Author: Steve Holt

Steve Holt / 3 minute read   On January 22, Yvette Austin Smith became the new Chair of AMC’s Board of Directors, accepting the baton from outgoing Chair Elizabeth Ehrenfeld, who has led in that capacity since 2018. We recently connected with Yvette, who first joined AMC’s Board as a Director in 2016 and served as Vice Chair of the Board […]

Steve Holt / 4 minute read   AMC’s high-mountain hut system in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest was well-established by the early 1970s, having provided shelter and beds to three-season hikers for decades. In December 1972, Zealand Falls Hut became the first hut to welcome overnight guests through the winter with the hiring of AMC’s first winter caretaker, Chris Hawkins. […]

Steve Holt / 4 minute read   Throughout our nation’s history, Black Americans have broken barriers and made great advancements in outdoor conservation and recreation—even in the face of racism that frequently impeded their access to outdoor spaces (and still does in many places). AMC celebrates the stories of five adventurous pioneers from history whose discoveries and ingenuity continue to make […]

Steve Holt / 5 minute read   The following interview highlighted Becky Fullerton’s presentation at AMC’s 2022 Annual Summit. Summit gives members of the AMC community a chance to hear from outdoor experts and honor our volunteers. Fullerton will be presenting again at our 2023 Annual Summit, with a talk called “Up the Mountain High: Early Ascents By AMC.” This year’s […]

Steve Holt / 7 minute read   For decades, AMC scientists have studied the patterns and effects of air pollution and climate change in Northeast alpine environments—which negatively affect not only natural ecosystems, but humans’ ability to enjoy them through recreation. That work continues, most recently with several current and former AMC scientists and researchers leading or contributing to a symposium […]

Steve Holt and Colby Meehan / 5 minute read Trail running has experienced a boom in recent years. According to the American Trail Running Association, the number of Americans who tried trail running doubled between 2007 and 2017 to 3 million. Participation in ultramarathons—defined as any race longer than 26.2 miles, and usually on trails—has increased 1,676 percent in the past quarter-century to more […]

Steve Holt / 7 minute read It’s been a century since regional planner Benton MacKaye first published his vision for an Appalachian Trail (A.T.)—a recreational route “to establish a base for a more extensive and systematic development of outdoors community life.” What transpired since 1921 is a testament to human ingenuity, volunteerism, teamwork, and love of the outdoors—values that thrive along […]

Steve Holt / 5 minute read   We’ve been getting lots of questions about why AMC is so committed to increasing access to and engagement with the outdoors for all people. The simple answer is that everyone—regardless of sex, race, class, or orientation—should be able to fully enjoy our natural spaces, and AMC is a more vibrant and effective steward of […]

Steve Holt / 5 minute read Americans are stressed. Political and racial turmoil, economic instability, environmental calamity, and, of course, a global pandemic have contributed to what the American Psychological Association called a “national mental health crisis” in its 2020 Stress in America report, published in October. Nearly 4 out of 5 Americans surveyed (78 percent) said COVID-19 was a “significant […]

Steve Holt / 3 minute read   What is the value of a striking vista, and what would we do to preserve it from development? That is the question being asked by Protect the View, an online, AMC-led campaign seeking to build awareness and support for the protection of trail views and experiences within greater Philadelphia’s Circuit Trails network. “From the […]

Steve Holt / 9 minute read   For New England and Mid-Atlantic states experiencing stronger and more frequent storms and hurricanes, warmer and less snowy winters, dangerously high sea levels and storm surges, and the loss of critical ecosystems, the stakes for inaction on climate change could not be higher. Most states across the region have enacted bold plans to reduce […]

Steve Holt / 5 minute read The Mid-Atlantic Highlands comprise a ribbon of green space stretching through northwestern Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—the geographical heart of AMC’s region. Not surprisingly, protecting such a large and unspoiled swath of land in the nation’s most populous and industrial corridor takes a lot of day-to-day work, and an act of Congress every […]

Steve Holt / 6 minute read What leads a person to become skeptical of human-caused climate change? Often times, it’s inaccurate information being passed from person to person, sometimes over social media, and frequently originating with industries that have a financial stake in lobbying against climate actions, such as renewable energy. But despite scientific consensus that Earth’s climate is changing and […]

Steve Holt / 5 minute read   Maybe you’re feeling it already, fellow moms and dads: the dread of not knowing how you’re going to keep your kids occupied and active through the long Northeast winter and early spring. These feelings are expected and normal in a typical winter, let alone one where our social calendars are clear and mobility limited. […]

Steve Holt / 3 minute read A significant majority of voters in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic want their states to take decisive action to combat pollution and expand clean transportation options through a regional collaborative, the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), according to new polling from ClimateNexus Polling. Between November 9 and 15, 2020, ClimateNexus polled 3,818 registered voters in the […]

Steve Holt / 3 minute read Leave No Trace is more than just not throwing your granola bar wrapper on the ground. It also means leaving the landscape in its most natural state by not moving, removing, or damaging in any way rocks, plants, trees, and other items native to an area. In other words, no matter the season, leave areas […]

Steve Holt / 3 minute read   We all remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Put simply, treat others the way you would like to be treated. This proverb extends to our relationships with fellow hikers, climbers, campers, and paddlers and sums up the seventh and final Leave No Trace principle. “Each […]

Steve Holt / 3 minute read   When humans leave cities and towns and venture into the backcountry, we are, in a very real way, visitors in someone else’s home. Countless animals, birds, fish, and insects inhabit the natural spaces we love, and our very presence can throw off delicately balanced ecosystems built over millennia.   Protect your food Over time, […]

Steve Holt / 4 minute read   Historically, the campfire was a necessity for warmth and cooking, while today it’s become culturally synonymous with the outdoor experience. But the proliferation of lightweight and high-quality camp stoves, combined with deeper knowledge about the ecological impacts fires have on natural spaces and the environment, mean that fires are no longer a necessity in […]

Steve Holt / 8 minute read   Fifty years ago, Congress passed arguably the most important environmental and public health legislation to date: the Clean Air Act (CAA). By setting emissions standards for vehicles and industrial factories, the act has removed harmful, airborne pollutants in and around cities, as well as improved the air high above sea level. Georgia Murray, AMC’s […]