Our Stories
2023 Volunteer Awards: Vanguard
Andrea Gue
Andrea and her colleagues at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Dakotas Area Office have helped make significant improvements to the NCNST in the past five years. This has included increased collaboration with NCTA staff, the National Park Service, the NCTA Central Flyway Chapter, and local residents, as well as rerouting Trail off-road that added camping opportunities for trail users.
Scott Healy
Over many years, a variety of challenges arose that nearly extinguished chances of approval for an NCNST reroute in the area of Clark Hill State Forest and Pixley Falls State Park in New York. But then the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) assigned a new liaison to the project. Scott, a Supervising Forester, brought fresh energy and perspective. He hiked every section before approving it, and helped scout and flag. He helped obtain substantial agency funding to construct parking lots and kiosks. He has significantly strengthened the partnership between the NCTA Central New York Chapter and the NYS DEC. Without Scott’s direct involvement in this long-stagnated but important project, it may never have gotten moving, let alone be potentially completed within only a few seasons.
Linda White
For over 15 years, Linda was a [U.S. Forest Service] Recreation Planner for Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest. The robust relationship the Forest Service has today with the NCTA Allegheny National Forest Chapter can be traced to the years Linda was the liaison. She helped the Chapter navigate the bureaucracy of the Forest Service and brought Chapter needs before them. In her role, Linda was always accessible, wonderful at communicating and delegating. She attended most Chapter meetings, which were out of her normal working hours. She is an excellent trail builder and even adopted a four-mile section, which she now maintains as a Chapter member in her retirement.
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.