~ Emily Dickinson
Summer is of course the busiest season on the Appalachian Trail — and not just because of the hikers. The challenges posed by heat and bugs never deter our volunteers and professional crews, who shift into high gear, tackling maintenance projects that make the Trail a safer, and more enjoyable, experience for us all. The ATC’s conservation staff members are hard at work managing the spread of invasive species, monitoring the health of forests, and improving habitat for native plants and wildlife including those that are threatened or endangered.
This issue of A.T. Journeys takes you behind the scenes of three projects that are the focus of the ATC’s efforts on the Trail this summer. First, thanks to the generous support of lead donors, we are kicking off a multiyear project to assess all 380-plus overnight sites along the A.T. (see “Improving Nights in the Woods,” and “A Family Affair”). These sites include shelters and campsites that have expanded in recent years due to record numbers of long-distance hikers. Most of the sites were not designed to accommodate so many visitors or to minimize the impact on the environment caused by the heavy use that is now commonplace. The assessment will enable us to identify which require a redesign or replacement to ensure the optimal A.T. experience.
Second, in appreciation of the fact that the Trail is a critical migration corridor for many species, we are hard at work this summer on improving the habitat in the southern Appalachians of the golden-winged warbler (see “Highland Havens”). Named the 2024 Bird of the Year by the American Birding Association, this beloved songbird has struggled to withstand the challenges of shrinking landscapes that meet its summer and winter needs. The golden-winged warbler is just one of the animal and plant species that the ATC seeks to protect, in order to preserve critical biodiversity in the Trail corridor.
Last, but not least, we explore youth programs that are introducing a new generation to the importance and impact of A.T. stewardship (see “Engaging Youth in Trail Maintenance and Protection”). The NextGen Forest Ambassadors program in Georgia, now in its seventh year, is a model for partnerships with youth-serving organizations elsewhere on the Trail, such as Outward Bound in the Mid-Atlantic. Given the threats to the Trail’s future posed by increased use and a changing climate, among others, it is essential that we awaken in more young people a desire to protect the Trail we love.
I hope that this summer for you will be a time for rest, relaxation, and a reawakened commitment to spend more time on, and show your support for, the Appalachian Trail.
