Local Organizing Page 13

Photo of the Danvers Rail Trail sponsored mile-marker © Danvers Rail Trail Advisory Committee

Grassroots Go-Ahead: Massachusetts Communities Take On Their Rail-Trail Ambitions

Posted 03/07/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Taking Action, Building Trails | Tagged with Local Organizing, Massachusetts, Private Fundraising, Trail Communities

In the state's northeast, the Danvers Rail Trail Advisory Committee has launched a mile-marker sponsorship program to fund the maintenance and improvement of the Danvers Rail Trail. The advisory committee is a town-appointed group that has directed development of the 4.3-mile rail-trail since the town of Danvers leased the corridor from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in 2008.

Dream of Olympic Discovery Trail on the Line for Volunteers

Posted 03/05/12 by Jake Lynch in Building Trails | Tagged with Design Strategies, Ecology and Environment, Local Organizing, Washington

Few doubt the tremendous potential of the Olympic Discovery Trail, a plan to construct a continuous recreational trail from Port Townsend on the northeast tip of the peninsula across to the Pacific Ocean. Already, local businesses are benefitting from the many visitors completed sections of the trail bring to the area. Last year, President Obama heralded the trail project during the launch of the America's Great Outdoors initiative to connect Americans with the nation's natural heritage.

A Tough Year for the Wobler Family

Posted 01/10/12 by Jake Lynch in Taking Action | Tagged with Champions, Indiana, Local Organizing

After losing his wife to breast cancer, Gary Wobler is now planning the first-ever Pedal 4 Pink, a day-long event of bike races, family games and auctions, to be held in and around the city of Carmel. He envisions the event to be "like the [Susan G.] Komen walk for cancer research, but for cyclists and rollerbladers."

Photo © M.V. Jantzen/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

A School Garden Begins to Bloom Along D.C. Rail-Trail

Posted 06/14/10 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails | Tagged with District Of Columbia, Local Organizing, Urban Pathways

As part of the Meet the Met grand-opening celebration on Saturday, June 5, DC Prep Academy Charter School and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy teamed up to add another school garden into the growing rolls of urban agriculture taking place around the country. The 1,000-square-foot garden, set in Northeast D.C.’s Edgewood community, will combine an edible forest of fruit trees, perennial vegetables, herbs, insectary plants and dynamic accumulators with a large space for growing annual crops like collards, corn, squash, tomatoes and more.

Photo © Rails-to-Trails Conservancy/Eric Orberg

Moonville Rail-Trail Saves Money by Using Old Rail Cars as Bridges

Posted 10/21/09 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails | Tagged with Local Organizing, Ohio, Private Fundraising

Bridges are a costly need for rail-trails, many of which cross streams, roadways and even other rail corridors. After engineering and installation quotes were obtained from a precast bridge supplier for bridges along Ohio’s Moonville Rail-Trail, the reality of the extremely costly challenge became clear.

Mural along Metropolitan Branch Trail | Photo by TrailLink user hirhoward

D.C. Residents Turn Out for Bike and Walk Tours of New Trail

Posted 09/28/09 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Trail Use | Tagged with District Of Columbia, Local Organizing, Urban Pathways

A major section of Washington, D.C.'s long-awaited Metropolitan Branch Trail is now under construction and close to completion. The first layer of asphalt was put down last week between Franklin Street and Rhode Island Avenue, and construction continues south to New York Avenue along the rest of this 1.5-mile section of trail in the Edgewood and Eckington neighborhoods.