RAILWALKER TNEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE...MAINTAINING OVER 1300 MILES OF FOOT TRAILS MAY/JUNE 2000 Trail Conference/ Our Work in New Jersey Adirondack The Trail Conference’s New Jersey Mountain Club Trails and Greenway Action Plan took a leap forward last fall when the Confer- advocacy partner- ence hired its first staff member in the ship achieves Long state, New Jersey Field Representative Larry Wheelock. This new initiative was Path acquisition jump-started by a $10,000 challenge grant from John and Marianne Gunzler, with a funds and lands commitment for $15,000 for each of the following two years, and matched by a The Trail Conference and $30,000 grant from the Marie Baier Adirondack Mountain Club’s advocacy Foundation. partnership, formed in 1997 to lobby on The goals of our Action Plan are to behalf of state parks, open space, and hik- invigorate the volunteer corps; to encour- ing trail lands in New York State, really age more appropriate and adequate park “brought home the bacon” with this stewardship of existing trail lands; and year’s State budget—securing funds for to help shape a protected landscape in Long Path corridor land preservation in the New Jersey Highlands. Through the Ulster and Greene Counties. efforts of our Trail Lands Consultant John SHIRA ROHDE Governor Pataki announced that Myers, we have already accelerated our Ramapo Lake in Ramapo Mountain State Forest is located in just one of the areas $90,500 is being dedicated to the acqui- protection efforts, as reported in the last that will benefit from our expanded efforts in northern New Jersey. sition of the first parcel on the Trail Walker. Although Anne Huntersfield Ridge-Ginseng Ridge Long To date, Larry has concentrated on ridges of the New Jersey Highlands feels Lutkenhouse, Conference Projects Direc- Path corridor in Greene County. The State the northwestern section of the state— like a full-time job in itself. As the de- tor, worked for many years building solid has also agreed to acquire nearly 5,000 the Kittatinny Ridge, from the Delaware mand for technology services throughout relationships with government and non- acres to add to the Catskill Forest Pre- Water Gap through Stokes and society increases, tremendous pressures governmental agencies in New Jersey, it serve, land which permanently preserves Worthington State Forests and to High threaten hiking trails and public lands. became apparent that a more visible and the Long Path’s corridor near the Vernooy Point State Park. Gradually he will ex- Larry is working with trail supervisors in physical presence was needed. A resident Kill as well as more than six miles of that pand his work to include all of northern local communities to help inform and of New Jersey could be a more consis- quality, cold-water trout stream itself. The New Jersey. educate decision-makers about the effects tent resource to Conference volunteers TC-ADK advocacy partnership lobbied Coordinating the Trail Conference’s of cell phone towers on the viewshed. and programs and also form more part- hard for the inclusion of the Long Path responses to proposals for cell phone and/ Larry points out, “We need more local nerships with other environmental orga- as a priority in the current state budget, nizations throughout the state. or utility towers construction along the volunteers to learn the regulatory process Since being hired last fall, Larry has continued on page 9 continued on page 10 focused on three priorities from the mul- titude initially outlined for his work: co- ordinating the Conference’s responses to the seemingly endless proposals for cell Long term activism is needed to fight NJ off-road phone tower construction; developing ad- ditional trail and leadership volunteers; motorcycling threat n Motorized users are lobbying and anchoring our management planning hard across the nation, on both federal for the Farny Highlands trail system. Thank you to members for your ex- sembly. and state governments, to gain off-road cellent response to our recent Action Here is the reality about the off-road-mo- (trail) access on public lands with their Alert about proposed legislation that torized-access-to-trails issue: vehicles. n Whats Inside would require 30 miles of off-road mo- n Off-road motorcycling supporters This threat is here to stay! We torcycling trails to be set aside in a north- are being tenacious in their efforts to gain must mount a equally tenacious defense against the permitting of vehicles onto Presidents Notepad....... 2 ern New Jersey state park or forest (Sen- access. For example, just prior to press ate bill S529). time, motorcycle supporters convinced public trail lands. It’s going to take a Call for Nominations ...... 3 At press time, this proposed bill had the New Jersey Fish and Game Council concerted, long-term effort to keep mo- torized access off these trails. Each of Delegates Meeting ........ 