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The Register: The Online Stewardship Newsletter of the Appalachian Trail

Sidehill | Winter/Spring 2008

New overnight site guidelines and a policy on wind energy were adopted at the Fall 2007 meetings of the Stewardship Council and the Board of Directors.

In November, the Stewardship Council adopted "Guidance for Locating and Designing A.T. Shelters and Formal Campsites". The guidelines were drafted by recreation ecologist Dr. Jeffrey Marion, reviewed by Regional Partnership Committees, and are now in effect for all new shelters and major campsite developments on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Please contact your regional director with any questions or issues.

Also in November, following the recommendation of the Stewardship Council, based on the work of its new energy subcommittee, the ATC Board of Directors adopted a policy on wind-energy facilities.

The policy arose from the issues surrounding proposed wind-power development on Redington and Black Nubble mountains in western Maine. In early January, Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission rejected the most recent application from Maine Mountain Power for a project on Black Nubble. Read more about the Maine wind power proposals.

On a related note, ATC submitted comments to the Forest Service regarding its proposed Wind Energy Directive.

ATC also has joined a coalition to appeal to the Department of Energy (DOE) regarding its designation of the eastern National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor, or NIETC. A related article on ATC supporting a lawsuit to challenge DOE through the courts regarding the Eastern NIETC designation is in the News section in this edition of The Register.

Other information in this issue includes a primer on the U.S. Forest Service, safety tips for trail work, articles profiling the Allentown Hiking Club, and updates on ATC's Conservation staff. We offer our congratulations to Laura Belleville on her recent appointment as director of conservation. We look forward to working with her on ATC conservation initiatives in 2008 and beyond.

Please refer to the calendar of events in our news room for upcoming Regional Partnership, Stewardship Council, and Board of Directors meetings.

Hawk Metheny, Stewardship Council Chair
Robert Proudman, Director of Conservation Operations

Past Editors of The Register
Thurston Griggs	April 1978–September 1981
Maurice Forrester	November 1981–December 1984
Nancy Shofner	January 1985–July 1988
Ed Kohinke	November 1988–March 1989
Reese Lukei	August 1989–December 1994
John Morgan	February 1995–Summer 2003

The Register is compiled by staff, partners and volunteers of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, including Robert Proudman (Director of Conservation Operations), Susan Daniels (Conservation Coordinator), Pete Irvine (USDA Forest Service), and Don Owen (Environmental Protection Specialist, National Park Service Appalachian Trail Park Office).

Winter/Spring 2008 (text-only PDF)

Fall 2007 Register (text-only PDF)

Summer 2007 Register (text-only PDF)

Spring 2007 Register (text-only PDF)

Winter 2007 Register (text-only PDF)

Fall 2006 Register (text-only PDF)

Summer 2006 Register (text-only PDF)

Spring 2006 Register (text-only PDF)

Also available are earlier issues of The Register (in printable pdf format) as it was published from 2000-2004, as well as selected articles.