We have a new team member! Laura Kelly 
is the new CT Trails Program coordinator, supporting CT Trail Finder, CT Trail Census, and the CT Trails Program. She is finishing up her master’s degree in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment with a focus on trail use levels, access, and the perceived quality of trail user experiences. She cares deeply about public land access and management, and she is really enjoying meeting trails professionals and advocates from around the state. Laura was born and raised north of Pittsburgh, PA, and she received her B.S. in Biology at Juniata College. She loves hiking, reading, jigsaw puzzles, and her pet tortoises.
The 2023 Trail Use Count Data Report
The 2023 Trail Use Count Data Report is complete and posted on the CT Trails website. Read about the 2023 counts at 23 long term locations along with 12 short-term locations including takeaways and trends.
Welcome Emily!
We are excited to announce that we have a new intern here at UConn CLEAR and the CT Trail Program!
Emily Markelon is an environmental studies and journalism student at the University of Connecticut, planning to graduate in the fall of 2024. She is the Twitter and Facebook chair for UConn’s chapter of Her Campus, a nationally recognized online women’s magazine, and she is the Director of Administration for her sorority Alpha Omicron Pi.
Emily will be working primarily on CT Trail Finder, specifically trailside services to start, and we look forward to applying her skills and talents to other aspects of the program. Welcome Emily!
My 2023 Trail Symposium Recap
World Trails Film Festival, Tuesday
This is the second time that I have had the privilege of viewing the he World Trails Film Festival. The series of short films combines stories with scenery and music that together capture the power of walking and riding in places near and far. They beautifully expose healing, determination, honoring the past, and cultivating the future.
The series validates why I work to make it easier for others to have a trail experience.
My 13 year old accompanied me to the World Trails Film Festival in Torrington. She was resistant, but the stories from the films, plus the majestic Warner Theatre, changed her attitude. She loved the scenery and especially admired the perseverance of Quinn and Nimblewill, both overcoming hurdles to keep on going.
John Brown birthplace and "Why We Walk," Thursday
On Thursday afternoon, I attended an informative talk from the Torrington Historical Society and the Torrington Trails Network. They told the story of John Brown and the John Brown birthplace as well as the progression of the trail access from Five Points Arts Center, the former UConn Torrington Campus.
Next, the group walked the trail together. The newly completed section includes over 800 feet of boardwalk through a beautiful bog that connects to the loop and John Brown's birthplace. I enjoyed learning about the details of the work from the trail volunteers who have invested countless hours and simply being on the trail with new and old friends.
Back at Five Points Arts Center, we viewed the film "Why We Walk."
BRIDGING TOGETHER HUMANITY – ONE MILE AT A TIME.
The film features the three Cincinnati urban hikers, Vanny, Abdi, and Toure, and shares their story and the power of walking on both urban and nature trails. Vanny, Toure, and film director Eric Bishop were in attendance. I happened to have a seat behind them and enjoyed their laughs and reactions to the film as much as the film itself, which is saying something because the film is excellent! Afterwards, they took to the stage and answered questions about the film, their story, and thoughts about the power of walking. I wish I had recorded the statements, answers, and thoughts. It was a highlight of the trail symposium for me and truly inspiring. And I have to shout out the talented film director Eric Bishop. He masterfully combined the story, art, and themes and I suspect we will be seeing more from him in the future.
Many Thanks
I was part of a small by mighty Trail Symposium planning committee. It is a tremendous amount of work to plan and coordinate an event like this especially over multiple days. The City of Torrington was instrumental in the event that could not have happened without their support. CT DEEP was the linchpin, especially Laurie Giannotti and Kim Bradley. I'm glad to be a part of a great team and am already looking forward to next year's event.
Graduate Student Opportunity
The CT Trails Program and the UConn Department of Natural Resources and the Environment seek a graduate student interested in pursuing a graduate degree in partnership with an interdisciplinary project focused on outdoor recreation and trail use and monitoring. The funded assistantship will start in January of 2024.
Work for this assistantship will involve comparing novel methodology to better estimate and understand ongoing trail use dynamics, management planning for abrupt changes in trail use such as during the Covid-19 pandemic, and enhancing equitable access to outdoor recreation resources. Results will contribute to development of a state-level protocol for improving long term evaluation of trail use and methods for data collection. There is some flexibility in the thesis or dissertation topic emphasis, to be determined based on the interests of the selected applicant.
