Parks & Trails New York
Encyclopedia
Parks & Trails New York is the leading statewide not-for-profit
parks and trails advocacy organization in New York State. Founded in 1985, and based in Albany
, the state capital, PTNY is dedicated to protecting, expanding, and promoting a network of public parks, rail and canal trails, bike paths, greenways
, and river walks throughout the state.
As the leading statewide voice for parks, Parks & Trails New York launched its Campaign for Parks in 2006 with the release of a highly acclaimed report, Parks at a Turning Point – Restoring and enhancing New York’s state park system, which first raised the alarm that New York’s park facilities and infrastructure were aging and deteriorating. PTNY’s subsequent report, The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State, served as the foundation for its aggressive grassroots organizing and activation of grassroots park Friends groups, which convinced the New York State Legislature to keep parks open in 2010 in the face of draconian proposed budget cuts.
Another of Parks & Trails New York’s priority initiatives is the development and promotion of a statewide network of multi-use trails. As part of this effort, under its Healthy Trails, Healthy People program, PTNY has worked with hundreds of local groups and municipalities interested in creating, supporting, and promoting local multi-use trails. PTNY also founded and spearheads the Statewide Trails Coalition, which advocates for increased funding and supportive public policies for community trails and the statewide trails network.
As part of its technical assistance to grassroots
park and trail groups, PTNY provides capacity-building grants to groups interested in strengthening their outreach, communications, membership development, or fundraising
.
Since 1998, Parks & Trails New York has been working in partnership with the New York State Canal Corporation
to help communities along the 524-mile NYS Canal System
organize, plan, and develop the Canalway Trail and to build awareness of the Erie Canal
corridor as a premier destination for bicyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts. PTNY sponsors an annual eight-day cross-state bicycle tour along the Erie Canal and publishes a popular guidebook, Cycling the Erie Canal, available on-line and in hard copy.
PTNY also sponsors an annual bicycle tour of the historic Hudson Valley
, and is preparing a guidebook to cycling the Valley, from Albany to New York City
.
In addition to organizing and supporting local park and trail groups through workshops and other targeted technical assistance, Parks & Trails New York provides an interactive web site, Trail Finder Maps, a guide to more than 110 trails in New York State; and alerts, updates and other essential information for parks and trail users and activists, including electronic and print newsletter
s (Parks & Trails E-NEWS and GreenSpace).
PTNY on Facebook
PTNY on Twitter
PTNY's Flickr photos
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
parks and trails advocacy organization in New York State. Founded in 1985, and based in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, the state capital, PTNY is dedicated to protecting, expanding, and promoting a network of public parks, rail and canal trails, bike paths, greenways
Greenway (landscape)
A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle user traffic, and sometimes for streetcar, light rail or retail uses.- Terminology :...
, and river walks throughout the state.
As the leading statewide voice for parks, Parks & Trails New York launched its Campaign for Parks in 2006 with the release of a highly acclaimed report, Parks at a Turning Point – Restoring and enhancing New York’s state park system, which first raised the alarm that New York’s park facilities and infrastructure were aging and deteriorating. PTNY’s subsequent report, The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State, served as the foundation for its aggressive grassroots organizing and activation of grassroots park Friends groups, which convinced the New York State Legislature to keep parks open in 2010 in the face of draconian proposed budget cuts.
Another of Parks & Trails New York’s priority initiatives is the development and promotion of a statewide network of multi-use trails. As part of this effort, under its Healthy Trails, Healthy People program, PTNY has worked with hundreds of local groups and municipalities interested in creating, supporting, and promoting local multi-use trails. PTNY also founded and spearheads the Statewide Trails Coalition, which advocates for increased funding and supportive public policies for community trails and the statewide trails network.
As part of its technical assistance to grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
park and trail groups, PTNY provides capacity-building grants to groups interested in strengthening their outreach, communications, membership development, or fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
.
Since 1998, Parks & Trails New York has been working in partnership with the New York State Canal Corporation
New York State Canal Corporation
The New York State Canal Corporation is a subsidiary of the New York State Thruway Authority. It is responsible for the oversight, administration and maintenance of the New York State Canal System, which consists of the Erie Canal, Cayuga–Seneca Canal, Oswego Canal and Champlain Canal...
to help communities along the 524-mile NYS Canal System
New York State Canal System
The New York State Canal System is a successor to the Erie Canal and other canals within New York...
organize, plan, and develop the Canalway Trail and to build awareness of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
corridor as a premier destination for bicyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts. PTNY sponsors an annual eight-day cross-state bicycle tour along the Erie Canal and publishes a popular guidebook, Cycling the Erie Canal, available on-line and in hard copy.
PTNY also sponsors an annual bicycle tour of the historic Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
, and is preparing a guidebook to cycling the Valley, from Albany to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
In addition to organizing and supporting local park and trail groups through workshops and other targeted technical assistance, Parks & Trails New York provides an interactive web site, Trail Finder Maps, a guide to more than 110 trails in New York State; and alerts, updates and other essential information for parks and trail users and activists, including electronic and print newsletter
Newsletter
A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication generally about one main topic that is of interest to its subscribers. Newspapers and leaflets are types of newsletters. Additionally, newsletters delivered electronically via email have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in...
s (Parks & Trails E-NEWS and GreenSpace).
External links
Official websitePTNY on Facebook
PTNY on Twitter
PTNY's Flickr photos