Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

June 01, 2007

For Release: Immediate
Press Contact:
Eileen Larrabee
Catherine Jimenez
518.486.1868

State Parks Celebrates National Trails Day

(Albany, NY, June 1, 2007...) New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) Commissioner Carol Ash recognizes June 2 as National Trails Day and invites all New Yorkers to venture out and experience the vast network of trails across the state.

"National Trails Day is the perfect occasion to promote the public's awareness of the vast natural resources in New York," said Ash. "Maintaining and preserving trails pr

In celebrating National Trails Day, New York State Parks is hosting various outdoor activities promoting education and awareness of the state's ecological diversity, natural beauty, and historically significant sites. Activities include volunteer trail clean-ups at Grafton Lake and Moreau Lake State Parks in the Saratoga-Capital District and hikes in the Niagara Gorge and Bowman Lakes State Park.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Alexander Grannis said, "New York State offers residents and visitors an abundance of unique natural landscapes, lush forests, water resources and wildlife. And what better way to take in the state's natural beauty than though exploring its vast trail network. National Trails Day provides an excellent opportunity for everyone to participate in various outdoor recreational activities across the state and renew their appreciation for the environment."

"New Yorkers are fortunate to be able to enjoy thousands of miles of diverse trails - from the cross-state Erie Canalway Trail to countless local nature trails. National Trails Day is a great way to celebrate these varied trails—which hopefully one day will become part of a grand interconnected statewide network of trails—and the volunteers and government agencies that develop and maintain them," stated Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks and Trails New York.

National Trails Day marks an opportunity for New Yorkers to explore nature among endless trails extended across wildlife areas, mountain peaks, waterfalls, lakesides, urban and suburban walkways and historic sites and gain an appreciation for the environment as well as the historical significance of the Empire State's infinite natural resources," said Ash.

OPRHP manages a variety of multiple-use trails within its 178 state parks and 35 historic sites; DEC also maintains thousands of miles of trails statewide. Funding from various grant programs administered by OPRHP, including the Environmental Protection Fund, the Recreational Trail Grant Program and the State Snowmobile Fund help to maintain and develop the trails.

For more information on any of these recreation areas please call (518) 474-0456 or visit the web site at http://www.nysparks.com.

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