In August 2011, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee devastated the Catskill Mountains and Schoharie Valley with a torrent of wind and rain. Several bridges were washed out, including the historic Blenheim Covered Bridge located just north of Mine Kill State Park. A culvert over a tributary of the Mine Kill on the Long Path was subsequently destroyed. On June 6th, the Student Conservation Association (SCA), Long Path North Hiking Club and New York State Parks will join together to construct a new bridge spanning 40 feet over the drainage to once again allow safe passage over this creek for hikers.
Every year, on the first Saturday in June all across the country, people celebrate National Trails Day by getting out and going hiking, biking, geocaching and more. National Trails Day is not only about getting out and recreating, but is a great day to give back and volunteer on projects helping to build and maintain trails that we all love and enjoy. This year, three Trails Day projects will be organized and led by SCA AmeriCorps members at Mine Kill State Park in North Blenheim, John Boyd Thacher State Park in Voorheesville, and Hudson River Park in Manhattan. These projects not only accomplish vital work on trails in the region, but also provide SCA members with valuable experience in project management and peer leadership.
For many years, the SCA Hudson Valley AmeriCorps program has been partnering with New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation as well as New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and several non-profit organizations providing internships across the Hudson Valley region. Currently, 46 SCA members serve for up to ten months at sites from Saratoga Springs to New York City. To learn more about the SCA and Trails Day projects you could get involved in, visit www.thesca.org/events.
Post by Nick Marcet, Student Conservation Association (SCA). Photos by SCA.
New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 