Regional Partner of the Year 2009

SORO
Dwayne Stutzman, former Western Region Trails Specialist for the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation’s Trails Program, retired in late 2008.  His career with the NC Trails Program was highlighted (from the A.T. perspective) by many instances of help to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and ATC including volunteer work as ATC’s regional Land Trust Coordinator, assistance with the revision of ATC’s Trail Design, Construction and Maintenance, co-presenter at ATC and USFS trail workshops and advocate for the A.T. through the NC Recreational Trails Program grant process which resulted in significant funding from numerous grants for ATC’s Rocky Top Volunteer Trail Crew. Dwayne is a life member of the ATC. He and his wife Sarah are section maintainers of the A.T. at Max Patch through the Carolina Mountain Club.

Regional Partner of the Year 2008

SORO
The Southern region honored Candace Wyman, former Watauga District Ranger on the Cherokee National Forest, as ATC’s agency Partner of the Year. She was described as a guardian of the A.T. partnership and strong advocate of the Trail for her willingness to listen to concerns, get things accomplished and stand firm when needed. A long list of projects were completed under her leadership, including the Osborne Farm accessible-trail relocation and trailhead, the Elk River relocation, the Mountaineer Falls A.T. shelter, and mitigation of prescribed burns and timber sales. Wyman has been reassigned to the Tusquittee Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina.

VARO
The 2007 Virginia region Partner of the Year is Dave Hrdlicka, who retired from the U.S. Forest Service in August, 2006. Hrdlicka was an integral part of many aspects of A.T. management during his years with the Eastern Divide Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. His contributions included such things as providing all-terrain-vehicle support for the Konnarock Trail Crew and chain-saw training for club volunteers, as well as helping to plan trail relocations, including the New River relocation near Pearisburg, Virginia. Since his retirement, Hrdlicka has continued to go above and beyond the call of duty, volunteering his time to help ATC complete further trail planning in southwestern Virginia.

NERO
Bob Spoerl received the 2008 Agency Partner of the Year Award from the New England Regional Partnership Committee due to his longstanding and faithful support of the Appalachian Trail, the Conservancy and its maintaining clubs in New Hampshire’s the Appalachian Mountain Club, and the Dartmouth Outing Club. As a land agent for the Bureau of Forest Lands in New Hampshireís Department of Resources and Economic Development, Spoerl was instrumental in the recent acquisition of the final “A.T. tread tract” on the historic summit parcel now secured in Mt. Washington State Park. Along with his boss, Bill Carpenter, Spoerl was also influential in a land exchange with the Forest Service securing the former Sentinel Mountain State Forest as part of the A.T. management area on DOCís section of the White Mountain National Forest. Bob worked originally as a staff member of the Bureau of Off-Highway Vehicles in DRED, where his cheerful demeanor and diplomacy minimized conflicts among different trail users and organizations. He has built common facilities like parking areas and footbridges, and built relationships with everyone, be they hikers, snowmobilers, bicyclists or equestrians. For this, ATC is deeply appreciative of 2008 Agency Partner of the year, Bob Spoerl.

Partner of the Year 2007

SORO
David Kuykendall, outdoor planner of the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest, was recognized as the Southern region’s Agency Partner of the Year for his work with the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (www.georgia-atclub.org) on several Trail relocation projects, as well as a major airlift that delivered 43,000 pounds of building materials for several privies and shelters. Kuykendall coordinated the airlift plan and operation, including procuring a helicopter, overseeing assembly and delivery of the materials to lift sites, staging Forest Service personnel at the various drop zones, and safety management of GATC volunteers and Forest Service personnel.

VARO
Alan R. McPherson, Wilderness and Trails Recreation Specialist for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, is the Virginia RPC’s Agency Partner of the Year. A dedicated and enthusiastic supporter of the Appalachian Trail, he has been the ìgo toî person whenever any of the Virginia A.T. clubs need advice or assistance in the management of their trails or wilderness areas. He has been an active participant in the variety of meetings and working groups associated with managing the Trail on Forest lands, always providing timely and beneficial information on which to base decisions. Virginia RPC Chair Ned Kuhns, said, “Al McPherson’s contributions epitomize the cooperation that exists among all the organizations responsible for the A.T. The Virginia A.T clubs are pleased to acknowledge and recognize his superb efforts.”

