Join us as we celebrate our newest A.T. Community Partner! On April 19th, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) will celebrate the official designation of Bland County, Virginia as the newest Appalachian Trail Community. The ceremony will be a part of the first annual Festival of Trails - a full day of activities, starting with guided hikes at 10:00am and a community bike ride at 1pm. There will also be food, music and outdoor and craft vendors to visit. The ATC and town leaders will speak, with a proclamation-signing and an unveiling of new community signs at 5:30pm. Learn more at www.festivaloftrails.org.
The Appalachian Trail Community™ designation is a new program of the ATC, the nonprofit responsible for management and protection of the estimated 2,180-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Launched in 2010, this program recognizes communities for their part in promoting awareness of the Appalachian Trail as an important local and national asset.
Designation as an Appalachian Trail Community™ and participation in the program is aimed to
- Engage community residents, Trail visitors, and stewards
- Thank communities for their decades of service to hikers
- Act as a catalyst for sustainable economic development
- Aid municipalities and regional areas with conservation planning initiatives
- Promote the Trail as a community resource and asset
“The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is proud to celebrate communities that are helping to protect and promote the Appalachian Trail,” states Julie Judkins, Community Program Manager for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “These new partnerships will increase local stewardship of public lands, support community initiatives for sustainable economic development and conservation planning as well as support healthy lifestyles for community citizens.”
Bland, Virginia