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Grace Kearns

Canal Community Story- Emma Horne

By Bike, Canal Community Story, Canal Story, Stories

Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!

Tell Us Your Canal Story

Canal Community Story: Emma Horne

Canal Community Story- Mike Felder

By Canal Community Story, Canal For All, Canal Story, Stories, Volunteer

Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!

Tell Us Your Canal Story

Canal Community Story: Mike Felder

Trust Celebrates Latino Conservation Week 2023

By Canal For All, News

Latino Conservation Week nature crafts. Photo by Community Bridges.

The Trust hosted a Latino Conservation Week celebration on July 22 at Great Falls. In partnership with Community Bridges and Girls Who Hike Virginia, the Canal for All event welcomed 25 youth and adults for a fun day of crafts, hiking, and plant species identification. Latino Conservation Week is an initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation created to support the Latino community in enjoying the outdoors and participating in activities to protect natural resources. Over 220 events were held nationwide by numerous community, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations from July 15-23.  Read More

Canal Community Story- Chris Forth

By Bike, Canal Community Story, Canal Story, Stories

Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!

Tell Us Your Canal Story

Chris Forth- Canal Story

C&O Canal NHP Receives Maryland Historical Trust Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation and Sustainable Design

By News

Photo by C&O Canal NHP/NPS

The C&O Canal NHP was awarded the 2023 Excellence in Historic Preservation and Sustainable Design award from the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT). The award recognizes the park’s efforts to combat the impacts of flooding with long-term, sustainable solutions along a 0.9-mile stretch between McMahons Mill (mile 88) and Lock 42 (mile 89) in Williamsport, Maryland. The rehabilitated historical retaining wall and towpath ensure future generations will continue to learn and enjoy the C&O Canal in its historical context. Read More

Five Ways Birding at the C&O Canal Can Improve Your Health

By Blog, Nature, Photography

Nature has a profound impact on human well-being. Research shows that spending time in nature and connecting with your natural surroundings is associated with better body and brain health. Now researchers know that birds are a specific source of those health benefits.

Prothonotary Warbler by Robert A. Powell

Here are five ways that birding at the C&O Canal NHP Can Improve Your Health:

Carolina Wren Singing on its Pedestal by Eric Stuyck

1. Physical Fitness

Birding is not just about observing birds; it often involves exploration. To do that, you have to move from place to place physically. The C&O Canal stretches for 184.5 miles, offering ample hiking, biking, and leisurely walking opportunities. These activities promote cardiovascular health, improve endurance, and boost energy levels. Birders can enjoy the scenic beauty while moving their bodies, improving overall fitness and stamina.

 2. Stress Reduction and Mental Well-being

In our increasingly digitized world, finding moments of tranquility is essential for maintaining mental health. Birding at the C&O Canal offers a respite from the daily stresses and a chance to immerse oneself in the wonders of nature. Studies show that listening to birdsong has been found to help your mood, reducing feelings of anxiety, depression, and paranoia in healthy research participants. Nature and birdsong also reduce stress, lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels. Birding provides a mindful experience, allowing you to be fully present in the moment and forget about everyday life.

A Welcome Visitor by Vinod Thomas

3. Connection with Nature

Humans have an innate connection with the natural world, and birding provides an opportunity to foster and deepen that connection. The C&O Canal is a thriving ecosystem home to over 120 diverse bird species. By observing and identifying birds in their natural habitats, you’ll develop a greater appreciation for the intricacies of nature and the delicate balance of ecosystems. This connection with the environment can lead to a heightened sense of environmental stewardship and a desire to protect and conserve our natural heritage.

4. Cognitive Enhancement

Birding is both a physical and sensory experience and an intellectually stimulating one. It requires observation, concentration, and the ability to recognize patterns and identify different species. Regularly engaging in this activity can enhance cognitive skills such as attention to detail, memory recall, and pattern recognition. Additionally, birding fosters curiosity and a thirst for knowledge about the natural world, encouraging continuous learning and exploration.

Well, Hello There! by Christine Ley

5. Social Engagement

Birding can be a solitary activity, allowing for introspection and self-reflection. However, it also offers opportunities for social interaction and building connections with like-minded individuals. Joining birding groups or participating in bird walks with other birders at the C&O Canal can create a sense of community, providing a platform to share knowledge, exchange experiences, and forge new friendships. Social connections are vital for mental well-being, and birding offers a supportive network of individuals who share a common passion for nature.

 

Birding at the C&O Canal offers a delightful blend of nature, exercise, and mental stimulation, making it a perfect activity for individuals seeking physical and psychological well-being. From reducing stress and improving cardiovascular health to fostering a sense of wonder and environmental consciousness, the health benefits of birding at the C&O Canal are undeniable. So grab your binoculars, lace up your walking shoes, and embark on a birding adventure that will nourish your body.

