Thanks to an ever expanding partnership between REI and the
Appalachian Mountain Club, we have been able to hone in on stewardship needs of the Bay Circuit Trail (BCT) and other
trails in Eastern Massachusetts. In the coming year we hope to realize the vast
potential of volunteer engagement, conservation, and trail stewardship in this
region due to the company’s generous support.
The AMC has had a strong presence in Massachusetts since its
founding in 1876. We continue to broaden our partnerships in efforts to
preserve and maintain the valued public spaces in the area. Through staff and volunteer efforts in trail
construction and maintenance we have established strong relationships with the Mass.
Department of Conservation and Recreation, The Trustees of Reservations,
numerous land trusts, and more. In
September 2012, AMC and The Trustees of Reservations announced a new
collaboration to assist the Bay Circuit Trails Alliance in the completion,
enhancement, and long-term protection of the 200+ mile Bay Circuit Trail and
Greenway.
.jpg)
With generous grants from REI in 2012 and 2013, we have been
able to offer a variety of introductory trail work programs, open to the public
for free, in eastern MA and RI. These day-long programs, several of which took
place on the BCT, captured the attention of many individuals new to trail work
and conservation volunteering. AMC staff and local AMC Chapter trail leaders
partnered to deliver these programs in the hopes of fostering new sustaining
trail volunteers in the region. Turn-out for these events has been fantastic
and, with several more still on the schedule for 2013, we are optimistic about
the overall impact this will have on the local trail networks.
REI recently awarded AMC a grant to further support our
trails and conservation efforts by helping us strengthen our Volunteer Trail
Program’s infrastructure and expand our programming and outreach to volunteers.
Focusing on the BCT and other trail networks in the region, we plan to bolster
ongoing Adopt-A-Trail programs, offer numerous trainings for local volunteers,
coordinate community service events, lead local school/camp/college/scout
groups on trail stewardship projects, collaborate with the regional volunteer
and state land management agencies, and serve as an on-the-ground point of
contact for trail and conservation issues in eastern MA.
Stay tuned for more exciting news and developments on our
work on the BCT and trails in eastern MA. Interested in getting involved in one
of our upcoming Introduction to Trail Maintenance events? You can find
additional information at
www.rei.com/boston
or at
www.outdoors.org/volunteer.
.jpg)
.JPG)