Educating Hikers, Safely and Responsibly

July 15, 2020
News
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

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Educating Hikers, Safely and Responsibly
Trail Conference Conservation Corps Trail Stewards educating trail users at Breakneck Ridge. Photo by Sarah Dickinson.

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With enthusiastic new trail users now seeking more ways to be active and find peace in nature, our Steward program is in even higher demand than ever before.

We have a responsibility to teach Leave No Trace principles to protect visitors and protect the land. Preparing novice hikers to responsibly enjoy the outdoors will be more important than ever.

Trail Conference Conservation Corps Trail Steward Rosa reflects on the importance of being an interpreter between trail visitors, volunteers, and public lands:

“Having now visited all three steward locations, I can’t help but be inspired by the passionate people who protect these lands. The level of knowledge and care is remarkable and I hope to try to match that by the end of my tenure as a steward. There is so much invisible work that has been done to keep these trails accessible and safe, and I want to try to convey that to visitors I come into contact with. I am really excited to steward tomorrow and see what questions arise, for myself and the visitors.”

You’ll find our Trail Stewards stationed Friday through Sunday at:

  •  The Appalachian Trail at Bear Mountain State Park, N.Y.
  •  Breakneck Ridge in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, N.Y.
  •  Croton Gorge Unique Area in Westchester County, N.Y.
  •  Catskill Forest Preserve at Slide Mountain and Giant Ledge, N.Y.

Our Steward program is possible through the support of our generous donors and sponsors.