience in communal living/working environment from a stint on a musk ox farm in Alaska. As seven of the eight stewards, including her, live together, having excelled in that environment previously is an excellent experience to take into this job. Between guiding tours directly through swamps in Florida and working in the cold climate of Alaska, Christina is arguably the steward with the most experience in dealing with extremes in the environment. After the season, she intends to continue exploring different parts of the country and perhaps world, expanding her knowledge of various places, environments, and cultures.
On May 24, the rest of the Hudson Valley Stewards-Eleanor Dunlevy, Ben Straebler, and Sydney Veitinger-joined the crew. Eleanor just finished her sophomore year at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. In addition to her topical education, she has experience working with the New York DEC. That institutional knowledge will be a huge asset to the stewards this season. After the season, Eleanor plans on finishing her degree and continuing to work, in some capacity, in New York’s parks’ system. Ben recently graduated from Ramapo College with a degree in Political Science. Ben has experience camping and hiking throughout New York State, and as a long-distance runner he has strong endurance which gives him an advantage in doing trail work and arriving quickly when first aid situations are reported on trail. Ben has many interests that he is interested in pursuing after the season. Sydney has lived in the Lower Hudson Valley since the start of the pandemic, and has spent much of her free time since then exploring the area and its parks. As such, she is uniquely informed on local attractions, sites, and potential hazards. Sydney is planning to pursue a master’s degree in anthropology after the season.
In the two weeks between the original five stewards starting and the remainder of the crew joining, they did a good amount of preseason work. They completed two full days of trail maintenance, one with a longtime volunteer leader who they will work with again through much of the summer and fall, and once in Hudson Highlands State Park, on a trail rarely traveled by stewards. This day was doubly useful, as in addition to improving the trail, stewards were also becoming educated first hand on parking, traverse-ability, views, challenges, and highlights of a trail that they otherwise may have had to give advice on from a map alone. They also got the opportunity to train with the Catskills Stewards on tool safety and stewarding at Gertrude’s Nose and Sam’s Point in Minnewaska. The month of May concluded with Memorial Day Weekend, where all eight stewards began the season at all three of their primary locations.
Christina Ufland and Phoenix Pliskin hiking while doing trail maintenance in Minnewaska State Park
Hudson Valley and Catskills Trail Stewards starting a campfire together after hours
[Anthony’s Nose]
Memorial Day Weekend 2023 marked the first time the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference had stewards on location at Anthony’s Nose in Hudson Highlands State Park. Stewards Sarah Spencer-Piszczek and Eleanor Dunlevy were on-site all three days and they engaged in the process of developing stewarding strategies with much enthusiasm. They spoke with hundreds of hikers over the three days, and compiled a list of over a dozen questions from hikers, along with the talking points that they had workshopped over the course of the days. At the end of one work day, they investigated Manitou Station and planned out the safest and most direct hikes to and from that location. Before work one morning, they stopped at the Appalachian Market on Route 9, a spot they discovered was popular with section and thru hikers coming through the area. Sarah and Eleanor also introduced a ‘quote of the day” to our data collection sheets, which helps give a sense of some of the personality that comes in from stewarding on trails. This section has since been expanded to our other stewarding locations.
Eleanor Dunlevy picking up litter from the Anthony’s Nose 9D Trailhead on Memorial Day
Catskills Crew:
By Vanessa Mangual, Catskill Trail Stewards Crew Leader
Key Accomplishments:
- Removed 8 illegal campfire rings/campsites
- Directed 150 hikers to other park locations
- Directed 53 hikers to local towns
- Worked with Volunteers to create drainage for the trail to Vernooy Falls
- Continue to restore the Mine Hole section of the Long Path
- Trail Crew Members Amelia Morris and Alex Neyfeld came out with our Stewards
- All of the Invasive Strike Force members came out with our Stewards
Reflecting on a Productive August
August has come and gone, leaving us in awe of how quickly time flies when you're immersed in the beauty of the Catskills. While the weather was as unpredictable as ever, and there were no holidays to lure hikers in, our dedicated team of Catskills Stewards embarked on a journey that brought both challenges and rewards.
One of the first things we noticed was a slight decrease in the number of hikers this month. It's not uncommon for the Catskills to experience fluctuations in visitor numbers, but we took this as an opportunity to focus on our primary mission - educating trail-goers. To our delight, we were able to educate 30% of the hikers we encountered. This marked a 5% increase from the previous month, which had been our highest count of visitors to date. It's a clear sign that our efforts are making a difference, and we're gradually becoming more adept at reaching out to a broader audience.
Our commitment to preserving the natural beauty of the Catskills extended to maintenance work on the Mine Hole section of the Long Path. We also ventured out to Willomec for some much-needed blowdown clearing, and over to Vernooy Falls where volunteers helped us tackle drainage issues. Working alongside these dedicated volunteers not only offers a change of pace but also fills us with a deep sense of accomplishment.
In our ongoing efforts to diversify conservation work and introduce others to various facets of our stewardship mission, we had the pleasure of working with corps members who shadowed us on some of our stewarding days. Members from Trail Crews and the Invasives Strike Force joined forces with our Catskills team this month. This experience provided valuable insights into the structures of other crews and allowed us to forge connections with corps members we don't often have the chance to work or bond with.
