AT Corridor Monitoring Training

AT Corridor Monitor Volunteers

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy AT Corridor Boundary Maintenance crew from Boiling Springs, PA will be working in western NH from October 25th through the end of November. We invite anyone who would like to receive training or just an orientation for AT Corridor Monitoring to join us for a day in the woods.

There is currently a shortage of AT Monitors for sections of the AT running from Woodstock, VT to North Woodstock, NH.

The annual time commitment is usually less than five days for most Corridor Monitors. And often only one or two days.

If interested, please PM me.

TomW

This is a great opportunity to do some bushwhacking AND do a good deed at the same time. By doing corridor monitoring, you get to hike a somewhat different Appalachian Trail.



www.runsuerun.blogspot.com

Could you please elaborate somewhat about what Corrider Monitering is and why it takes place? Also the reason for the actual cutting along the corriders.

Glad you asked

As the title says, "glad you asked". In the late 70s, the US Congress authorized the National Park Service to aquire a corridor within which the Appalachian National Scenic Trail would be protected. The corridor ranges from around a thousand feet wide to, in some instances a couple of miles. The land was purchased fee simple from many abutting landowners, taken by eminent domain from a few, and sometimes only easements were able to be purchased. Once the acquisition was completed, (actually it is somewhat on going) contracts were let to have the boundary surveyed and marked. The surveyors cleared and ax blazed the boundary on either side of the corridor and placed numbered aluminum AT monuments at each change of direction and approximately every 500 feet or so. The blazing was painted in yellow. Much of this surveying was performed in the early 80s. Today, after 20 years or so the yellow paint has faded to obscurity and the boundary "sight line" has grown up with trees. Cost for the land acquisition: Around $ 180,000,000. Survey cost: Around $8,000,000.

Why are we concerned? See the next post....

What and Why

From the very day the Appalachian National Scenic Trail was created there have been threats to its existence. The most frequent of these threats has been from abutting landowners. Cutting trees, dumping trash, expanding their property into the “unused” land by building driveways, abandoning vehicles, and just being unaware that they were abusing National Parklands.

Not a few of these landowners were unaware that what they were doing was in violation of Federal laws, and had no idea whose land this was. Most, when told about the AT Corridor were pleased to know that the Corridor was protecting their land from ever being bordered by development. Property values tended to go up because they were in a protected conservation zone.

The restrictions of use within the AT Corridor are manifold; No wheeled vehicles including mountain bikes and of course ATVs. No Deer hunting stands, and in many sections outside New Hampshire, no hunting at all. No camping or fires except at designated sites. No pack animals including horses, at least in New England.
Stealth camping does exist, and the title does indicate its status pretty accurately.

So What?

Doing it for the trail

Now, here is where my involvement begins. About eighteen months ago I attended a workshop on AT Corridor monitoring. After the workshop I signed up to monitor a section of the Corridor running from Three Mile Rd in Hanover to Lyme Dorchester Road. The area encompassing Moose Mountain. I was given a complete set of the survey maps to the boundary, and a day of field training on my new section. Being a bushwhacker at heart I fell in love with this duty. I took my time and covered my boundary over a four day period. It was like a big treasure hunt looking for and locating the serial numbered AT boundary monuments, following the yellow blazed trees through some of the most beautiful woodlands in New Hampshire. At one point my boundary went across a large pond which I walked around and picked up the blazes on the other side. Across fields, though deep White Pine woods, simply prime territory for wild life encounters. During my woodland cruising I have met several wonderful families who abut the corridor, invited in for lunch, and offered a set of eyes and ears living beside the boundary, neighbors who volunteered as a sort of woodland neighborhood watch. Looking out for things that are not supposed to be happening within the AT Corridor.

As it stands today, and as it has since it was first built, the Appalachian Trail is a volunteer effort. Without volunteers, it would likely disappear into the woodlands from which it was carved, also by volunteers.

I am the AT Corridor Monitor Coordinator for the 73 miles of trail running from Woodstock, VT (Rte 12) to North Woodstock, NH (Rte 112). At present several sections of the trail in both New Hampshire and Vermont have no monitors. If you have a couple of days a year to get involved in this volunteer activity, please get in touch with me via email on this site.

What are the duties of a Corridor Monitor?

1. Walk your boundary once a year, spring or fall
2. Visit frequently abused areas more often (hotspots)
3. Repaint the yellow blazes with materials provided as needed
4. Report problems, encroachments or violations to the Monitor Coodinator


Thanks for reading this, Tom Wheeler

Thanx for the info. Definetily must be some interesting hiking your corrider every year.

Just to let everyone know, there is no AT corridor marked in the WMNF. The trail is on federal land already, so there is no fear on encroachment from private land owners.

You would be amazed by the amount of encroachment that happens to poorly marked or non-marked boundary lines. Keeping the corridor marked is essential to keeping it scenic.

And if you happen to be hiking off trail but within the AT corridor and notice anything goofy, don't hesitate to report it.

On an April Mahoosuc Range hike back in the 90s, I didn't listen to my instincts and left my snowshoes in the car (duh). As I neared the AT, the snow got deeper and more rotten. In order to eventually cut the loop hike short, a bushwhack was done back to the nearest trail. While still within the corridor (the corridor in this area WAS marked), I noted a couple of trees that had been logged seemingly not long before (a couple of years maybe?).

On one hand, it wasn't "that big a deal," but on the other, it just didn't feel right, so I reported it. And having thru-hiked the AT and an Appalachian Trail Conservancy member since the late 80s, the Trail is very dear to my heart!

Long story short, the loggers ended up being ordered to pay a fine for cutting trees within the AT corridor, so in the end I was very glad I'd reported it.

Not little fines either

Thanks Sue,

By the way, these federal fines tend to be huge. Running into several thousands of dollars. Federal court time etc.

At present, in the 73 miles of AT trail I am responsible for there are 19 corridor sections that get monitored and at least five of these sections have no one covering them. If anyone reading this has a spare two or three days a year to adopt one of the sections I will train, equip and assist them with their section for the first couple of seasons. Any place, any time.

HW

Hillwalker said:

At present, in the 73 miles of AT trail I am responsible for there are 19 corridor sections that get monitored and at least five of these sections have no one covering them. If anyone reading this has a spare two or three days a year to adopt one of the sections I will train, equip and assist them with their section for the first couple of seasons. Any place, any time.

HW

Click to expand...

I'm in on taking a section or two that isn't currently monitored.

Hope others follow as well!!

-Dr. Wu

Closer to your home

dr_wu002 said:

I'm in on taking a section or two that isn't currently monitored.

Hope others follow as well!!

-Dr. Wu

Click to expand...

Thanks, I have some sections closer to where you live that you may be interested in. They happen to be in Vermont. Lets set up a visit to them and then you can decide.

TW

This weekend

Dr_wu, myself and a couple of others are going to be on the AT Corridor near Woodstock, VT this weekend looking at possibly adopting AT monitor sections. If you would like to see just what is involved and what is available in NH and VT. We invite you to join us for a day in the woods and on the boundary.

TomW

[email protected] or PM