Welcome to the 2015 Green Issue of Rails to Trails, which features the amazing power of trail use in large and small communities across America. Enjoy!
What’s In Store?
RTC President Keith Laughlin gives us a quick glimpse of this year’s Green Issue highlights.
Credits: Stark Images and Woo Yeol Paik. Produced by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Feature: “The Walking Fool”
In April 2001, New York graphic designer and self-proclaimed couch potato Mark Phillips left his life behind to attempt to walk across the country. Hear Mark talk about his experiences, which took him on rail-trails and through some of America’s incredible communities. Now a full-length documentary film project. Note: This video contains five seconds worth of language (bleeped, 45 seconds into the story) that may be inappropriate for some audiences.
Credits: Footage by Mark Phillips. Interview/editing by Stark Images. Produced by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Feature Destination: Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail
Experience the grandeur of California’s Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail in this video brought to you by RTC’s new digital tablet magazine, Trail Traveler. The Bizz Johnson is a fantastic 26.5-mile rail-trail that cuts through alpine woodlands and a beautiful river canyon, and passes historic sites, tunnels and trestles along the way.
Credits: Filmed and edited by Myles Smythe of Michigan Bluff Photography. Produced by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Eye On
The Circuit—What Is It?
The Circuit Coalition and RTC are collaborating to build an innovative 750-mile trail network that is connecting and transforming the Greater Philly region.
Credits: Civic Eye Collaborative and Tri-State Transportation Campaign, with generous support from the William Penn Foundation
Build the QueensWay!
The proposed Queensway would provide a safe, 3.5-mile walking and biking route for hundreds of thousands of people living in New York City’s borough of Queens—one of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in America.
Credits: The Trust for Public Land and Friends of the QueensWay
Community Connections
Life on the Atlanta BeltLine: Comeback from Cancer
Be inspired! Hear how Jenny—wife, mother of twins and courageous individual—reclaimed her health on Atlanta’s Eastside Trail after beating cancer in this clip from "Life on the Atlanta BeltLine."
City Walk (KCET): Walks of Life: Metro Trails D.C.
With help from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, KCET's “City Walk: Walks of Life” takes a look at the Met Branch Trail in Washington, D.C., which boasts "edible plants" and incredible views of our nation's capital.
Music: "Water to Wine" by Skin & bones, "We Don't Get Along" by The Out of Towners and "Broken Arrow" by Brandi Emma
A View From
Opening Day for Trails 2015
Walkers, runners, birdwatchers, bicyclists, horseback riders, nature lovers, history buffs...more than 17,000 people turned out across America for the third annual Opening Day for Trails on March 28! Check out these images from lively celebrations across the country. And join us next spring to help kick off the trail season!
CBS “This Morning”: Abandoned Railroad Lines Become Recreational Paths
Today, there are more than 22,000 miles of rail-trails across the United States, and more than 8,000 miles waiting to be built. On May 23, CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg joined CBS “This Morning” to show some of the country’s most unique rail-trail destinations. Enjoy!
Rail-Trail Report
National Transportation Poll Findings
In a recent national poll conducted by RTC in collaboration with leading Republican and Democrat pollsters, American voters overwhelmingly supported federal funding for trails, and biking and walking infrastructure. Check out this infographic for highlights.
How To…Have a Great Trail Experience This Summer
Check out our popular “How To” TrailBlog series for tips on how to enjoy your summer on America’s amazing rail-trails.
Looking for tips on a certain topic? Email the editor.
Members Network
We love to hear from our members, who always have great things to say about rail-trails! Read the Letters to the Editor for our Spring/Summer 2015 issue of Rails to Trails.
We'd love to hear from you!
Have something to say about the Green Issue of Rails to Trails? Post to our Facebook page, give us a tweet @railstotrails or send us an email.
Green Issue Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Amy Kapp
Director of Communications: Elizabeth Striano
Digital Content: Laura Stark, Katie Harris
Video Production: Stark Images, Woo Yeol Paik
Graphics/Web Design: Brian Gerhardstein
Distribution: Ryan Cree