2023 Connecticut Trail Symposium
The Connecticut Trail Symposium is back in 2023! And this year will be a new, more immersive experience with multiple events over multiple days. Many thanks to the City of Torrington for sponsoring the events and making them possible.
The Trail Symposium will be Friday, October 13, 2023 from 9am-3pm at the Five Points Arts Center in Torrington, CT.
The Trails Film Festival will makes its Connecticut debut on Tuesday, October 10 at the Warner Theatre in Torrington.
A special screening of the film “Why We Walk” is planned for Thursday evening, October 12, at the Five Points Arts Center in Torrington, followed by discussion, networking, and socializing.
Please visit the Symposium web page for updates and information including the agenda, sponsorship opportunities, and more!
The 2022 Trail Use and Count Data Report
The 2022 Trail Use Count Data Report is complete and posted on the CT Trails website. Read about the 2022 counts at 21 locations, including takeaways and trends.
Welcome Adelheid!
The Air Line State Park Trail Count and Survey Analysis
In the fall of 2022, the Trails Team completed the Air Line State Park Trail Count and Survey Analysis Report which is part of the Master Plan work being conducted by CT Resource Conservation & Development Area (RC&D). It is an evaluation of the Air Line State Park multi-use trail based on survey responses and counts from short- and long-term infrared counters from January to December 2021.
Connecticut Trail Finder is Hiring! Apply for the Paid Student Internship, Fall 2021
Connecticut Trail Finder Paid Student Internship, Fall 2021
Supervisor contact: This internship will be co-supervised by Laura Brown, Community & Economic Development Educator – New Haven County Extension Center, Contact- Laura Brown: Cell 608-886-0655 laura.brown@uconn.edu and Kimberly Bradley, CT Trail Census/Trail Finder Coordinator Cell 860-581-3130 Kimberly.bradley@uconn.edu
Office location: Remote. Weekly online meetings (computer required) will be required.
Background:
The CT Trail Finder http://cttrailfinder.com/ will be a free, interactive mapping site designed to help Connecticut residents and visitors find hiking, walking, snowshoeing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and paddling trails across the state. Our goal is to help people get out, be active, and explore our state’s treasures. Detailed trail description pages will allow users to view the trails, get essential information, submit trip comments and photos, find nearby geocaches, and a whole lot more. Users will be able to track trail experiences, noting trails that they have completed, their favorites, or ones they want to visit.
Tasks/Responsibilities:
This internship will involve assisting with communications, outreach, and technical aspects of the CT Trail Finder including: developing topical social media postings for Facebook and Instagram, supporting development of narrative for trail postings, working within website platform to publish trail information, assisting with in-person outreach events, participating in team coordination meetings. The student should have excellent communication, writing and organizational skills, and ability to work effectively independently as well as coordinate with a professional team involved in overseeing these projects.
Date ranges and work times: Remote. Weekly online meetings (computer required) will be required and some travel around the state may be required to fully participate in the program. Interns will have the opportunity to be present in an office in New Haven or Haddam as needed but the majority of the work hours will be self-managed. Dates and work hours will be mutually agreed upon at the start of the internship.
The intern will have the opportunity to:
• Learn about the multiple values of trails as resources for recreation, health promotion, and economic or tourism development;
• Learn how state agencies partner with local and private conservation organizations to advance and promote outdoor recreation.
• Enhance their skills in educational communications (writing and verbal presentation skills) for a public audience
Mentorship commitment:
Trail Finder Coordinator Kim Bradley and Community & Economic Development Educator Laura Brown will work closely with the intern to discover key learning objectives and interests. The intern will be required to participating in weekly team coordination meetings. We would also encourage the intern to participate in trainings, meetings and activities around the state proving them with connections and career contacts in our program partner organizations such as the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association and the National Park Service. We will also support the student in identifying additional related learning and career opportunities following the internship experience.
Compensation: $15/hour, ~10 hours per week for 10 weeks. Total compensation will be $1,500 with potential for continuing through the Spring and Summer semester.
To Apply: Please send a short cover letter expressing interest and resume to laura.brown@uconn.edu and kimberly.bradley@uconn.edu. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with estimated start date October 4, 2021.