American Hiking Society announced the 2018 recipients of National Trails Fund grants. The National Trails Fund gives trail clubs and land managers the necessary funding to complete critical trail projects across the country, thanks to the support of the fund’s Charter Sponsor, L.L.Bean.Created in response to the growing backlog of trail maintenance projects faced by grassroots trail organizations, the National Trails Fund has helped hundreds of organizations within American Hiking’s Alliance of Hiking Organizations to acquire resources and galvanize volunteers to protect America’s cherished hiking trails. To date, American Hiking Society has funded 226 trail projects and has been awarded over $718,000 in National Trails Fund grants. In 2018, National Trails Fund recipients include:

  • Bayou Land Conservancy, Texas
  • Dracut Open Space Committee, Massachusetts
  • Friends of the Cheat, West Virginia
  • Jefferson County Historical Society, Pennsylvania
  • New Castle Recreation Department, Pennsylvania
  • Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, California
  • Oregon Natural Desert Association, Oregon
  • Southern New Mexico Trail Alliance, New Mexico
  • Trail Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“Replacing burned directional signage, eliminating illegal off-road vehicle use on a popular trail and building a boardwalk over a sensitive wetland area, are just a few examples of the diverse and critical projects American Hiking Society is eager to support through the National Trails Fund,” commented Kathryn Van Waes, American Hiking Society’s executive director. “These measures ensure that outdoor recreationists will have safer and more enjoyable hiking experiences well into the future.”

“L.L.Bean recognizes the important role that outdoor recreationalists have in being good stewards of public lands. We applaud American Hiking Society’s efforts to establish, protect and maintain America’s foot trails. We are proud to sponsor American Hiking Society’s National Trails Fund to support the critical role the volunteer stewards play at the local level,” stated Janet Wyper, L.L.Bean’s manager of community relations.