Friends Of The Mountains To Sea

Programs: Trail building and maintenance: maintained and improved 530 miles of trail and constructed new trail near elkin, gibsonville and graham. Constructed five new backcountry campsites along the blue ridge parkway. 820 volunteers worked 35,800 hours to build and maintain trail.

education: provided information about hiking and caring for the trail through a website, festivals, the media, newsletters, meetings and events. Published trail guides that are available on-line and in print. Launched a major update of the website. Organized 40th anniversary events to educate the public including a gathering of friends, trail community conference, mst-in-a-day hike, and 12 events plus many news features around mst trek by national geographic adventurer jennifer pharr davis. These anniversary events were attended by more than 3,000 people. Thousands of people hiked sections of the trail, including 14 people who completed the entire 1,175 mile trail in 2017.

trail routing: identified new connecting routes on backroads and existing trails in areas whre a final route has not yet been designated. Continued work on a master plan for the coastal crescent route in the coastal plain. Worked with local government officials and non-profit land trusts to encourage and assist them in acquring new land for the trail.

advocacy: educated federal, state and local elected officials about the value of the mountains-to-sea trail. Provided information to members of the nc general assembly about the trail route in north carolina's coastal plain.