Lenny Bernstein hiked his first mile on the Appalachian Trail in 1974, and he has been hiking – and supporting – the A.T. ever since.
Lenny and his wife Danny are “end-to enders” – completing the 2178 mile section hike in 1998. His volunteer efforts are equally impressive: He is a hike leader, trail maintainer and has served as a leader locally, regionally and Trail-wide. A past president of the Carolina Mountain Club, he now represents his club at regional meetings and is chairing the committee planning the 2013 Biennial.
He served as an advisor, and is now a member of the Stewardship Council – where he helps to oversee A.T. policy development and programs. As chair of the Climate Change and Energy Subcommittee, Lenny’s personal passions – the A.T. and combating climate change – intersect with his professional experience: he was a principal author of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most recent report and contributed to its winning the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize (which it shared with Al Gore).
Says Bob Proudman, ATC’s Director of Conservation Operations, “Dr Lenny Bernstein is fascinating . . . he will remind you of the smartest people you ever met. His knowledge of the arcane fields of climate science, electricity generation and conservation” is increasingly important to the “stewards of Terra Appalachia.”
The A.T., Lenny says, “has been a source of much pleasure in my life and . . . I do what I can to ensure that it will be available for future generations.” Thanks, Lenny!