As we close 2021 and look forward to a new year, we send our gratitude to the trail community and all who believe in the power of nature.
Thanks to you, the Trail Conference continues to be an incredible force multiplier, recruiting and training more than 2,500 volunteers who care for and protect our region’s natural areas and the trails that provide access to them. Our volunteers’ efforts result in approximately $3 million in labor given to the improvement of public lands annually. That’s $3 million of care given to local trails and parks to ensure your experiences outdoors are safe and enjoyable.
In 2021, the Trail Conference celebrated a century of providing that service to our friends, neighbors, and all who recreate on these lands. The pandemic continued to create unprecedented circumstances and challenges for the trails and our service community, yet we persevered. Although our headquarters remains closed to the public, our programs and operations found renewed success in a hybrid model of outdoor, in-person workshops and work trips while continuing to leverage our Online Learning Library and holding virtual meetings. At the same time, we have continued to see trails face remarkably high usage with millions of people seeking respite outdoors. Despite these challenges, our Trail Family demonstrated resilience. We had many great successes this year.
You’ll find these wins for the outdoors—from conserving critical land and trail access in New Jersey, to helping lead efforts to stop the dreaded spotted lanternfly in New York. As we look back on the 2021 successes we’ve had in improving access to nature, we look forward to 2022 and the ways we can use what we have learned to become a stronger, more impactful organization. Whatever the new year brings, we’re excited to continue this journey with you and grateful to have you along with us.