History

I had been an avid hiker long before I through-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1994. After my hike, I enthusiastically read all the literature I could find about the history of the A.T. 

Three things in particular struck me about the Appalachian Trail:

~Its success as a grassroots, conservation and recreation initiative via a multi-regional confederacy of clubs and non-profits linked together in common purpose through an umbrella organization, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (formerly the Appalachian Trail Conference).  

~ The ideas of the trail's founder, Benton MacKaye, who envisioned not just one trail, but a network of trails extending out from a central spine into cities and communities all along the east coast of the United States. 

~The direct and tangential effects of the Appalachian Trail on regional and local land conservation and environment ethics. 

I began to think about how MacKaye's ideas might be extended and applied as a way to strengthen conservation initiatives and help protect recreational trail corridors within the New England geography. 

In 1995 and 1996, armed with only a DeLorme atlas and a highlighter, I began to trace out a route which would connect the major existing trails in New England to form a central "spine" or artery system that would pass throughout  all parts of New England, east to west, north to south. Since the Appalachian Trail already passed through the western and northern New England region, all I needed to do was link it to a network of other trails to complete the skeleton of what might be, someday, a trail network that would extend into every community in New England.     

1997-1999:The Proposal

Between 1997 and 1999, I began to visit places along the route, take photographs and explore potential ways of connecting these trails together. I spent hundreds of unfunded dollars of my own money on film, gasoline for my car, and other expenses; I traveled from the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound to Quebec; I hiked trails and bushwacked through remote wilderness areas. At the end of 1999, I produced a proposal called "The Great New England Trail" and promptly mailed it to a number of conservation and recreation organizations (various chapters of the Appalachian Mountain Club, The Friends of the Wapack, the Cohos Trail Club, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail Club, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, among others). I was a sophomore in college at the time. The proposal was ambitious and thoughtful, but a bit idealistic and naive.

1999-2001:Publication

In late 1999, based on feedback I had received from some of the organizations I had sent the proposal to, I revised and rewrote the proposal with the aim of improving it and subsequently publishing it online. I re-titled it "The New England Trail," (for the sake of humility) registered the domain name www.netrail.org, and published it to the web as part of an English class writing project in my junior college year in 2000. 

In early 2001, I approached the proposal yet again as part of an independent study in Geography, and subsequently received my school's Community Achievement Award for it. I also produced a Powerpoint presentation on the proposal, which I presented publicly.

2001-2006: Dormancy

From the fall of 2001 to 2005, I was enrolled in the M.F.A. Creative Writing program at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and had little time to pursue my interests in the New England Trail project. Although the proposal remained on the web, I contributed very little to it during this period. 

2007-Current: Use of name for NPS national scenic trail proposal; revisions.

In 2007, I became aware that the National Park Service and associated partners (the Appalachian Mountain Club and U.S. Congressman John Olver) borrowed the name "New England Trail" for a shorter trail encompassing what is the proposed western branch of the idea that I put forth. According to those involved whom I have spoken with, the duplication of the name came about when a request for a new name for what was then called the "MMM Trail" (a combination of Mattabesett, Metacomet, Monadnock) was put out for public comment and the public returned the name "New England Trail" overwhelmingly. The idea was passed through two acts of congress and designated the "New England National Scenic Trail." 

In late 2007 and early 2008, I made a number of revisions and improvements to the idea, including photographs, route descriptions for areas that currently do not have trails, lists of conservation resources, and other changes. I also revisited the route through the New Haven region, suggesting a more thoughtful and inclusive route to Long Island Sound on the east side of the city versus the previously proposed route on the west side of the city. The new route includes spectacular features not included in the old route, begins the trail at a lighthouse (what a great place to start a trail!), and uses interconnecting parcels of existing open space through much of its route with very little street walking in between.     

With the great increase in conservation awareness in New England, I remain hopeful that this idea will eventually come to fruition in the near future, in some manner or other. I'd love to hear from those interested in taking this project further and would be glad to turn it over to any organization or group with the passion and energy to do so.  

Documents and references demonstrating the history of this proposal from its inception in 1999 to its current state are available upon request. 

Sincerely,

Paul Gagnon

508-885-4522
6 Northwest Rd.
Spencer, MA, 01562

pgagnon999@yahoo.com