Our Stories

2024 Volunteer Awards: Vanguard

The Vanguard Award is presented to a legislator or other high-level public official whose leadership, actions, and advocacy have substantially benefited the North Country Trail.

Kathy DeCoster

It’s impossible to name one person that made unit status possible for the North Country Trail, but Kathy was particularly critical. As Vice President for Federal Affairs at the Trust for Public Land, she was instrumental in getting the Land and Water Conservation Fund reauthorized and fully funded. Once she retired, she served as Interim Policy Director at the Partnership for the National Trails System (PNTS) and served on the NCTA Advocacy Committee. Kathy drafted a strategy that identified key stakeholders; she attended every meeting and skillfully helped navigate the politics. Her experience with federal policy-making was indispensable, and she is one reason the trail is now a unit of the National Park System.

Sydney Scott

While Senator Tammy Baldwin’s leadership was instrumental in achieving unit status for the trail in 2023, it’s the senator’s staff that are often the unsung heroes. When faced with the likelihood that the legislation would not be successful that term, Sydney jumped into action. As Senator Baldwin’s Legislative Assistant, she spent the next nine months developing messaging and collaborating with other staff to push for progress and get clear answers. Unit status was secured that December. Sydney’s refusal to give up and insistence that the National Park Service be held accountable are two reasons the trail is now a unit of the National Park System.

Learn more about how the you can honor NCTA volunteers for their service on and for the North Country National Scenic Trail, and submit a nomination at northcountrytrail.org/volunteer-awards.