New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Join our team of outdoor enthusiasts and play a vital role in preserving our region's trails and public lands! The Trail Conference is seeking a Communications Coordinator to help spread our mission and engage our community. Learn more and apply: nynjtc.org/job-openings

Slide Mountain recently received an upgrade, thanks to the hard work of students from Longwood Preparatory Academy in the South Bronx. Led by teacher and volunteer Trail Maintainer, Julie McGuire, a group of 12 students cleaned out an impressive 23 water bars! Despite it being their first time on a hiking trail, they dove right in and worked incredibly hard to leave Slide Mountain in better condition than they found it, improving drainage along the trail. We're so proud of their hard work and dedication to keeping the Catskills beautiful and can't wait to welcome them back for more trail maintenance in the fall!

A big thanks to NorthJersey.com for featuring several of the parks and trails cared for by our organization! Check out the article for some hiking inspiration this summer, and be sure to pick up a map at nynjtc.org/shop before heading out. https://lnkd.in/eWxmyCVF

We’re #hiring! The Trail Conference is seeking a New Jersey Program Coordinator to support our program in partnership with local land managers, partner organizations, and volunteer leaders. Learn more and apply: nynjtc.org/job-openings

The latest issue of Trail Walker is here! Discover how our Conservation Dogs are saving public lands, read about our impact on parks and communities in 2023, and much more: https://lnkd.in/eRw9npzu Want to receive Trail Walker, our biannual magazine, delivered to your door? Become a member today and never miss an issue: nynjtc.org/membership

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the importance of mental well-being and the healing power of nature. Shaun's inspiring journey of overcoming addiction and depression highlights the profound impact trails can have on mental well-being. His end-to-end hike on the Long Path, from New York City to the Adirondacks, showcases nature's ability to foster resilience and empowerment. Read his story to learn more about the healing potential of the outdoors and the Long Path's role in mental wellness: https://lnkd.in/eKREKBJE Photos by Shaun Gitlin, during his end-to-end hike of the Long Path this past winter.

Did you know turtles play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem balance? Sadly, habitat destruction, degradation, and illegal trafficking are threatening their populations in our region, putting the health of the ecosystem in jeopardy. As spring arrives, turtles are emerging from hibernation to find mates, nesting sites, and food. During this critical time, our Conservation Dogs team will be helping local land managers and biologists in surveying wood and box turtles, both listed on the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's wildlife special concern list. Through our surveying efforts, we will better understand this crucial species’ population status, habitat usage, and other important data for better habitat management, as well as better be able to assess the health and stability of our trails and surrounding lands. With your support, we can continue to improve our methodologies to ensure we are as effective as possible in protecting the lands we all love to explore. Give: nynjtc.org/earthweek24

In honor of today’s Earth Day, members of the MBS team volunteered on Friday, helping the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference clear a trail at Lake Tiorati Beach. 🏝️ Thanks to Peter Kubat from Sharp Electronics Corporation USA for getting us set up with this awesome event! Happy Earth Day! What’s one thing you can be doing to help keep this Earth green? 🌎🍃🌲 #earth #earthday #earthdayeveryday #business #teambuilding #team #nj #newjersey

Over the weekend, I had the honor of receiving The Major William A. Welch Award for Outstanding Partner from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. The award recognizes people who have been strong advocates for and provided significant assistance to the Trail Conference volunteers. I've been a long-time supporter of the Trail Conference and its mission. The organization does amazing work, keeping habitats in NY and NJ sustainable and accessible for all. I am grateful to have received this award and even more thankful that there is so much natural wonder around us that we can all enjoy. Our team at Trillion Creative volunteers with the Conference and we find it very rewarding. We've worked on over 50 maps, countless appeals, and many, many pieces of collateral to help the organization support its mission and spread knowledge. As it happens, today is #EarthDay. I hope we can all find a way to appreciate and celebrate the outdoors today (I've ridden my bike already). Thank you to the Trail Conference for the award and for all the great work you do! #Nature #EarthDay #Volunteer #NewYork #NewJersey Jeremy Apgar Joshua Howard

The health of our trails depends on the health of our lands. Over the last 100 years, the Trail Conference has evolved into much more than just a "trail organization." Our commitment to the recovery and protection of native biodiversity through innovative programming is an imperative part of our mission. Since 2011, our Invasives Strike Force has protected our trail network's surrounding lands by surveying invasive species. Our Conservation Dogs joined the effort in 2018, detecting invasives unseen by the human eye, enabling us to offer advanced management and rehabilitation for the fragile environments that encompass our trails. To ensure we can continue our efforts, we've kicking off an Earth Week Challenge to raise $40,000 this spring! Now through April 25, all gifts up to $15,000 are being matched. Through your generosity, the Trail Conference can evolve and improve our methods to protect our trails and the environment. Make an Earth Week gift today: nynjtc.org/earthweek24