For some, snow is simply a burden. But for myself (and I’m sure there are others!), snow brings a positive change in attitude. Hearing Christmas music for a month straight doesn’t necessarily put me in a celebratory mood, but a blanket of snow illuminated by colorful lights and accompanied by a quiet stillness that seems to intensify as every flake descends really gets me into the holiday spirit. Along these lines, snow also gets me excited for outdoor recreation opportunities and for being able to enjoy the landscape with a completely different view. It also draws countless visitors to our snowy little corner of the state and, in preparation for these guests, a lot of hard work goes into getting trails, ski slopes, and other outdoor attractions ready.
For the past several years, I have spent much of the fall season preparing RTPI’s “Nature at Your Fingertips” cell phone tour in cooperation with Chautauqua County’s snowmobile clubs; these efforts included compiling information pertaining to our region’s natural and cultural history and installing signs along recreational trails that enabled users to access site-relevant content with their mobile devices. This year, we have decided to take a break from the labor intensive aspects of the cell phone tour, meaning that we will not be installing our blue signs (adorned with RTPI’s signature Snowy Owl and) equipped with a QR code and dedicated phone number on the winter trails. However, the informational content associated with the 30 unique stops is still available online at: http://rtpi.org/conservation/winter-trails-cell-phone-tour/ We will be using this “break” to plan and prepare for the coming year so that we may be able to improve our current programs and projects and develop some new ones. Stay tuned for news!
