Trailway News: In the Trail, There is Hope

The anxiety produced by recent news on climate change, and its impacts on the human and natural worlds, can be paralyzing. It’s easy to spiral into a loop of despair given the scale and complexity of the problem. Fortunately, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) has always worked to create large-scale impacts, almost always by convening people and partners for a common purpose. Today, we find ourselves working with an ever-growing list of partners, connecting to a vast community of Trail lovers and supporters, and protecting resources (including the Appalachian Trail and its surrounding landscape) that can help reduce and adapt to climate change. In our work and the A.T. itself, we find both solutions and hope.

In this week’s featured article, Shalin Desai, ATC Vice President of Advancement, shares how the A.T. helped transform his climate anxiety into climate optimism.

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Preparing for Severe Weather

Earlier this week, Tropical Depression Fred brought severe weather and flooding to the southern region of the A.T. As we head into the weekend, the National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for parts of New England as Tropical Storm Henri could make landfall on the northeastern U.S. coast.

While the exact path is unknown and the strength of the storm unpredictable, this system could cause significant rainfall and strong winds. Hikers are encouraged to plan ahead in the event of severe weather on the Trail and make adjustments as more information becomes available.

Trail Updates

Our Volunteer Spotlight for August is Joan Moyer!

For the past 41 years, Joan has supported the A.T. through volunteering with the Blue Eagle Mountain Club (BMECC) in Pennsylvania as a section maintainer, Club president, and mentor. She’s worked with a variety of volunteers, partners, and the public to accomplish projects like the building of the Eagle’s Nest Shelter, the transition of composting privies along the BMECC’s Trail section to moldering privies, and so much more.

Having stepped down from her role as BMECC president, Joan continues to dedicate her time as a co-maintainer of a two-mile section of the Trail along the Schuylkill River. Thank you, Joan!

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Preservation Through Art: Along the French Broad River

Preserving A Picturesque America (PAPA) invites you to its inaugural art sale and exhibition – Preservation Through Art: Along the French Broad – from September 16 – October 27 at the Wedge at Foundation in Asheville, NC. Works of art, produced in a variety of mediums, depict scenes along the French Broad River (one of the several rivers the A.T. passes over) from the original 1870s publication Picturesque America. These artworks reveal how natural landscapes appear today and why they are worth protecting. Proceeds from the art sale will benefit the ATC in addition to other nonprofits.

To learn more about this exhibit and the contributing local artists at preservationthroughart.org/fb-exhibition/.

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A.T. Museum Announces 2021 Hall of Fame Banquet

Tickets are now on sale for the 2021 A.T. Hall of Fame Banquet! Each year, the A.T. Museum hosts the Hall of Fame Banquet to honor persons who have made exceptional and positive contributions to the Trail.

This year, the Banquet will be held on November 20, 2021, starting at 6 p.m. EST, at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center near Carlisle, PA.

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Don’t Forget…

Community Spotlight

Want to be featured in our community spotlight? Follow us on Instagram at @appalachiantrail and use #atcspotlight in your post!

Happy Trails!

Please donate today to ensure the A.T. we all love benefits us today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

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