Champlain Area Trails (CATS) was established as a non-profit corporation in 2009 with the mission to create hiking/skiing trails that link communities, connect people to nature, and promote economic vitality. CATS is also a land trust working to conserve the area’s natural features, farmland, clean water, and scenic vistas. They “save land and make trails” because the two actions are inextricably linked—hiking on trails inspires public support for land conservation which creates more opportunities for trails.
CATS’s office is located in Westport, New York, on Lake Champlain, in Essex County. They currently have trails from as far south as Crown Point and north to Chesterfield traveling through at least 9 townships. Their desire is to partner with trail organizations and land trusts in Vermont, eventually having trails surrounding Lake Champlain and connecting to the High Peaks, Lake George, Champlain Canalway, and Quebec.
Their goal is to create an area where people can come to visit or to live and enjoy the outdoors, learn about the local environment, and hike from one town to another. Where visitors can stay at local inns, eat at local restaurants, and patronize local businesses. Their goal is to see the community grow and thrive in an ecologically and socially responsible way.
Since they began six years ago, they have created over 35 miles of trails. They have developed an outdoor education program for children and adults and have presented several educational programs highlighting the diverse flora, fauna, and natural communities of the Champlain Valley. They have placed interpretive signs on several trails, which aid our outdoor education program. They have sponsored two writing contests and two photo contests highlighting the beautiful scenery and many interesting things to do in the area and, as a result, they were awarded the Destination Marketing Award from the New York State Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism in 2012. They have protected over 390 acres of land through conservation easements and have purchased two properties totally over 90 acres, saving it from certain development. They have assisted our conservation partners in conserving over 600 additional acres. And, they have hosted two “hamlet to hamlet” hikes, bringing over 260 people of all ages together to hike from one community to another on CATS trails. Each year, CATS has estimated 1316 hours of volunteer time between their work, event, and activity planning and projects within the communities. CATS is working with each community to connect to the neighboring town to have a continuous trail that connects all 9 townships together. This groups strive to connect people to trails.
They believe their trails, outdoor education program, and events are essential to maintaining and improving the health of the individuals and of the community. People who are educated about their local environment will support decisions that protect that environment. They also choose to get outside, hike, explore, and enjoy their local environment resulting in improving their own health. This is evidenced by their trail registries, showing the growing number of people using CATS trails, and by the support of our more than 300 volunteers who assist us on our monthly trail projects, including groups from Camp Dudley, Families First, Boy Scouts, and other volunteers groups.
They have a website http://www.champlainareatrails.com/ and facebook https://www.facebook.com/champlainareatrails