University Recreation Partners with Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail for National Public Lands Day

On Saturday, September 24, dozens of NC State students gathered at Falls Lake State Park in collaboration with the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail (FMST) for a day of service and environmental awareness.  In celebration of National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands, students worked alongside FMST volunteers to further the expansion of the 1,150-mile trail that runs from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks.

Nathan Williams, Assistant Director of Outdoor Adventures believes engaging in community service gives students the opportunity to connect with individuals outside of the University. “Doing any kind of service is good for students. It gets them engaged with the broader community and also having a chance to network with individuals outside the University can be valuable. Just seeing an area they haven’t been to is a cool opportunity.”

The FMST consists of volunteers who help build and maintain the 650 miles of footpath. Their mission is to bring communities together in a collaborative effort to improve the trail.  Since a large portion of the Mountains to Sea Trail runs through Falls Lake State Park, Williams believes the NC State community has a unique opportunity to give back to the organization.

“Its important since we use that trail and other trails that we give back and contribute to the maintenance of it….It’s also an easy for students who have service requirements whether it’s for a student organization or a fraternity or a sorority, this is a fun and accessible way to meet those service requirements.”

Eric Motzno, who has volunteered with the Falls Lake section of the trail for 10 years, explained that the roles of the FMST expand past the duty of creating new trail. “A lot of what we do involves relocating the trails when [environmental conditions] change”.  This means the FMST relies on the flexibility of its volunteers to adhere to the constantly changing demands of the trail.  Their goal is to attain 1,000 miles of footpath across the state, and with events such as the Falls Lake service day, NC State students are helping to turn that goal into a reality.