[at-l] Ads and services on the AT

[Cosmo.A.Catalano@williams.edu (cosmo catalano, jr.)]

I'm speaking as a maintainer and club leader here in Mass.

Regarding the usefulness of the ATC:

Remember the AT crosses many different land management bodies and 
ownerships.  Here's a brief list:
National Park Service
US Forest Service (several different districts)
State Parks and Forests (14 state's worth)
The City of Pittsfield Watershead Lands (in Mass)
Other Municipal Lands
Privatly owned land (yes there are still a few private tracts)

Without a coordinating body, it would be difficult if not impossible 
to provide a reasonable and consistent backcountry experience for 
hikers.  20 years ago, much of Virginia and about a fourth of Mass 
were road walks.  How about different blazes in each jurisdiction? 
How about a 50 ft corridor in some places and a mile wide in others? 
Which would provide the better hiking experience?


Regarding ads:

A list member said something to the affect that we'll never see signs 
for commercial products on the AT because there just aren't enough 
"customers".  Upwards of 4 million people hike on the AT.   Recently, 
a US car manufacturer attempted to include the ATC in a advertising 
campaign in the Northeast.  Vocal opposition from club members like 
myself caused ATC to drop the plan (and the $50,000 that would have 
gone into trail management).  Advertisers will stop at nothing to put 
and ad where someone will see it (my opinion).

The problem is if there isn't an ad policy, some business person will 
complain that her/his sign was removed, while some other businesses 
on another nearby section of trail wasn't (perhaps because two 
different maintainers had differing opinions regarding ads).  An 
overall policy is needed.  I happen to believe that  advertising 
should not be present on the AT.  Registers are a fine way for hikers 
to spread the word regarding services (IMHO).  Here's the official 
ATC discussion:

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/protect/issues/advert.html

A case study for protection:

    The AT is being nibbled to death.  A death from a thousands cuts. 
Even this week a trail neighbor with a new house just cut his 
driveway in over 50 ft of conservation easement on the AT corridor 
near Lake Buel Rd.  He or his contractor ignored boundary blazes and 
signage, cut down about 50 trees and have refused to stop their work. 
The volunteer Monitor reported this to his supervisor (also a 
volunteer) the supervisor reported to me (another volunteer) and to 
the Chief NPS Ranger of the AT (because the incursion took place on 
Federal lands), and Bob Proudman (Director of Trail Management) at 
ATC.  Within hours, professionals were (and are still) responding to 
this problem.

This is just one example (perhaps extreme, perhaps not) of what goes 
on every day in all 14 states.  I don't think this constitutes the 
"wasting of resources".  On the contrary, without the ATC as an 
umbrella to TRAIN and ORGANIZE the efforts of volunteers, we wouldn't 
stand a chance against well-heeled developers and misguided 
landowners. On the Lake Buel Rd incident there will likely be a court 
battle, with the end result being a fine and an attempt at 
restoration of a 75 year old forest. You can see the scar of this 
driveway from the footpath itself.

Yes the ATC--like any organization--has it's flaws and shortcomings. 
I believe there is a need for some unified management and protection 
of the trail.  I'd rather have a nice, small, easily accessible 
organization like the ATC to work with, rather than a large 
governmental organization full of people covering their asses and 
assuring deniability.  I am just a phone call or a personal e-mail 
from the top leadership of ATC, and to some in the ATPO (AT National 
Park Office) as well.

Cosmo



Cosmo Catalano
AMC Berkshire Chapter
Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Committee