The Stewardship Newsletter of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The Register: Special Edition
ATC is communicating regularly about COVID-19 and its impact visitors, volunteers, communities, and partners. Updates can be found at www.appalachiantrail.org/covid19. We appreciate the patience and adaptability of volunteers and A.T. clubs who have suspended trail-related activities.
During this unprecedented time, our abilities to remain connected to the Appalachian Trail have only changed in form. This special edition of The Register is dedicated to connecting and engaging the spirit of A.T. volunteerism without having to step foot on the Trail.
Maintainers Roundtable
Join A.T. maintainers for a first-of-its-kind social hour! Bring your own beverage, and join in conversations with other Trail volunteers next Tuesday, April 7 at 5:15 p.m. Registration is needed, so sign up here!
The Good Ol’ Days
Volunteers built the Trail and volunteers will continue to maintain the Trail. Let’s take this moment to pause and reflect on some of our favorite Trail memories and accomplishments. Whether it’s #FlashbackFriday of #ThrowbackThursday, share some of your favorite photographs: email them to us at volunteer@appalachiantrail.org with a little about where it was taken and what was happening.
Tricks of the Trail Trade
This chainsaw backpack is any sawyers dream, and you can make it yourself. Feel free to share with us some of your tricks of the trade by emailing us at volunteer@appalachiantrail.org.
Hard Core Puzzling
Some people may find themselves with a lot more time on their hands, other may be kicking it in to high gear this time of year. Either way, take a deep breath and enjoy solving this A.T. themed jigsaw puzzle.
Walk the Distance
Practicing social distancing but want to take a hike on the A.T.? You can now hike the Appalachian Trail virtually! For a limited time, downloads of the iOS app “Walk the Distance” are free! Download for your iPhone now by clicking here: https://walkthedistance.page.link/98keLRmDlXmLp7KO3gZA
When home is a school, remember that all nature is a classroom. Here are some resources to help make every stroll outside (in your backyard, in your neighborhood, or at least on the screen) a learning experience. These apps can help you connect to the natural world, while you connect with each other.
eBird is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s app for crowd-sourcing bird research. Use it to identify birds, and share what you see. New to birding? Take the free Bird Academy course to get started.
Did you know? The ATC works with partners like the Audubon Society to study rare and endangered species taking refuge along the Appalachian Trail landscape we call The Wild East.
iNaturalist is a collaboration between the CA Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. The app connects a community of those observing the natural world, while contributing to biodiversity research. Plus you’ll get better at identifying invasive species.
Did you know? The ATC’s partner organization AMC has piloted a program through iNaturalist on the Appalachian Trail.
Refresh Your Skills: Leave No Trace
You can help protect the Appalachian Trail lands, while sheltering-in-place. How? Refresh your Leave No Trace awareness. Cooperative stewardship starts here:
Down Time From Trail Work, Brush Up on Safety
Trail Safe! is a 3-hour online course (broken into 8 segments) on the human factors in managing risk. Take the whole series to hone your leadership skills, and earn a Trail Safe! pin. Find Trail Safe! on ATC’s Training page.
Volunteer Survey
ATC has opened a survey for all-levels of volunteers in order to help refine and improve ways we support volunteers. Responses will be valuable to our A.T. Sawyer program as well as taking stock of any gaps in available training. The survey could take up to 30 minutes to complete. Volunteers who complete the survey are entered in a raffle to win one of several daypacks, perfect for a day on the Trail.
Clubs with the highest percentage of survey participants (based on tiers of small, medium and large clubs) will then have their members entered into the raffle twice, doubling chances of their volunteers winning! We hope you’ll take the survey and share it with fellow volunteers: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AllVolsAT