3 not been scheduled for consideration by to have the Department of Environmen- the Senate’s Environmental and Natu- tal Protection study the feasibility of hold- us must become an activist and keep Trail Relocations ........... 4 ral Resources Committee. That’s good ing an off-road motorcycling Enduro race the pressure on legislators, elected offi- news, at least for now. However, despite in a State Wildlife Management Area! cials, and others to say “No!” to turn- Hikers Bookshelf .......... 6 your letters and calls to legislators, this First the off-road motorcyclists want ac- ing over trails to off-road motorcycles Website News .............. 7 proposal could be scheduled at anytime cess to state park trails, now they want and other motorized vehicles. This is our for a committee hearing and vote; it access to lands set aside for habitat pro- challenge with the quality of our out- Hikers Almanac ..........12 could also be re-introduced in the As- tection!! doors experience as the grand prize in this contest. n You’ll be hearing more from us. When the Trail Conference puts out the call to YOU for action, BE that activ- from the president’s notepad... TRAIL WALKER Volume XXVII, No. 3 May/June 2000 Nora Porter Managing Editor Paul Leikin Advertising Manager The Census and the Trail Conference The TRAIL WALKER (ISSN 0749-1352) is pub- lished bi-monthly by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference as a benefit of membership. I sit down to write this note on April We will continue to encourage young Trail Conference’s domain: the cultural Of membership dues, $4 is allocated to a one- 1st — April Fool’s Day by some tradi- people to get involved in trail work. As shifts that are not yet well reflected in year subscription. Subscriptions are available to libraries only at $15.00 a year. Periodical post- tions, but also . Census Day. By now our letterhead shows, several of our mem- our membership. Increasingly our neigh- age paid at New York, NY. Postmaster: Send you all should have completed your cen- ber clubs are Girl and Boy Scout troops bors and co-workers mirror the ethnic di- address changes to the address below. Opinions sus forms. (If not, they will find you!) And and schools with special programs—some versity that has long been a hallmark of expressed by authors do not necessarily repre- sent the policy or position of the Conference. by now you have heard the reasons why from inner city neighborhoods—all of American society. If the work we have Contributions of typed manuscripts, photos and the census must be taken every decade— them promoting outdoor recreation and done is to survive long into the future, drawings are welcome. Manuscripts may be something about political representation community service. We look to such clubs we must be better able to educate all edited for style and length. Send SASE for writ- ers’ guidelines. Submission deadlines for the and economic opportunity. But I suspect to plant the seeds for tomorrow’s conser- members of the public so they can be- TRAIL WALKER are February 1 (Mar./Apr. Is- we really take these counts because we vationists and trail activists. come involved in protecting our hiking sue), April 1 (May/June issue), June 1 (July/Aug. Issue), August 1 (Sept./Oct. Issue), October 1 have an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Another cohort of young people has resources now. (Nov./Dec. Issue), December 1 (Jan./Feb. Issue). Why am I talking about this? For two been introduced to the Trail Conference Trail users need information, but we Unsolicited contributions cannot be acknowl- reasons. First, we have learned from our through their parents. Some of these have are not reaching new immigrant groups edged unless accompanied by SASE. For infor- mation on advertising rates, please write or call. strategic planning process that, as a mem- taken very active roles when young and with poor mastery of English whose chil- Copyright 2000 by: bership organization, we will benefit from as they have matured, have grown to trea- dren may well be the protectors of our New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Inc. expanding our demographic base. And sure these roots. In this Trail Walker we future! We teach by words and by ex- 232 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 second, we are planning a survey of our begin a series of articles by these young ample. Two years ago we instituted an 212-685-9699 members this Fall. (More about that at people. The inaugural piece is by Ellen outreach program in Harriman State e-mail: [email protected] another time.) Daniels, the first recipient of our Next Park. Last year, nature did not cooperate World Wide Web: http://www.nynjtc.org/ We will be pursuing ways to increase Generation Award and daughter of Vice and the trails were closed most of the awareness of the Trail Conference and its President Jane Daniels and volunteer jack- summer due to fire danger.