WM trails chosen for 'Leave No Trace' spotlight
PTLS Mayor Stephanie Irwin presents Tracks President Nick Lund with a certificate of recognition for his leadership of the organization.
Juniper Ridge residents Marty and Phyllis Scott stroll hand-in-hand through Show Low Park Trail, which is part of the White Mountain Trail System, on Wednesday.
The conservation nonprofit Leave No Trace has chosen the White Mountain Trail System as one of 14 premier wilderness sites throughout the country for a program launched just this year.
LNT was officially founded in 1994 but the organization’s principles have existed since the mid-20th century. In order to keep up with the rising demand for outdoor recreation in the 1960s, the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace were implemented to ensure all wilderness areas remain unchanged and unaffected by human interference:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
The Spotlight program was begun this year by LNT to highlight trail systems, parks and other outdoor recreational sites that adhere to the seven principles. Among its first batch of spotlights is the White Mountain Trail System and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.
The spotlight also mentioned local nonprofit TRACKS, a volunteer organization that works with the U.S. Forest Service to plan to develop and maintain the WMTS.
“We currently have over 600 members. We’re the only group authorized by the Forest Service to maintain the non-motorized trail system in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in our region,” said Nick Lund, president of TRACKS. “The system goes through the west side of Show Low, down through Pinetop and out to Vernon.”
The WMTS has more than 200 miles of multiuse trails and is consistently voted one of the best trail systems in the state by Arizona State Parks and Trails. Thanks to the hard work of many TRACKS volunteers, the system has also received numerous Volunteer Achievement Awards and recognition from organizations, such as the West Fork of the Black River Fisheries and Watershed Restoration Project.
In August, the Pinetop-Lakeside Town Council and the U.S. Forest Service recognized Lund and his organization. USFS recreation management specialist Joya Szalwinski said, “(The) efforts to enhance the White Mountain’s Trail System exemplify the essence of what it means to be the change you wish to see. Thank you for your selfless and continuous volunteering service.”
The LNT Spotlight program will host a multiday event to address community conservation and recognize Lund and his team of volunteers for the work they do maintaining the trails, keeping them safe and accessible to all visitors.
The event will be held at 8 a.m. on June 3 at the White Mountain Nature Center, 425 S. Woodland Road in Show Low. National Trails Day is held on the first Saturday in June, which will be the very next day.
“This is a big opportunity for our organization and our region,” Lund said. “This will also be a big economic driver for the region. It’s an honor for TRACKS to receive the spotlight.
“We live in a nice area with a lot to see. Receiving this spotlight will only help our cause to get people active, involved and outdoors, and making sure that those ‘outdoors’ are clean and safe is always a plus. It’s a national honor and, on behalf of our team and our region, we couldn’t be more thankful.”
For more information about LNT or TRACKS, visit lnt.org and trackswhitemountains.org.
Comments and questions are always welcome. Contact the reporter at jhernandez@wmicentral.com
