Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership

1. Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership Protecting the Appalachian Outdoors for Everyone—Today and Forever! Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership Meeting | March 2018

2. Pochuck Boardwalk, New Jersey | Photo by Anne Baker

3. About the A.T. Landscape Partnership • Co-convened by the ATC and the National Park Service (APPA) • Includes conservation leaders representing agencies and organizations along the entire length of the Trail • The group has met annually since 2015 • Its mission is to connect and conserve the values of the exceptional landscape associated with the Appalachian Mountain Range • Natural • Ecological • Cultural • Historic • Scenic • Recreational • Community

4. The Vision Building on Benton MacKaye’s original vision for the A.T.: “Let us assume the existence of a giant standing high on the skyline along these (Appalachian) mountain ridges…What would he see?”

5. The Vision Lehigh Gap, Pennsylvania | Photo by Anne Baker The vision of the A.T. Landscape Partnership is an Appalachian Trail and mountain range that connects us north and south and forever safeguards our cherished American heritage.

7. Shared Principles • Members of the A.T. Landscape Partnership are guided by a set of shared principles: • Supporting each other and our varied approaches • Advancing conservation through innovation • Expanding funding for land conservation • Maintaining transparency and integrity • Inviting all people and communities to participate • Using science to guide efforts • Honoring our tradition and history • Ensuring our efforts are sustainable

8. Bear Mountain State Park, New York | Photo by Anne Baker

9. What’s Happening Now? 2017 ATLP Conference | ATC Photo The A.T. Landscape Partnership gathered for its third annual meeting in October 2017 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV

10. What’s Happening Now? • Coalition of partners continues to grow • Nearly 75 nonprofit conservation organizations • More than 25 public agencies (federal, state and local) • Establishing connections with a younger and more diverse audience through Academics for Land Protection in New England (ALPINE) • New funding—The Volgenau Foundation • Communications strategy now being implemented • Goals include informing and engaging with partners through a microsite and email communications (including e-News) • Strategy includes external communications (engaging with the public) • Targeted media outreach to draw attention to work • Advocating for Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars to support land acquisition for A.T. priority tracts

11. On-the-Ground Efforts • To guide efforts, 10 priority landscape areas along the A.T. have been identified • Landscape conservation projects have been completed or are ongoing in every state along the A.T. • The ATC and its partners will continue to support, promote and celebrate all land conservation efforts within the A.T. landscape • Prioritization work will continue to be refined as more partners engage in the initiative

12. Mid-Atlantic Region Highlights • Targeted work in priority focus areas • Hudson Highlands, New York • NY-NJ State Line (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area) • Kittatinny Ridge, Pennsylvania • South Mountain, Pennsylvania • Addressing threats that impact the A.T. experience • Blue Mountain Ski Resort project • Spotted Lanternfly • Using data to guide efforts • How climate resilient is the A.T. landscape? • Where are key places for wildlife movement? • Where should we be protecting more land?

13. Mid-Atlantic Region Highlights (Continued) As the East’s most intact corridor, the Trail connects large protected areas that are important for climate resilience and animal migration.

14. Mid-Atlantic Region Highlights (Continued) Rosalie’s migration is tracked through tiny satellite telemetry units. This work, done by Dr. Laurie Goodrich at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (PA), is supported by the Kittatinny Coalition.

15. A.T. Club Involvement • Defend and advocate against the range of threats impacting the A.T. landscape • Other advocacy efforts • Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars • Engaging with Congressional representatives • As the East’s most intact corridor, the Trail connects large protected areas that are important for climate resilience • 57 percent of the A.T. landscape is above average resilient • 66 percent of those lands are unprotected • How can A.T. Clubs use this data?

16. A.T. Community Connection Harlem Valley Designation Ceremony | ATC Photo

17. Almost 50 communities along the A.T. have been designated as official Appalachian Trail Communities • These communities are important partners—they leverage the connection between the Trail and outdoor recreation • How can communities fully embrace the diverse conservation values of the A.T? • Scenic • Natural • Cultural • Historic

18. Looking Ahead • Building a broad and diverse coalition • Targeting High Priority Focus Areas • Defending and advocating against the range of threats impacting the A.T. landscape • Engaging with A.T. Clubs and A.T. Communities • Raising additional funds • Planning for the Science and Stewardship Summit Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania | Photo by Jimmie Jackson

19. Thank You! Dennis Shaffer Director of Landscape Conservation dshaffer@appalachiantrail.org appalachiantrail.org/Landscape-Protection