| | | | | | News of the past month and what's ahead
In this edition: - PNTS Publishes Statement of Solidarity and Diversity and Inclusion Resources on June 3rd
- TAKE ACTION: Call Senators to Support Great American Outdoors Act by June 8th
- American Hiking Society Suspends #NationalTrailsDay Promotion for June 6th
- SURVEY REMINDER: Fall National Trails Workshop - Willingness To Travel Survey Due June 7th
- PNTS Updates: Executive Director Search, D.C. Office Move, and Intern Grants
- PNTS Offers Pathways Magazine Email Notice, Content Submissions Due June 12th
- Upcoming June Webinars
- COVID-19 Resources for National Trails
- #RecreateResponsibly to Protect Yourself, Others, and the Outdoors
- National Trails System: New Book and USFS Trails Lead
- Funding, Scholarship, and Award Opportunities
- A Visit to a Trail Can Enhance Your Health and Well-Being
- Job Postings: NCTA and PNTA are Hiring
| | | | The Partnership's Statement of Solidarity The Partnership for the National Trails System stands in solidarity with the Black community and other people of color in condemning recent injustices — especially loss of life — as well as the systemic racism that has persisted in our country for generations. The Partnership published a Statement of Solidarity (adopted June 3rd), which includes links to our Statement of Inclusion (adopted February 8th) and a growing list of Diversity and Inclusion Resources on our website. We respectfully ask all trail advocates and enthusiasts to join us in investing time in broadening our understanding of systemic racism. We are compiling resources to help us all become more aware, informed, and better equipped to take action. Do you have a resource to share here? Please email communication@pnts.org. | | | | | | | |  | UPDATE 6/5/2020: The Senate is expected to vote on the Great American Outdoors Act this coming MONDAY, June 8th as the “first vote back” for Senators after the weekend. Call your Senators TODAY and urge them to be in DC in time for Monday night's first vote, and to support S. 3422 with no amendments! | | | | | Congressional and LWCF Update Congress is slowly getting back to work on “regular order” legislation after approving four funding packages aimed at addressing the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on individuals and businesses. There is good news regarding upcoming Senate action on S. 3422, The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), a bipartisan legislative package to jointly address both full and dedicated funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and a dedicated fund to address backlog maintenance needs in our national parks, forests, and other public lands. This pdf illustrates some of the economic benefits of GAOA. The Partnership for the National Trails System, its member groups and hundreds of other organizations, businesses, and individuals have endorsed this bill and sent a letter to Congress in early May urging prompt action on the bill. Just before the Senate recessed for Memorial Day, Majority Leader McConnell announced that the bill would be put in the queue for floor consideration in June, perhaps as early as the first full week. In the House, a bipartisan “Dear Colleague” letter urging action on GAOA as part of an infrastructure package got 118 signers over a short period of time — signaling strong support for quick action — and a companion measure to S. 3422 is expected to be introduced in the House very soon. In the meantime, PNTS sent a second letter to Congressional leaders in early May requesting specific attention to trails needs in a COVID-19 economic recovery or infrastructure package, and along with many other organizations has continued to urge Congress to include the outdoor recreation economy and public lands in its stimulus plans. | | | | | | | | In Solidarity, AHS Suspends Promotion of National Trails Day® In its quest to be an ever-stronger ally, so as not to take space from the very important discussions and protests around racism in America and, in particular, around police brutality of Black bodies, American Hiking Society will suspend its promotion of National Trails Day this year (previously scheduled for June 6th). Instead, AHS will be taking allyship actions, including: amplifying Black voices in the outdoor community; sharing resources on racism in the outdoors that will link back to publications and content authored by people of color; and urging supporters to call on Congress to pass legislation that provides equitable access to quality natural spaces for ALL. AHS, therefore, will not be using the #NationalTrailsDay hashtag nor referring to the #NationalTrailsDay pledge. AHS invites you to join them in this effort by taking your own actions in allyship. Please feel free to adapt the content AHS will share online to fit your needs if you’d like, just don't use the old social media toolkit that tags #NationalTrailsDay, nor refer to the #NationalTrailsDay pledge, which will now be defunct. | | | | Travel Survey Due June 7th The PNTS Fall National Trails Workshop has been scheduled for October 27-29th, 2020 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. At this time, we feel we need to make a recommendation to the Trail Leaders Council about whether the workshop will be an in-person event or not. There are a variety of factors to consider but of the utmost importance is safety and your willingness to attend an in-person event in October. Please help us in this process by filling out this very short survey. We don’t have the details of what things will be like in October, so we are asking you to use your best judgement with what you know today. SURVEY FORM LINKED HERE Due June 7th. Read the full message from RG Absher, Chair of the Fall Workshop, HERE. | | | | | | | | | | PNTS Update on Executive Director, Office, and Trail Intern Grants - The Partnership for the National Trails System Transition Task Force reports that the hiring of a new Executive Director is on schedule for mid-summer with a start date on or before September 1st. We are delighted with the number and caliber of applicants, and interviews are underway.
