For nearly three decades, Transportation Alternatives (TA) has been the largest source of federal funding for trails and active transportation, providing more than $15 billion for more than 36,000 projects.

In honor of Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary this year, Rails to Trails magazine is highlighting four rail-trails that have had a transformative Cinderella story, going from industrial dumping grounds to beloved community assets.

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System Act (1968), Rails to Trails magazine sat down with Ferster to talk about some of the cases that have shaped the movement—as well as the monumental importance of railbanking, which—born from the National Trails System Act in 1983—has helped facilitate the creation of thousands of miles of rail-trails to date.

Here’s a look at RTC and a decade of rail-trails—their power and their impact. As the 2010s built momentum, opportunities to maximize the power of these essential community assets became clear.

This year, America and the rail-trail movement saw giant leaps, and small-but-no-less-important bounds, that have helped to achieve RTC’s goal of connecting the country by trail like never before.

The Palatka-to-Lake Butler State Trail offers a slice of quiet paradise, journeying more than 25 miles to Keystone Heights through well-canopied forests, pine flatwoods, picturesque countryside and stands of showy wild azalea (which the locals call “pinksters”).

A momentary pause on the Platte River Trail might yield a glimpse of a pronghorn antelope or mule deer darting through the underbrush, or an eagle or osprey searching for a meal in the river.

“The speed, the freedom, the sense of connection—it’s what made me fall in love with biking,” explained Karla Gilbride. Discussing regular after-work trips down Washington, D.C.’s Capital Crescent Trail on a tandem bike

Here is a spotlight on some of the critical TrailNation project advances we made in 2018—and how they are bringing to life our vision of trails at the heart of healthy, thriving communities.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) and the national trail community put itself on the front lines to protect and defend trails in 2018. Here are five ways we mobilized in communities this year.