Get Outdoors Grant Supports Improvements to the Lenape Trail

January 10, 2017
Staff
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

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Get Outdoors Grant Supports Improvements to the Lenape Trail
Volunteers from the South Mountain Conservancy work on a connector trail to the Lenape Trail. Photo by Dennis Percher.

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The Trail Conference thanks the Partners for Health Foundation for their support of the Get Outdoors Essex County grant. This funding supports the improvement and promotion of the Lenape Trail to attract Essex County residents outdoors and engage them in physical activity. With this grant, the Trail Conference aims to promote and increase the visibility and appeal of the “park-to-park” Lenape Trail and the 19 parks it connects, as well as to engage people in outdoor volunteerism.

In 2016, Trail Conference volunteers and staff took stock of the trail’s status, needs, and priorities. On several days throughout the year, volunteers from the Trail Conference and South Mountain Conservancy worked on the construction of a vital connector of the Lenape Trail. They linked the trail segment in South Mountain to the larger portion running through Essex County. The group cleared corridor, established tread, and constructed timber bog bridging across muddy spots.

This year, the Trail Conference will be hiring a part-time Lenape Trail field manager, funded by Partners for Health. The field manager will provide GPS inventory and assessment data on the trail, oversee project completion, collect and coordinate historic materials on the trail, and provide training to volunteers.

Find the full job description and application details on our job openings page.