Safety on the Trail: A Panel Discussion for Women
Thursday, January 13 at 7 pm
This interactive panel discussion focuses on trail safety for female hikers and trail runners. We’ll talk about everything from things to consider while planning your hike/run to knowing when to turn back. Panel members include:
Peg Fuller: FLTC Board Member and President of the Bullthistles Hiking Club, Peg is also a retired police officer, an avid hiker and Hike Leader, and a Trail Maintainer.
Tori Andruczyk: Pre-pandemic, Tori was a Girl Scout Leader for 20 years and created the FLT Girl Scout Backpacking Program. She is looking forward to getting back to scouting soon. For the past 2 years, she has been hiking as much as possible and has less than 50 miles to complete her End-to-End of the Finger Lakes Trail. Tori's certifications include Wilderness First Aid and NYS DEC Camping & Hiking Guide.
Bunny Kramer: Bunny is the creator and moderator of several Facebook groups, including the FLT Friends and Hikers Group and All Women All Trails. Bunny has extensive hiking experience, and a vast knowledge of resources for all hikers.
The panel will be moderated by the FLTC’s Christy Post, who is also a hiker and trail runner. Questions/topics of interest can be submitted in advance by emailing cpost@fingerlakestrail.org. This interactive panel discussion promises to be educational and informative!
Don't Get Ticked, NY!
Thursday, February 3 at 7 pm
Back by popular demand! Avoiding Lyme and other tick-borne diseases requires avoiding a tick bite! Join the New York State Integrated Pest Program's Joelle Lampman as she talks about the different ticks in our area and their biology, the diseases they carry, and how to protect yourself from being bitten.
Joelle Lampman is a Community IPM Extension Support Specialist with the New York State IPM Program at Cornell University. With a degree in Natural Resources from Cornell University, Joellen is a lifelong environmental educator. At the New York State IPM Program, she utilizes the clear knowledge-based, decision-making process of IPM to tech ecology and made a difference, one property at a time. In some circles, Joellen is also known as "The Tick Lady."
FLT Ambassador Training
Intro to the FLTC: Thursday, February 17, 7-8:30 pm
Leave No Trace: Thursday, March 24, 7-8:30 pm
We're launching an exciting new FLT Ambassador Program to strengthen our trail community. This program is designed for people who spend a good amount of time on the FLT, and who'd like to help educate other trail users about FLTC resources and about ethical and responsible trail use.
To become a FLT Ambassador, you must attend two trainings, offered via Zoom. In the first training we’ll provide an overview of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference and the resources we have for hikers and trail users. In the second training we’ll do an overview of the seven Leave No Trace Principles and give you tools and resources to help other trail users leave the trail better than they found it.
FLT Ambassadors are asked to spend a minimum of 12 hours per year on the trail. Once you’ve completed the first two trainings, we’ll equip you with info to hand out to other trail users, and some FLT swag to identify you as an official Ambassador. Additional trainings will be offered throughout the year, and FLT Ambassadors will be recognized in Footnotes, FLT News, and on the FLT’s website and social media channels. This is your opportunity to get more involved with the FLTC while doing what you love to do – spending time on the Finger Lakes Trail!
Register for Training #2: Leave No Trace
Heather Houskeeper: Edible and Medicinal Plants on the FLT
Thursday, March 10 at 7 pm
Join Heather Houskeeper, a.k.a. The Botanical Hiker, for an exploration of the edible and medicinal plants that inhabit the Finger Lakes Trail. This program will focus on cool weather plants, specifically those that can be found in late winter and early spring. Many of these same plants also inhabit your own backyard. Heather will share tips for identifying these easily recognizable plants and how to discern them from plants that may look similar. Learn how to harvest and prepare these wild plants at home or on the trail, incorporating them into simple, tasty dishes and useful medicines.
Bio:
Heather Houskeeper, a.k.a. the Botanical Hiker, is an herbalist, long-distance hiker, and author. She has thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, Mountains to Sea Trail, the Long Path, Florida Trail, Mid State Trail, and holds the record as the first person to hike the Finger Lakes Trail and its six branches in one continuous journey. When not woods rambling or pulling back the petals on a botanical find, she guides others into the natural world through educational nature-inspired seminars, workshops, and plant walks. She is the author of two books about foraging, including A Guide to the Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Finger Lakes Trail. Her third book, Love and the Long Path is newly released. To follow her adventures and research, or to book an experience visit: www.TheBotanicalHiker.com
Books can be purchased from Heather's website: www.TheBotanicalHiker.com
Volunteer Opportunities with the Finger Lakes Trail Conference
Thursday, April 7 at 7 pm
The Finger Lakes Trail was built and is almost entirely maintained by volunteers. The Finger Lakes Trail Conference - the organization that supports the FLT - was founded in 1962 and for most of the last 60 years it has been operated by volunteers. We are fortunate to have a very active Board of Managers – all volunteers – who continue to govern the FLTC and guide the growth and development of the Trail and the Trail Conference, but we are growing.
In the last few years the FLTC has created two new full-time staff positions – Director of Marketing and Communications and Director of Trail Development. These two positions are charged with moving the organization forward in exciting ways, but volunteers continue to be the lifeblood of the Finger Lakes Trail Conference.
There are so many ways to volunteer with the FTLC – and we need your help! Join Christy Post (Director of Marketing and Communications) and Michaela Aney (Director of Trail Development) for this special FLT Connect event and learn how you can get involved. We’ll discuss opportunities both on and off the trail, and everything from entry level opportunities to leadership positions.
Finger Lakes Trail Conference
6111 Visitor Center Rd Mt. Morris, NY 14510
Call Us At: 585-658-9320