As the month wound down, the Catskills Stewards got their first delightful taste of fall. Nature offered us tiny glimpses of foliage changes and cooler temperatures, reminding us of the beauty that lies ahead in the coming season.
August may have been a blur, but it was a month filled with growth, collaboration, and a reaffirmed commitment to our mission. We look forward to what the future holds as we continue to protect and cherish the Catskills, one step at a time.
June
Key Accomplishments:
- Completed trainings for Wilderness First Aid
- Completed trainings for Leave No Trace Trainer
- Completed trainings for DEC Communications
- Completed trainings for Volunteer Engagement/ Communications
- Stewarded first full month, and removed 18 illegal fire rings from stewarding locations;
- Participated in the first Trail Maintenance day with Andy Garrison in Minnewaska State Park Preserve.
- Hudson Highlands Steward Ben Straebler came out for the day to steward at North Point.
Cairn for the Trails
The Catskills Stewards wrapped up trainings with Wilderness First Aid, Leave No Trace Trainer, DEC Communications training, as well as Volunteer and Communications Training with other Conservation Corps members! Even with all of that training we were so excited to go out and care for our trails with our first Trail Maintenance day with the legendary volunteer, Andy Garrison.
Unfortunately, things came to a frightening standstill when the first bout of Canadian wildfire smoke came in. Unsure how long it would last and with outdoor work on hold, we Stewards took this opportunity to learn more about these fires, not only to help educate others on how to prevent wildfires, but also knowing that it would be a “hot” topic during our stewarding weekend. Thankfully the smoke did clear and we were able to get back out there for stewarding, and FINALLY trail maintenance.
June also brought the official start of summer! This means more hikers out and about on trail! We were able to educate about 380 hikers with all this wonderful information we have obtained! The smoke deterred us from exploring too much into local towns and establishments (still neutral on the Brio’s-Phoenicia Diner debate) but we had so much new and insightful information to give. As we continue to go out, educate and explore we hope the number of meaningful interactions grows and grows. And we hope that our love of caring for the trails spreads to our fellow outdoor enthusiasts!
May
Key Accomplishments:
- Completed training on all 5 Catskills Stewarding locations (Boroughs Range, Blackhead Range, Giant Ledge and Panther, North Point) while receiving in the field training of fire ring removal and improvements, brushing in social trails and Leave No Trace Principles.
- Received training from park staff at Minnewaska and Sam’s Point, specific to Verkeerderkill Falls and Gertrude’s Nose
- Educated and assisted 610 hikers over 3 days on Memorial Day weekend, while stewarding during the first hot days of the season
Cat-Skills …?
The 2023 Conservation Corps season started and we are happy to welcome our 6 Catskills Trail Stewards and Leader! Our Stewards this year come from all types of backgrounds with varying levels of outdoor experience, and traveled from New York, New Jersey and even Florida! 5 of the members moved into the housing provided by the Trail Conference, located in Lanesville, NY. This location is ideal for us as it is centralized for all our Catskills locations. Our lone home Steward is located near our other stewarding locations in Minnewaska Park Preserve. Although us Catskills Stewards can feel pretty isolated as we often Steward alone, and are farther north than the rest of the Conservation Corps, we have begun to bond together, and help one another grow and learn.
How it began; well lots and lots of training. Usually when you think of training you think locked in a room on your computer trying not to fall asleep. And although there was some of that (the online training not the falling asleep) we were also trained at all of our Stewarding Locations. Hiking up North Point and then some to see one of the many plane crashes located in the Catskills, which taught us the importance of snacks on trail and the LNT principle of pack-in-pack-out. Then scrambling up Blackhead, seeing our first of many lean-tos, learning camping etiquette, fire ring management, and the difference between a primitive site and dispersed camping. The long schlep that is the point-to-point of the Boroughs Range, starting with the tallest mountain in the Catskills, Slide, down the Cornell Crack, and all the way to Wittenberg all while learning the various technological tools at our disposal like navigating Avenza, Seek and even PeakVisor! And still managed to save enough energy to end our Steward training on Giant Ledge and Panther and how to best respond to questions from the public. We have so much to still learn, including Wilderness First Aid, Leave Not Trace, and even DEC Communications Training and more!
What next? Well I’m glad you asked! The only next plausible step is putting this training to use! Memorial Day weekend was the perfect start to our Stewarding season. In total (including Minnewaska) we saw about 1,826 hikers, 192 of which were backpackers. And with all that training we were able to educate around 604 people! As we learn and grow that number will too! We also handled some illegal fire rings by removing them, cleaned out some legal fire rings, and removed small obstacles from the trail to make hiking easier! We also can’t wait to explore more of the Catskills as a whole (not just the trails) so that we can recommend the best ice cream around, and help people determine if Brio's or Phoenicia Diner is better. (for now I will stay neutral as I haven't been to both yet)
All in all the Catskills Trail Stewards are happy and excited to be here and can’t wait for the season ahead. So if you see one of us on trail, stop by and say hi! We might even have an answer of which establishment is better, in our opinion of course
