April 1, 2010 · Each year millions of hikers trek all or some of the Appalachian Trail, but a new report by the National Parks Conservation Associations says the trail faces many threats and challenges.
The trail runs about 2,178 miles from Maine to Georgia and is one of more than 300 properties managed by the U.S. National Park Service.
“I think the Appalachian Trail, or the A.T. as we often refer to it, is probably best known for the opportunities it provides to experience primitive remote sections and the wonders of our eastern remote landscape,” David Startzell, executive director, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, said.
Startzell helped lead members of the media on a short hike Wednesday morning along a section that goes through Harpers Ferry, WV. One goal of the hike was to illustrate what the trail has to offer.
One of the first stops was at Jefferson Rock, overlooking the Shenandoah River.
“I’m stopping here because this is also a good illustration of some pretty highly technical rock work that was accomplished by our affiliated volunteers and our trail crews back in the late 90’s,” Startzell said.
Those volunteers and crew placed steps made of stones, some weighting 2,000 pounds, on the path to make this popular section of the trail more passable.
Startzell said the A.T. benefits from volunteers. Last year 6,800 volunteers donated 220,000 hours of labor.
“We want to keep it a well-protected, well maintained, well managed trail that reflect the beauty of the country and our history and culture,” Ron Tipton, senior vice president for policy, National Parks Conservation Association, said.
The organization did an assessment of the Appalachian Trail that outlines the challenges of keeping the A.T. well protected. In the Mid Atlantic region, development is a big concern.
“In the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania you have some of the fastest growing communities in the country,” Tipton said.
Air pollution is another problem and it impacts the trail in a couple of ways.
”One of the great features of the Appalachian Trail is these views these 10-, 20-, 30-, 50-mile views from the top of the Appalachian Mountain chain, and when you have high levels of particulate matter in the air that view can go from 50 miles to 5 miles very easily,” Tipton said
Tipton said the pollution also adversely affects the health of hikers.
“There are times in the Great Smokey Mountains through which the trail passes where the National Park Service puts out an advisory saying it’s unsafe to hike,” he said.
The trail is also threatened by several power related projects that are proposed in the region.
“And these are big power line crossings we’re talking like 765 kilowatt facilities,” Startzell said.
Wind turbine projects are also a concern. Startzell says several wind projects are in various stages of permitting along the trail including in Maine, Virginia and Tennessee.
The National Parks Conservation Association hopes its report will encourage policy makers to take action to further protect the Appalachian Trail.
Managers of the trail are also looking into the possibility of adding it to the National Register of Historic Place as a way to help preserve it.
http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=14199
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