NERO
Stephen Longley of Rivers and Trails Northeast was recognized as the 2007 Partner of the Year in the New England region for his service to A.T. hikers for more than 20 years as the Kennebec Ferryman. This is the first time a contractor has received this recognition. The historic route of the Appalachian Trail across the Kennebec River in Maine was a camp owner’s ferry at Caratunk. When that service ended, hikers were faced with a 30-mile road detour or crossing the river downstream of a hydro-electric dam. Releases from the dam can cause the river to rise rapidly and unpredictably, posing a serious danger to hikers. Rivers and Trails Northeast provided the ferry service during the hiking season for all but one year since 1986. Longley's company maintained a rigorous schedule of twice-daily canoe crossings for A.T. hikers, with a staff of Maine Guides whose qualifications met or exceeded Maine Warden Service and U.S. Coast Guard standards. The ferry, funded by ATC (which works closely with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club to oversee the service) is provided free to hikers, who must wear personal flotation devices. Packs are not ferried for hikers who are determined to ford despite the danger. Longley, himself a thru-hiker, cultivated A.T. hikers and promoted ATC and MATC relationships.

2006 Partner of the Year

SORO
Dennis Helton, chainsaw and crosscut saw safety coordinator for the Forest Service, is the 2006 Agency Partner of the Year. Dennis is the safety specialist for the USFS for all of the eastern and southern U.S. He has a strong commitment to the A.T., having led multiple chain-saw and crosscut-saw safety training and certification courses for A.T. volunteers, overseeing other USFS instructors in their efforts, and coordinating with ATC lead contract instructor Peter Jensen. ATC staffer Matt Davis read several glowing quotes from Heltonís volunteer students, such as “During my long life and career, I have attended many, many technical schools...I am pleased to say that Dennis Helton is by far the best instructor I have ever met!”

VARO
New River Valley and New Castle District Ranger Cindy Schiffer, of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, was named Agency Partner of the Year for the central and southwest Virginia region. During her five year tenure, Cindy has worked successfully with ATC and local clubs to mitigate the impacts from the AEP 765kV powerline construction, rebuild relationships with local communities, negotiate a new permanent route for the A.T. north of the New River, and arrange for the ATC Virginia Regional Office to be housed with the USFS office in Blacksburg.

MARO
Larry Wheelock, NY-NJ TC trails director, was selected as the 2006 Partner of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic region. Wheelock is a life member of the Conference and became its first New Jersey Field Representative in 1999. In 2002, he was promoted to his current position, where he monitors and responds to Trail issues and serves as staff liaison to volunteer Trail maintainers and agency partners. He maintains continuity among the three separate A.T. management committees (having been described as "the glue holding them together") and is relied on within the Conference for his technical knowledge of Trail construction projects.

NERO
Western Region Trail Coordinator Rebecca Barnes, of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, is the 2006 Partner of the year for the New England region. Her career with the agency began in 1982 with work as a seasonal employee. She became a park supervisor in the early 1990’s and has been in her current position since 1998. Barnes is responsible for oversight and management of all the trails within the state forests and parks of the Western Region, including the A.T., which passes through six state forests and one state reservation. She says that knowing that she can rely on the support and dedication of Appalachian Trail volunteers and partners allows her to focus her energies on other areas as needed.

2005 Partner of the Year

SORO/VARO
The southern Partner of the Year was awarded to George Minnigh from NPS. George has worked for a number of years to strengthen both the volunteer and agency commitment to the section of Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As Backcountry Specialist for the Smokies, George has provided consistent logistical support for on-the-ground projects as well as expertise for complex negotiations among user groups.

NERO
Roger Collins of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire was recognized as the New England Region Agency Partner of the Year for his longtime support of ATC, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Dartmouth Outing Club and other recreation groups in the Whites. Roger was instrumental in planning the new A.T. bridge across Cascade Brook, a cooperative project by the Pemigewasset Ranger District of the USFS, AMC, ATC and NPS-ATPO.