Trail of the Year Award: No award without volunteers
KANE - MJ2KB recently received PAS 2023 Trail of the Year Award from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
Each year, the Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee designates a Trail of the Year to help build enthusiasm and support for both large and small trails.
According to the DCNR website, Pennsylvania has 650 trails and 12,000 miles of trails. Pennsylvania is a leader in trail development, providing its citizens and visitors with more than 11,000 miles of trails across the Commonwealth.
This award began in 2014 and was created to help promote trail use and raise public awareness about the value of trails and outdoor recreation across Pennsylvania. The award includes promoting the successful trail of the year. In honor of the achievement, the committee and DCNR produce a poster for statewide distribution and plan a public celebration for the recognized trail. The official recognition will be this summer. Rail trails can win the trail of the year moniker, but any landbased trail open to the public can be nominated for the Trail of the Year award.
According to Wesley Robinson, Press Secretary of DCNR, this year they received four nominations: three from northwest PA and one from south central PA.
The MJ2KB Trail Club won for many reasons. The MJ2KB section of the Knox & Kane is short but offers diverse, multiuse recreational opportunities such as walking, jogging, biking, and horseback riding. The trail is also open to cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in winter. The all-volunteer MJ2KB Trail Club partners with organizations in northwest PA, such as the Knox & Kane Rail Trail and Kinzua Bridge State Park, to promote and build support for the trail. The club also participates in beautification, community activities, and fundraisers that build engagement for development and sustainability.
The MJ2KB Trail Club oversees a 7.8mile section of the Knox & Kane Rail Trail. This section stretches from the Kinzua Bridge State Park to Route 219 at Lantz Corners. Headwaters Charitable Trust owns the entire 73.8-mile Knox & Kane Rail Trail corridor.
MJ2KB reported more than 1,800 volunteer hours in 2022. Board members of the MJ2KB trail club said they volunteer because of their love for cycling and walking trails. All MJ2KB board members are retired and believe being outdoors and active keeps them healthy and that giving back to the community makes for good citizenship.
Collectively they donated their time and equipment to make the trail a reality. This trail wouldn’t have been possible without collaboration from community volunteers and business partners.
Carolyn Stroup, MJ2KB Trail Club president, said she first got hooked on the trails from volunteering with the Girl Scouts. Her passion for the great outdoors inspired her to volunteer with the Kinzue Valley Trail Club (KVTC).
When first proposed, the KVTC trail had no equestrian options. Being an avid horse rider, Stroup contacted the Pennsylvania Equine Council. She received guidance from Bud & Gwen Wills, who work within the Pennsylvania Equine Council. Bud is the Vice President and State Trail Chair, while Gwen is the Trail Stewardship Program Director.
Stroup took their
trail stewardship course and helped get provisions for permitting horses along a section of the Kinzua Valley Trail. They offer a variety of trail stewardship courses designed to educate land use professionals, volunteers, and government officials in the development, maintenance, and preservation of trails in Pennsylvania's parks and forests. Their approach is based on shared use for all outdoor enthusiasts.
These courses cover the construction of shared-use trails and how to communicate with property owners and trail users. The organization has taught nearly 2,000 students.
Stroup currently serves on the Kinzua Valley Trail Club board as secretary. She supports the development of all the trails and is looking forward to connecting the trails.
Don Cummins, Pres
ident of the KVTC, said they applied for this award but are delighted that MJ2KB trail club won. Cummins is an advocate for shared use and for connecting local trails. This year they will connect with the MJ2KB section in Mt. Jewett. The next phase will connect the trail to the Kinzua Bridge State Park. He said that there would be no trail without members, volunteers, benefactors, and partners.
Ron Keim, Vice President of the MJ2KB Trail Club, volunteers because he enjoys riding and supports the trail culture. He was a municipal manager and administrator for PENNDOT and contributes his professional network and administrative knowledge. Keim also adds grant writing experience. He said, “It's gratifying to be part of something so wonderful for individuals, the local community, and the regional trails network.”
The Trail Association of Mckean & Elk
Divide (TAMED) oversees the section from Route 219 at Lantz Corners to Kane and to the Forest County line. TAMED has completed over 12 miles of trail in three years. About 11 miles are remaining on their section. Tom Kase, the TAMED President, reported 353 hours of volunteer time and equipment, estimated at $11,296.
Janie French, Executive Director of Headwaters Charitable Trust, said, “On behalf of the Headwaters Charitable Trust Board, we are eternally grateful for all the volunteer efforts trail groups provide along the 74-mile corridor. All this wouldn't be possible without the many supporters of the Knox and Kane Rail Trail.”
She stated that more than 2,000 hours of volunteer time were donated over the past several years to steward the development of this exceptional trail. 2022 reported 102,962 people using the trail, which is expected to increase.
Congressman G.T. Thomas will visit the MJ2KB Trail Club's section of the Knox & Kane Rail Trail this Friday to recognize all the hard work volunteers have done to make MJ2KB Pennsylvania's 2023 Trail of the Year.congressman Thompson recently presented a speech on the House of Representatives Floor recognizing the Mount Jewett to Kinzua Bridge Trail as the 2023 Trail of the Year.
Trail partners will be there so that the Congressman can present an official copy of the speech from the Congressional Record and provide some additional recognition for this great work. They will meet at 1:30 p.m. at the Trailhead in Mount Jewett (Center & Peterson Streets).
For further information, visit www.mj2kbtrail.club or follow their Facebook page.