Florida Trail Association
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1964, the Florida Trail Association is a private non-profit organization that oversees the volunteer effort to build, maintain, protect and promote the Florida Trail
, one of eight National Scenic Trail
s in the United States. Based in Gainesville, FL, the Florida Trail Association's mission also includes:
With 18 local chapters dispersed geographically throughout Florida
, the Florida Trail Association draws on local support to build and maintain hiking trails, to provide guided outdoor recreation opportunities for the public, and to work with landowners to acquire protected natural lands to ensure a quality hiking experience for hikers on the Florida Trail corridor.
The Florida Trail Association works directly in concert with the federal land manager of the Florida Trail, the USDA Forest Service, to facilitate the acquisition of land, to direct volunteer efforts, and to provide public outreach.
in 1985.
Florida National Scenic Trail
One of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States, the Florida Trail is a footpath spanning from Big Cypress National Preserve to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pensacola Beach...
, one of eight National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail is a designation for protected areas in the United States that consist of trails of particular natural beauty.National Scenic Trails were authorized under the National Trails System Act of 1968 along with National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails...
s in the United States. Based in Gainesville, FL, the Florida Trail Association's mission also includes:
- Building and maintaining hiking trails on other public lands.
- Providing educational opportunities for people to learn to appreciate and conserve the natural beauty of Florida.
- Providing recreational opportunities for hiking and camping.
With 18 local chapters dispersed geographically throughout Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, the Florida Trail Association draws on local support to build and maintain hiking trails, to provide guided outdoor recreation opportunities for the public, and to work with landowners to acquire protected natural lands to ensure a quality hiking experience for hikers on the Florida Trail corridor.
The Florida Trail Association works directly in concert with the federal land manager of the Florida Trail, the USDA Forest Service, to facilitate the acquisition of land, to direct volunteer efforts, and to provide public outreach.
History
The Florida Trail Association's main building was badly damaged by Hurricane GloriaHurricane Gloria
Hurricane Gloria was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season and prowled the Atlantic Ocean from September 16 to September 28. Gloria reached Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale near the Bahamas, but weakened significantly...
in 1985.