HIKING NEWS ITEM

Volunteers Needed For Appalachian Trail Assessment

MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 2006

Volunteers are needed to help in monitoring the "environmental health" of the 22,000-mile Appalachian Trail which passes through 14 states and eight national forests in the continental United States.

The volunteers or the so-called "citizen scientists" will gather information about the flora and fauna, air and water quality, among others in the trail. Brian Mitchell, a coordinator with the park service, said that two flagship programs for volunteers are expected to be established within next year.

Reports about the collected information will be distributed to the public to help them understand the "trickle-down effect" of problems in the environment.

Read more about this news story at www.poconorecord.com.