CMC Receives the 2016 Alf Evers Award for Excellence

We are very pleased and proud to have received the prestigious 2016 Alf Evers Award for Excellence from the good folks at the Catskill Center. The presentation occurred during the Annual Summer Gathering at the Catskill Center's offices in Arkville, NY.As an organization that greatly values cooperation and collaboration, we salute the Catskill Center for its continuing leadership in our region, and we thank them for recognizing the CMC for playing a constructive role in the work at hand.Following are remarks made by Catskill Center Executive Director Jeff Senterman at the presentation.The Alf Evers Award for Excellence from the Catskill Center is presented to an individual or organization for their distinguished service to the Catskill region.We are blessed in the Catskills to have so many individuals and groups who • work hard to be stewards of our natural resources • educate visitors about the proper use of the great outdoors • and who have a sense of community spirit to improve our region.One such group is the Catskill Mountain Club.Founded in 2004 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Catskill Park.The early Catskill Mountain Club, which included many Catskill Center staff grew and evolved since it’s founding to become committed to efforts to ensure sustainable and safe outdoor recreation on public lands throughout the Catskill region.Today the Catskill Mountain Club strives to raise public awareness and appreciation of the Catskill region, something they rightly describe as “America’s First Wilderness”The Catskill Mountain Club offer dozens of guided hikes, paddles, snow shoe excursions, bike trips and more all over the Catskills.Offering visitors and residents amazing opportunities to get out and experience all that our Catskill Mountains have to offer.But the Catskill Mountain Club isn’t only taking advantage of our region’s vast outdoor recreation resources, they are doing something to help ensure they are available for generations to come!The Catskill Mountain Club stresses and promotes volunteer stewardship of our Catskill Park and public lands by getting their hands dirty!They have constructed five new trails in the Catskills over the last four years - an amazing accomplishment, especially when considering at least some of those trails have been on New York City Department of Environmental Protection lands!Those five trails… • The Andes Rail Trail • The Delhi Trails • The Palmer Hill Trail • The Shavertown Trail • And most recently • The Bramley Mountain TrailRepresenting almost 20 miles of new trails, the Catskill Mountain Club is offering the public more options and leading the way on opening DEP lands for public recreation!When not building trail, the Catskill Mountain Club maintains miles of hiking trails throughout the Catskill Park for the New York State Department of Environmental ConservationThey offer workshops and take part in events that highlight • The natural and human histories of the Catskills, • The issues that are affecting the health and preservation of the Catskills • And teach the skills that are needed to safely enjoy our great outdoors!They join with others of the Catskill Park Coalition to knock on doors in Albany, helping to ensure that the Catskill Park is represented and receives ongoing support.Members of the Catskill Mountain Club even find time to help staff the Catskill Interpretive Center where their expertise on everything outdoors comes in handy to educate visitors to the Park!All this and the Catskill Mountain Club is an all-volunteer grass roots led organization - SIMPLY AMAZING!The Catskill Mountain Club is helping to lead the way towards a sustainable outdoor recreation based economy that while utilizes our vast and beautiful open spaces, while teaching our visitors and park users the value of the region and how to protect it for posterityAs a former member of the Catskill Mountain Club’s Board of Directors, I am truly honored and humbled to have had the chance to be part of this amazing organization and the amount of work that that the members of this organization have put in since my time is astounding!For their work • Protecting our natural resources • Raising awareness and appreciation of our Catskills • Leading activities across the public lands of our region • Working with DEP to increase public access to watershed lands • Building almost 20 miles of new trails • Maintaining miles of Catskill Park hiking trails and • Staffing the Catskill Interpretive CenterAnd most importantly for their love of the Catskills and their ability to protect and preserve the regionI am pleased to present the Alf Evers Award for Excellence to the Catskill Mountain Club in recognition of their leadership in creating and expanding opportunities for the public to enjoy and understand the unique beauty and remarkable nature of our Catskill region.They have made a true impact across the region and it gives me great joy to present this award to • Rick Roberts, the President of the Catskill Mountain Club • Wendell George, the Vice-President of the Catskill Mountain Club • And all members of the Catskill Mountain ClubTHANK YOU from the Catskill Center and from the Catskills!