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NCTA Goes To Washington: Hike the Hill 2013

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American Hiking Society's Hike the Hill logo

February 7, 2013 by Bruce Matthews

The North Country Trail Association will be represented at this year’s Hike the Hill (Feb.9-14) by Director of Trail Development Andrea Ketchmark, John and Pat Leinen, NPS Superintendent Mark Weaver and myself, Executive Director Bruce Matthews. During this week the national trails community gathers to meet as the Partnership for the National Trails System, participate in American Hiking Society events, and to make visits to legislators and to the federal agencies who administer the trails.  Andrea and I will be blogging about our experience as we go.

As in the past our top priority is getting the Minnesota Arrowhead Re-Route bill introduced in both the House and Senate. We were successful in the 111th and 112th Congresses, but got mired in committee over political differences. So, we’re trying again, having learned a few things; with some different players elected to the 113th Congress we’re hopeful we can get it over the top this time. More info on the re-route can be found on our Re-route Facebook page.

We’re also advocating for a collaborative effort by the Partnership for the National Trail System (PNTS) for one of the large landscape proposals invited by the administration for use of federal Land and Water Conservation Fund monies in what’s being called Collaborative Landscape Planning (CLP). This proposal would support projects for almost half of the National Trails, including two for the North Country, in Wisconsin on the Lake Superior shoreline near Saxon Harbor, and in Pennsylvania, connecting McConnell’s Mill and Moraine State Parks.

In addition to these specific initiatives we’ll be advocating for greater appropriations support for the NPS’s administration of the NCNST as well as full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund program.  Toward this end, Andrea, John and I will be meeting personally with the offices of 31 Members through whose states or districts the North Country Trail passes. We’ve got some critical things to accomplish—we’ll let you know how its going day by day. You can reach out and ask questions using this blog, or directly e-mailing me at bmatthews@northcountrytrail.org or Andrea at aketchmarck@northcountrytrail.org.