In true Trails Forever fashion, the season kicked off in March with a number of college groups from around the country coming to the park to complete trail projects during their spring break! It was a big month with students from the University of Virginia, New York University, and Calvin College working on projects along the Smokemont Nature Trail, Smokemont Livery Trail, and Rich Mountain Loop Trails. With project locations throughout the park, dynamic weather conditions, lots of locust wood, plenty of rock, and lots of hard work these were some great weeks! I can only hope that the students left the park as inspired by the park and the work they completed as I was by their enthusiasm, desire to learn and energy to serve Trails Forever!
I would max out this blog if I tried to give a true play-by-play of these great weeks and the hundreds of photos, but here are some highlights -
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
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Heading to the worksite on the Smokemont Nature Trail
The students hard at work constructing an elevated section of trail
with a staircase up one side of the loop trail
This project moving rock, and then moving it again... little and big!
The students pose on their structure with NC Trail Staff - Tim Warner and Lonnie Maize
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
The NYU students tooling up by the trailer on their way to work
First task for the week was to transplant a pile of gravel and naturalize sections of
access to finish off a project on the Smokemont Livery Trails
Main project for the week was to make the are where the students are posed in the top
photo into a sustainable, easy to walk staircase on the Smokemont Nature Trail
The students standing on their staircase of handy-work!
CALVIN COLLEGE
This group camped out with me in Cades Cove to work on the drainage
and erosion issues on the Rich Mountain Trail
A before shot of just one of the project completed that
week - a seriously trenched out section of trail!
And this is the same spot once the drain had been checked
with locust, the drainage above and below exaggerated
and the side of the trail naturalized
Trails Forever T-shirt ceremony around the campfire after a fun-filled (and WINDY) week!