New courses available for beginning and experienced Appalachian Trail (A.T.) volunteers.
HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. — All are welcome to take a hike on the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s new Learning Pathways, free online training courses for people interested in trail work and other ways to support the A.T.
Surveys show a top barrier to volunteering is that people don’t know what they can do to be helpful. Each year, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail depends on volunteers to help maintain this iconic American experience.
Through Learning Pathways, participants can learn A.T. volunteer basics, essential trail maintenance, digital map use, and delve into topics like field leadership and organizational best practices.
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A collaboration between the ATC and students with the University of Maryland’s Hack4Impact team, this interactive platform for online training modules was years in the making, said ATC Volunteer Program Manager Sara Haxby.
“A.T. Clubs and volunteers were asking us for more training on a wide variety of topics,” Haxby said. “We had the idea for a gamified training environment for A.T. volunteers and partners, but needed help making it happen.”
Learning Pathways are designed to be accessible and engaging for anyone: aspiring volunteers, experienced A.T. club members, federal partners, curious learners, and others interested in best practices in trail maintenance. Learn how to register your account and get started.
“Learning Pathways is an always-on resource for A.T. Clubs onboarding new leaders,” Haxby said. “And a fun place for someone interested in volunteering for the first time.”
With volunteers so crucial to the A.T., lessons in trail management and volunteer coordination are intended to give A.T. Clubs additional tools for operational success, said Leanna Joyner, Senior Director of Partnerships and Trail Operations.
“Strong A.T. Club partners build a strong Appalachian Trail,” Joyner said. “Learning Pathways will help these organizations continue to maintain robust volunteer foundations for the ongoing wellbeing of the Trail, from Georgia to Maine.”
Users progressing through Learning Pathways earn certificates, badges, and a broadened understanding of Appalachian Trail management. Each pathway is a series of interactive training modules: usually short videos and readings, followed by quizzes.
This specialized platform was trailblazed by students with the University of Maryland chapter of Hack4Impact, which pairs volunteer student programmers with nonprofits like the ATC.
“The UMD students, now graduated, have continued taking feedback from our team,” Haxby said. “They have been fully committed, wholly understanding, so supportive of our vision, and genuinely excited to make it the best it can be.”
It took the Hack4Impact students a full academic year to build out the platform, and another year for ATC staff to populate the site with tailor-made training materials. Akash Patil, H4A UMD Technical Lead, said the team is excited to present Learning Pathways.
“Our collaboration was grounded in the belief that we could make a truly valuable and engaging tool for all the patrons of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and we hope that’s what you experience,” Patil said. “As you complete a training or finally finish a Pathway you’ve been working steadily toward, we hope it equips you with the skills to become closer and more involved with the trail, all in pursuit of our common goal: keeping the Trail alive.”
The Learning Pathways landing page is designed to feel like users are exploring a trail through the forest, said Sophie Tsai, H4A UMD Technical Lead.
“It was extremely rewarding to see everyone’s ideas take shape in the website,” Tsai said. “We had a lot of fun and learned so much about what it takes to make an application intuitive and easy to use, while still capturing the unique spirit of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.”
About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Founded in 1925, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy works passionately to manage and protect the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. As the only nonprofit devoted exclusively to the entirety of the Trail and its landscape, we endeavor to keep its vast natural and scenic beauty healthy, resilient, and connected, so that everyone can experience its transformative power for generations to come. Together with our supporters, partners, and thousands of volunteers, we keep the Trail alive.
Contact:
Sara Haxby, ATC Volunteer Program Manager, shaxby@appalachiantrail.org
