Appalachian Trail could be 'canary in coal mine' for eastern U.S.

[YankeyMCC]

(snip)
Passing through 14 states and eight national forests from Georgia to Maine -- including a 90-mile stretch through Massachusetts and 160 miles in New Hampshire -- it's also a living laboratory that could help warn 120 million people along the Eastern Seaboard of looming environmental problems.
(snip)

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"We're really after two things," says Brian Mitchell, a coordinator with the park service's Northeast Temperate Network in Woodstock, Vt. "We want to get a better understanding of what's happening on the trail so we can better manage it. The other side is we want to take the lessons we learn from the trail and show people that what's happening on the trail does actually affect us."
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"People will read that on 25 or 30 days in a given year, it's considered unhealthy to walk on the Appalachian Trail, and we think that's going to grab people's attention more than if they just read about air quality trends in general," he said.
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"It's one thing for people to read about the decline of neotropical migratory bird species or acid deposition or determining air quality and visibility in the abstract. We think it's another thing when people learn about that firsthand by actually helping to collect that information," Startzell says.
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http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2006/11/25/appalachian_trail_could_be_canary_in_coal_mine_for_eastern_us/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News


My son and I have already helped out with the AMC program here in the North East by collecting ozone samples. (http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/airwater/index.cfm) Really excellent way to get kids involved and connected with the land they live on and it's good news that these efforts are expanding. I humbly urge everyone to keep your eyes open for local opportunities, particularly those of you who can bring children into participation.

[graywarrior]

1. Thanks for posting. I work with AMC on and off.

This is very interesting and necessary.

[electricmonk]

2. Another series of articles aboutt he AT

From a series last month in the local paper. There's also a multimedia thing you can check out.

The AT: An uncertain path

The AT: Feeling the squeeze

Explorer endorses new path for trail

[YankeyMCC]

3. excellent thx nt

[bonito]

4. Kick for more visibility

Thank you for posting this.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. Thanks for posting this!

I'm going to post a link to your thread in the homeschooling group. What a tremendous way to help the environment and get a science lesson at the same time!

[YankeyMCC]

6. Excellent, thx!

And thank you all who replied, kicked and recomended.