by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
With the explosion in visits to the National Forest and Park System over the past few years, there has also been an explosion in the need for educational signage to help visitors better understand just how delicate these areas are to pedestrian and vehiicle traffic, refuse and numerous other things.
Trails, natural resource areas and wildlife habitats can easily undergo stress thanks to the constant influx of visitors to these locations — especially when visitors simply do not know, or understand, just how damaging they can be in environmentally sensitive spots.
So, armed with funding from a Quadratec 50-for-50 Trail Improvement grant, and in partnership with Tread Lightly!, United States Forest Service staff recently installed 18 new signs in the Big Piney Ranger District of the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest.
These signs contained helpful information on responsible ethics and behavior so visitors could better understand how to enjoy their time in a National Forest.
“The popularity of off-highway vehicle riding in the Ozark National Forest has grown substantially over the last few decades,” said Kension Crisp, Recreation Technician on the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests. “With the rise in popularity, resource damage is more prevalent and requires intentional engineering and education measures to limit potential impact. Partnerships with groups such as Tread Lightly! are integral to our ability to manage resources and educate the public on ways to mitigate resource damage while recreating. The health of our public lands requires public involvement and support. We can’t do it alone.”
This Ozark, St. Francis National Signage project was the 41st of 50 trail and public land restoration events Quadratec will help sponsor in each state through the end of April 2024.
“Thank you to Quadratec and the 50 for 50 grant program which helped to fund these 18 signs placed throughout the trails and camping locations in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest,” said Tread Lightly! Southeast Project Manager Lowell Eckart. “It is through support of great corporate partners like Quadratec, our members and volunteers that we can work together to help Protect the Adventure for future generations.”
So far through its supported projects, the 50-for-50 Stewardship Grant has accumulated 6,777.50 volunteer hours with a total value of $204,313, pulled away 118,245 pounds of trash and improved 827 miles of trail.
Quadratec’s ’50-for-50’ stewardship grant fund helps project managers pay for equipment, fees, volunteer support, food, fuel, signage and other miscellaneous costs.
Quadratec has been a supporting partner of Tread Lightly! for more than 20 years, and a longtime fundraiser for Tread Lightly!’s stewardship programs. The company has also promoted Tread Lightly! and other trail restoration efforts through its Quadratec Cares ‘Energize the Environment’ program.
Clubs and individuals are required to be active, supporting members of Tread Lightly! to be eligible to apply for ’50-for-50’ grant funding. To learn more about the Quadratec ’50-for-50 program, visit Quadratec's 50 for 50 Trails Stewardship Grant Initiative.
Recommended Reading:
Quadratec, Tread Lightly! ’50-For-50’ Public Land Cleanup — Maggie Valley, North Carolina
