Some partnerships grow naturally, sparked by shared experiences on the trail and a common love for the land. In the fall of 2025, members of Tramp and Trail spent an afternoon exploring the trails at Stone House Preserve in the Town of Vienna.
Founded in 1921, the hiking club has a long history of outdoor exploration and stewardship, and the visit quickly led to deeper conversations about conservation, access, and caring for the places we all enjoy. This club is the oldest hiking group in New York State with close to 270 members. They have a Facebook page and website: www.trampntrail.org
Those conversations continued when Tramp and Trail invited Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust staff to present at one of their “Interesting Evening” programs in New Hartford. What followed was a shared enthusiasm for an especially meaningful place: the Trenton Greenbelt.
Shared Responsibility, Lasting Impact
The Trenton Greenbelt is one of the Land Trust’s earliest conservation projects and remains a powerful example of partnership in action.
The Greenbelt is a mosaic of adjacent public and private properties, woven together by a shared trail system. Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust holds conservation easements on the privately owned parcels, while the Town of Trenton owns the land where the parking area and trailhead are located, once an old sandpit, now designated parkland.
Today, Tramp and Trail has officially adopted the Trenton Greenbelt trails as the focus of their volunteer trail maintenance and stewardship efforts. They have taken on an important role in caring for a place that means so much to the community.
“Strong partnerships are essential to the long-term care of the places we love,” said Peter Franz of Tramp and Trail. “By working together with landowners and conservation organizations, we can help ensure these trails remain safe, respectful of the land, and open for people to enjoy now and into the future.”
Their volunteer stewardship helps keep the trails safe, welcoming, and enjoyable, while reinforcing the shared responsibility that makes public access possible on conserved private and public lands alike.
Partnerships like this are at the heart of our work, strengthening connections between people and place, and ensuring that landscapes like the Trenton Greenbelt remain healthy, accessible, and protected for generations to come.
Volunteers make amazing things happen
Would you like to make a difference?
Depending on your interest and availability, you can spend a couple of hours or all day — whatever works for you. Often, there’s a way to include friends and family. Some folks like to help with trail maintenance or installation. Others prefer to send photographs, assist with mailings, or help with events.
No matter your age or experience, there’s a place for you. Call Linda Gibbs at 315-779-8240 or email her at lgibbs@ tughilltomorrowlandtrust.org to explore what feels right.
