Celebrating 2023 Appalachian Trail Volunteer Impacts
Oct 25, 2023
As we close in on a century of protecting, managing, and advocating for the Appalachian Trail, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) has been working to engage and inspire a new generation of Trail stewards. Reflecting on the past year shows how these efforts are paying off for volunteers, the A.T.’s 30 Trail Maintaining Clubs, and perhaps especially for the Trail itself. The following accomplishments represent just a fraction of the impact made by volunteers throughout the 2023 federal fiscal year.
2023 Volunteer Highlights
- 4,730 volunteers
- 170,147 volunteer hours
- 306 events posted on our Volunteer Engagement Platform, which connects prospective volunteers with the ATC-led volunteer opportunities and the Trail Maintaining Clubs that coordinate service projects across the Trail’s 14 states.
In 2023, we are especially pleased with the effectiveness of the Volunteer Engagement Platform (VEP) as a hub to connect people who are passionate about the A.T. with our partner organizations that coordinate critical on-the-ground Trail work.
1,400 individuals used the VEP in 2023 to explore volunteer opportunities and become part of the community of A.T. volunteers. As the ATC continues to collaborate with the 30 Trail Maintaining Clubs, we are proud to share that there was a 25% increase in publicly posted volunteer opportunities on the VEP compared to 2022. Furthermore, 60% of all clubs provided more events to be listed on the platform in 2023 than in 2022. For clubs, that means more exposure for their important work and the opportunity to recruit more volunteers. For prospective volunteers, this increase means that there are more work opportunities available that suit their interests, skills, locations, and schedules.
The A.T. would not exist without the dedicated work of volunteers. To those who give their time, energy, and passion to the Trail, thank you for another amazing year!