- PNTS leadership is also exploring several promising options for its office move to Washington, D.C., including co-locating with a peer/partner organization.
- Of the 13 National Trail Intern Grants awarded in 2020, so far 7 interns have been hired, 3 of which have started their internships. The rest of the trails had to delay the start dates/hire dates due to COVID-19 and are planning on starting their internships by June.
| | | | PNTS Publishes Spring Magazine and Case Study As we prepare for our next issue of Pathways Across America, our magazine that covers the stories from across the 30 national scenic and historic trails, we are very aware that many of you are not in your offices where the magazine normally is mailed. Please sign up for an email notice for Pathways HERE. We will make sure that you get an email letting you know when the magazine is available online. This will help us lower costs on undeliverable magazines and ensure that you still get the information from the trails. Thank you for letting us know! REMINDER: Email communication@pnts.org to submit story ideas for potential inclusion in the summer issue of Pathways by June 12th. | |  | Spring Issue of Pathways The cover story for our spring issue of Pathways Across America focuses on how the trails community has been adjusting to change amid a global pandemic and collaborating by sharing resources and creating virtual engagement opportunities during COVID-19. Other stories include updates from PNTS leadership, a recap of Hike the Hill, Electronic Tour Sites on historic trails, recent land purchases and reroutes on scenic trails, trail partner comings and goings, and an update from the National Trails System Council. | | | | |  | Fones Cliffs Case Study The Partnership just published its second case study about land protection efforts. “Saving Fones Cliffs: A Remarkable Conservation Success Story along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail,” relays the 15-year sustained effort by conservation organizations to acquire Fones Cliffs in eastern Virginia in 2018. The cliffs, located in the heart of the ancestral home of the Rappahannock Tribe, are also home to one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles in the continental U.S. | | | | | | | |  | The Partnership for the National Trails System will share additional webinars hosted by other organizations on its webinar page. Registration information and costs may vary. Since March, this has included dozens of COVID-19 related webinars and virtual town hall meetings. Some recordings are also available. | | | Upcoming Webinars DEI: How to Be a Vehicle for Change
June 10th at 3PM EDT
Hosted by Verde Brand Communications and Camber Outdoors Community Engagement for Trails
June 11th at 1PM EDT
Hosted by American Trails Women-Led Stewardship and Conservation - A Panel Discussion
June 16th at 3PM EDT
Hosted by American Trails | | | | | | | | | | COVID-19 Trail Resources PNTS has created a COVID-19 Updates for National Scenic and Historic Trails webpage to track, to the best of its ability, trail-related responses, guidelines, policies, event cancellations, related news articles, and resources. If you would like something shared to this page, please email Samantha Haas, PNTS Communications Coordinator, at communication@pnts.org. Examples of specific resources are listed below. | | | | | | American Trails Report American Trails recently wrote this article about “How COVID-19 is Affecting the Trails Community,” referencing this report based on data from a nationwide survey. | | | CARES Act Info Explore opportunity and eligibility, and take advantage of CARES Act 2020 funding opportunities, accessible via a number of different pathways - national, state and local levels. | | | | | | #RecreateResponsibly We’ve temporarily experienced life with limited access to trails and public lands and, now more than ever, realize how much we need them. The need to recreate