Trailblazers 

Adopt a Trail!

Trailblazers are trained by Arc Staff to independently monitor and maintain a chosen  trail system at one of the Arc of Appalachia’s preserves as well as help the Arc staff install new trails. Trailblazers visit their adopted trails at least once a month – trimning back vegetation and reporting to the staff the location of downed trees to large for them to remove single-handedly. In addition, they record attendance figures from our car couters, and share nature discoveries with staff and fellow Trailblazers on a special community phone app called Telegram. Trailblazers are an important extension of the eyes, ears, and hands of the land stewardship staff, ensuring the quality and safety of our preserve’s hiking trails. To become active:

• Subscribe to the Arc of Appalachia e-newsletter here to receive announcements of new trail installation work days.

• Email Land Stewardship Manager Ethan King  if you are considering adopting a trail. He will suggest trails still needing a Trailblazer and, if you accept, provide training qne support – welcoming you into the close-knit  Trailblazer community that cares for the Arc’s 50 miles of hiking trails (and growing!).

Biodiversity Brigade

Visit our Calendar of Events

Biodiversity Brigade volunteers work in concert with the Arc’s staff to complete a variety of forest stewardship asks, including planting trees, monitoring tree diseases, restoring rare ecoystems, and – most importantly – removing non-native invasive plants. Without human intervention, invasive plants compete directly with nagtive woodland wildflowers and shrubs for limited sunlight, mineral, and water resources. They cause severe ecosystem imbalance and loss or complete disappearance of our most vulnerable native plants. Biodiversity Brigade volunteers work to restore, protect and perpetuate native plant and animal communities in the Arc’s sensitive preserve environments. To become active:

• Subscribe to the Arc of Appalachia e-newsletter here to receive  announcements of volunteer opportunities.

• Sign up for one or more of our Biodiversity  Brigade Events!

• Questions? Contact Land Stewardship Director Brent Charette.