Resilience, Gratitude Define Our 100th Year

The Trail Conference entered 2020 full of ambition and excitement, ready to mark our 100th birthday and make the year one of our best ever.

It is with deep gratitude to all our volunteers, members, and supporters that, despite the challenges this year has presented, we close 2020 as one of our best ever. That is only possible thanks to you.

Your donations, quite simply, allowed the Trail Conference to continue operations. After our headquarters closed in March and in-person activity was suspended out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our staff and volunteers, we were unsure what would happen next. Incredibly, when the trail community heard of budget gaps and vanishing sources of income, they rallied to ensure there were no gaps in the public’s ability to experience the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing found in nature. And the trail community grew.

Record numbers of people began exploring trails. We saw an unprecedented demand for information from our website about where to hike and what to bring. The rejuvenating power of trails became essential for weathering the pandemic—and the Trail Conference became an essential service for the public.

2020 by the Numbers

• 3.5+ million views of informational pages on nynjtc.org
• 58,000+ Avenza Maps downloads to safely guide trail users
• 100,923 trail users engaged by Conservation Corps Trail Stewards
• 12,000+ views of our new on-demand educational videos
• 1,500+ webinar participants through our new digital engagement initiative
• 228 new volunteers trained and assigned to on-the-ground roles

We could be sharing a very different story right now if it weren’t for our supporters’ investment in the protection of great outdoor experiences when we all needed it most. Thanks to your passion for nature—for your belief in the work of the Trail Conference— our staff, volunteers, and service members accomplished more than we thought possible during those early days of quarantine. Read about these achievements.

We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of greater metropolitan New York and New Jersey—people who, for generations, have valued safe trails and healthy ecosystems. You are the ones who, for 100 years, have made sure the Trail Conference could stand watch for trails and remain vigilant for the protection of the land you love. We do this work for you, for your children, and for the future of all those who live in and enjoy this beautiful region.