responsibly will continue even after the pandemic is behind us. We have a shared responsibility to care for these places and ensure they remain for future generations to enjoy. As some trails, parks, and public lands open up for us to get back outdoors, join us in committing to get out there responsibly and join the #RecreateResponsibly Coalition. | | | | | | More National Trails System News | | | |  | Trails Book Will Benefit PNTS Steve Elkinton’s book, "The National Trails System – An Illustrated History" (VertelPress, 2020), is now available from Amazon Books, Books-a-Million, and Barnes & Noble for $26.99. Steve Elkinton served in the National Park Service for 25 of those 50 years helping to build this system of trails. He uses oral history interviews and archived documents to fill in hitherto undocumented gaps in this uplifting story. Once publishing expenses are met, all additional proceeds will be donated to the Partnership for the National Trails System. | | |  | USFS New Acting Trails Lead The U.S. Forest Service has announced that Brenda Yankoviak will be stepping into the role of its Acting National Trails Program Lead beginning June 8. Brenda has worked around the west in recreation and trails and is currently the manager of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail program. She has terrific program management and facilitation skills and the department looks forward to having her step into the role of convening and leading the many trails teams currently working across the country. Welcome, Brenda! | | | | | | Funding, Scholarship, and Award Opportunities | | | |  | Matching Awards Program The National Forest Foundation is soliciting proposals for its Matching Awards Program (MAP), which provides U.S. Forest Service federal funds for on-the-ground projects benefiting America's National Forests and Grasslands. A 1:1 non-federal match is required. Round 2 Deadline: Tuesday, June 9th | | | | |  | 2020 Beneficiaries Camber Outdoors opened its applications for Camber Exchange Beneficiary “mini-grants” to nonprofits with a 501(c)(3) status, annual revenue of $250,000 or less, and initiatives or programs that promote workplace equity in the active-outdoors industries. Application Deadline: Tuesday, June 30th | | | | | | | | | | A Breath of Fresh Air! During stressful times, it is well known that a breath of fresh air can help reduce stress and even physical symptoms. Don’t overlook the national scenic and historic trails that may be nearby. A visit to a trail can enhance your health and well being. Your gift of $50, $100, $250 or more will help the Partnership for the National Trails System (PNTS) expand the diversity of trail experiences including virtual ones. | | | | | | Donations to the Partnership for the National Trails System will help bring more trails, scenic and historic, to you. Your tax-deductible contribution will help us to create opportunities to explore your natural and historic heritage throughout America and support the work of citizen stewards who build and maintain these trails in your backyard. We thank you! | | | | | | | | Upcoming Events: National Pony Express Association's Annual Re-Ride • June 3-13, 2020
National Trails Day • June 6, 2020
North Country Trail Association Virtual Celebration • August 2020
SORP National Outdoor Recreation Conference • September 14-17, 2020
38th Annual OCTA Convention • (2020 event is rescheduled for September 12-16, 2021)
Santa Fe Trail Center Rendezvous • September 24-26, 2020
National Wilderness Workshop • October 13-17, 2020
National Trails Workshop - South Carolina • October 26-30, 2020
view all | | | | | | | | | | | | Do you have an upcoming event, news story, or job posting that is not listed above?
Send us an e-mail at communication@pnts.org. | | | | | | | | | | | | Partnership for the National Trails System
306 E Wilson, Suite 2E, | Madison, Wisconsin 53703
608-249-7870 | admin@pnts.org | | | | | | | | | |
