IMPACT
FRIENDS
IMPROVING
ALLEGANY
COUNTY
TRAILS
IMPACT mobilizes volunteers to improve forest trails in Allegany County for the year-round use of hikers, horseback riders, skiers and others.
Our current focus is the West Almond Trail System, 29 miles of paths through Phillips Creek, Palmers Pond, Turnpike, and Karr Valley Creek State Forests.
We work closely with local Foresters in the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
2024 EVENTS
ALL EVENTS TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAYS
JANUARY 1 @ 11 AM: FIRST DAY HIKE
A record 82 people participated in the First Day Hike in 2024.
FEBRUARY 24 @ 5PM: FULL-MOON SKI, SNOWSHOE, HIKE
With sunset at 5:57 pm, the full moon rising at 6:12 pm, and the silence of the forest all around you, this is a magical time to venture along forest trails.
NOTE: Headlamps along with proper footwear and clothing are a must!
Some native peoples of North America called this moon the Hungry Moon due to the scarcity of food sources in mid-winter. Others named it Bear Moon, referring to bear cubs’ time of birth. Celtic and Old English names included Storm Moon, Ice Moon, and Snow Moon.
MARCH 23 @ 6 PM: TWILIGHT SKI, SNOWSHOE, HIKE
With the full moon rising at 6:05 pm and the sun setting at 7:29 pm, the forest shows early signs of the coming of spring.
NOTE: Headlamps along with proper footwear and clothing are a must!
The last full moon of winter, in March, is often called Worm Moon because earthworms emerge as the soil warms up. Native American tribes called it the Crow Moon, Snow Crust Moon, and Sap and Sugar Moon. The Anglo-Saxons called it Lenten Moon after the Germanic Lenten for spring. The Celts called it the Wind Moon and Plough Moon. In Old English, it was known as the Death Moon and the Chaste Moon referring to the purity of the spring season.
APRIL 20 @ 12 NOON-4:00 PM: TRAIL-MAINTENANCE DAY
On spring trail-maintenance day, help us clear trails of winter blowdowns, cut fallen limbs into kindling, and identify trail hazards that require the attention of the DEC Forestry Office. At noon, at the Phillips Creek State Forest parking lot, we will dispatch crews fo work on Trails 1, 2 and 3, as well as on the Beginner Trail.
SIGN UP by sending an email to impactfriendsgroup@gmail.com. If you are bringing others, let us know how many are in your group.
NOTE: Wear sturdy boots and heavy gloves and bring loppers and bowsaws, if you have them.
MAY 3 @ times TBA: I LOVE MY PARK DAY
We will be doing routine trail maintenance on the horse trails at Coyle Hill State Forest and the hiking trails at Phillips Creek State Forest. We will also be cutting wood (fallen limbs and branches?) at Stewart Forest Road camping area as well.
JUNE 6: NATIONAL TRAILS DAY— HIKE @ 12:30, ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING @ 3:00 PM PLUS PICNIC
The HIKE—which will begin at 12:30 sharp— will follow Trails 3 & 4 in Phillips Creek State Forest.
The ANNUAL MEETING will take place at the pavilion at 2444 State Road 244—0.1 mile west of the Phillips Creek State Forest parking lot. (Please park there!)
The PICNIC will follow the Annual Meeting.
SEPTEMBER 21: TRAIL MAINTENANCE DAY
Join us on the trail to work on annual autumn maintenance! Preparing the trails for winter activities, cutting back summer growth, and marking trail hazards is the big push during this annual event.
MEET HERE*
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BRING A MAP
-AVENZA GPS MAP TO DOWNLOAD TO YOUR CELL
https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands.forests.pdf/mapppalmerspondphillipscreekturnpike.pdf
-DEC MAP TO PRINT
https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/mappalmerspondphillipscreekturnpike.pdf
SIGN-IN AND SIGN-OUT REQUIRED
*
See additional meet-up sites for May 3 and June 6.
ID-ING & REPORTING
HAZARD S
One of the most important functions of IMPACT is to identify and report hazardous conditions on state forest trails.
Common hazards include:
ADD HERE
IF YOU SEE A HAZARD, DO THIS
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IMPACT’s current focus is the West Almond Trail System—29 miles of paths that wind and loop through Phillips Creek, Palmers Pond, Turnpike, and Karr Valley Creek State Forests in the towns of West Almond and Ward. These forests date from the 1930s when NY State purchased and reforested vast tracts of abandoned and eroding farmland to protect soil and water resources for habitat and recreation, and to provide a source of commercial timber. The New Deal’s Civil Conservation Corps provided the hundreds of workers who grew nursery stock and planted tree seedlings on the newly acquired state lands. Today these forests are managed by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
On the ground in Allegany County a slender staff of three DEC Foresters stationed at the West Almond Forestry Office carry out multiple tasks of planning, management, and technical assistance on more than 46,000 forest acres. To make best use of these experts (here as elsewhere across NYS) the DEC encourages the formation of local friends’ groups to work closely with DEC Foresters under Voluntary Stewardship Agreements. IMPACT is one of these groups. It was formed at the suggestion and with the help of Forester Theresa Draves.
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
email@example.com
Phone
(555) 555-5555
