American Hiking Chosen by National Park Trust and the National Park Service as a 2023 Challenge Cost Awardee
$375,100 awarded to 18 projects across the country that promote stewardship, access to outdoor recreation and connect people to the outdoors
Silver Spring, MD, (June 14, 2023) – The National Park Trust, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), announced recently $375,1000 to fund 18 education and outdoor recreation projects through the 2023 NPS Challenge Cost Share Program. Each project connects a local community to a nearby national park, national trail, or wild and scenic river. This year’s group of awardees will engage more than 8,600 participants in active, healthy outdoor recreation and in education initiatives that increase knowledge about our nation’s natural and cultural heritage.
American Hiking Society received an award to support four volunteer trail stewardship trips on National Scenic and Historic Trails across the country. Spanning from the Iditarod National Historic Trail in Alaska to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in the east, to the North Country and Arizona National Scenic Trails in between. Volunteers from across the country will devote a week of their time to maintain and build iconic trails while making lifelong friendships and learning valuable skills from NPS and partners.
“National Park Trust is thrilled to once again partner with the National Park Service and community partners across the country to connect people of all backgrounds and abilities to national parks while engaging the newest generation of outdoor enthusiasts and stewards,” said Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust. “The Challenge Cost Share program is a terrific example of an initiative that leverages public and private funds to invest in communities to create sustainable partnerships that benefit parks and people.”
“We appreciate the work of local partner organizations across the nation, who are using their resources and skills to support conservation, recreation and education projects that are meaningful and impactful to their communities,” said Lauren S. Imgrund, NPS associate director for Partnerships and Civic Engagement.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 424 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience.
Contact: Tyler Ray at 301.565.6704 x705 or TRay[at]americanhiking.org