equestrian trails partnership opportunity

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Candace Bourne jeffeca@vetmed.auburn.edu
My husband Brian and I met Dwayne Stutzman at NTS He is  
Regional Trails Specialist with NC Division of Parks & 
Recreation/Trails Program. He has an interesting proposal 
for a partnership with equestrians and hikers. PLease read 
and if you might be interested let me know and I will send you 
an application.
_____

HELP PRESERVE HORSE USE OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL IN THE GREAT 
SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Introducing a new Trail Maintenance Program for Equestrians who 
want to help the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains 
National Park remain open to equestrian use - A partnership 
between local equestrian groups, the NC Division of Parks & 
Recreation, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Smoky
Mountains Hiking Club and the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC).

Horse use of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T.) is 
unique to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  About 35 of 
the 70 miles of A.T. in the Smokies is open to horse use, the 
only equestrian section of the 2167 mile long Appalachian Trail.
Constructed as a hiking path, most of the A.T. is not built
to equestrian standards.  Originally, more of the A.T. in the 
Smokies was open to horse use, but A.T. sections that sustained 
significant resource damage to the footpath, due to a 
combination of sharp hooves, steep slopes and heavy rain
were closed to horse use by the National Park Service, most 
recently in about 1978.

Since then, hikers have worked intermittently to close the rest 
of the A.T. in the Smokies to equestrian use. That is until 1995,
when hikers and riders decided to bury the hatchet and work 
together.  Now A.T. managers are working with riders to help 
assure that those sections of the A.T. open to horse use are
put into good shape so that they may remain open to horse use.

In 1995 an historic agreement was signed between horseback riders
and hikers regarding the A.T. in Smokies.  This agreement has 
resulted in close cooperation, equestrian maintenance of some 
sections of the A.T., and several significant relocations of 
the A.T. built to equestrian standards by volunteer hikers under 
the direction of the ATC.  These hiking volunteers were members 
of ATC's volunteer Rocky Top Trail Crew, with supplies packed in 
by local equestrian groups.

Volunteer trail maintainers in the Smokies, both hikers and 
riders, are in short supply, and the Park Service does not have 
the funds to hire enough people to care for all the trails in 
the Smokies, let alone the A.T. Owing to the success of the Rocky
Top Trail Crew, equestrians suggested a similar volunteer crew 
be started for riders. The NC Division of Parks & Recreation has
taken the lead with this new program which will be started in 
2001.  There will be two summer trips, which will be open to 
equestrians only.  Each work trip will last for a five days.

The crew will stay in the beautiful and remote Pecks corner area,
using a NPS maintenance cabin as camp.  Led by a professional 
trail crew leader, the equestrian trail crew will  rehabilitate 
the A.T. between Peck's Corner and Tricorner Knob, all open to 
horse use.  This project will be used to provide a model for 
future equestrian maintenance programs within the Smokies.

Come join us. Spend a week (or two) in one of the most beautiful 
places in the eastern US.  All you need is your horse (which must 
be in good condition) and yourself (also in good condition, as 
you will be doing fairly heavy labor.)  We will provide you with
GREAT SCENERY, GOOD FOOD, LODGING (after you get to the trail), 
all the trail work tools and equipment needed, experienced leader
ship and the opportunity for lots of fun and good companionship. 
No experience is necessary; only the willingness to work hard 
and get dirty.  And you will help ensure that this part of the 
A.T. in the Smokies remain open to horse use!