Trust Partners with Smithsonian Associates for C&O Canal Tour

By History, Landmarks, News, Program

Smithsonian Associates group visits Great Falls in the C&O Canal NHP. Photo by Francis Grant-Suttie

The C&O Canal Trust partnered with Smithsonian Associates to provide a day-long tour of the C&O Canal National Historical Park on June 2. Thirty-six participants braved the heat to explore several parts of the Park, including Great Falls and Rileys Lock. The tour included a guided tour of Lockhouse 22 at Pennyfield. Lockhouse 22 is one of seven rehabilitated lockhouses in the Canal Quarters program, which gives visitors the opportunity to book up to three consecutive nights in a historic lockhouse. Read More

Canal Community Story- Ed Zahniser

By Canal Community Story, Uncategorized

Celebrate your love for the C&O Canal by sharing your personal story about the Park. Each story will take a look at a person’s relationship with the C&O Canal. Whether an NPS ranger, a volunteer, or a visitor, everyone has a story to tell about the canal! If you want to share your story, fill out the form below, email it to us at [email protected] or post it on your social media feeds with the hashtag #MyCanalStory. We could use your story here on our website!

Canal Community Story: Ed Zahniser

Ed Zahniser- Canal Story

Explore the C&O Canal’s TRACK Trails

By Explore Your Canal, Nature, Planning Your Visit, Things to Do, Uncategorized

What is TRACK Trails?

TRACK Trails is an award-winning program by Kids in Parks that offers family-friendly outdoor adventures. By following the self-guided brochures and signs, your visit to the park becomes a fun and educational adventure. As you track your progress, you become eligible for prizes.

How does it work?

TRACK Trail in Hancock by Trust Staff

Start by going to the Kids in Parks TRACK Trail website and search your area on the map to find an adventure near you. Once you find a location, you can browse the adventures on the map under Find An Adventure. Sometimes TRACK Trail brochures are located at the park or attached to a TRACK Trail sign, but you can always access them on the Kids in Parks website.

TRACK Trail adventures exist at three locations in the C&O Canal National Historical Park—Brunswick, Williamsport, and Hancock. For example, in Williamsport there are four different adventures: Conococheague Aqueduct Scavenger Hunt, Lock 44 Scavenger Hunt, Nature’s Hide & Seek, and Need for Trees. Many of the nature-based adventures are general enough they could be used throughout the Park.

After completing tasks, you can track them on your device to receive TRACKer gear. Different TRACK Trail adventures have different gear awarded, such as stickers and cards for hiking trails, disks for the disk golf courses, or bike bells and first aid kits for the bike trails, and more. The more adventures you complete, the cooler gear you get. You can see a full list of gear rewards here!

How did Kids in Parks and TRACK Trails come about?

Photo by Trust Staff

Kids in Parks began in 2009 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, developed by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. As the program demonstrated easy implementation and effectiveness in getting children outdoors, Kids in Parks rapidly expanded to other parks and public lands across the country. Achievements of the program include endorsements by the American Academy of Pediatrics, awarded as a Let’s Move! Champion of Change by the White House, and acknowledgement for Outstanding Public Engagement by the Public Lands Alliance.

President and CEO Robin Zanotti Reflects on Career and Retirement

By Uncategorized

 

Robin Zanotti Leading the Mules by Trust Staff

After nearly eight years leading the C&O Canal Trust and a 40-year career in fundraising and nonprofit executive leadership, President and CEO Robin Zanotti is retiring on March 31, 2023.  We asked Robin to reflect on her time at the Trust, and share her plans for the next chapter of her life.

What brought you to the C&O Canal Trust?
My career has been spent exclusively in service to nonprofits. I have received the most joy from my work when I engaged with volunteers and donors with whom I shared a passion for the mission of the organization. When I was asked to consider this position, it didn’t take me long to realize how gratifying it could be. I already loved the park and could easily commit to using my experience to maximize support for it.

Additionally, it is a rare opportunity for the lead fundraiser, my usual role, to become the president and CEO. The Trust’s board of directors was looking to stabilize the organization’s finances, and it was clear that my fundraising skills could be of benefit to the Trust. It sounded like a great opportunity for me.

What has been your greatest challenge at the Trust?
When I became president at the Trust, it was during a period of transition. The organization needed a steady hand, but at the same time, fundraising had to be a top priority. We had a small but strong, dedicated staff who were eager to move forward as a team and willingly embraced me as their leader. Our board was just as dedicated and ready to put its energy into moving the Trust forward. It took some time to get everything aligned for forward momentum, and those early months were a bit unnerving.

What has been your greatest achievement at the Trust?
I can point to a number of programs and projects that I’m extremely proud of. I was grateful to work with very talented staff and generous donors to help make them possible. In a more macro sense, the steady growth of the organization, and what that has meant to the support of the C&O Canal, would have to be my greatest achievement, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. We still managed to double in size during the last eight years, which means more eager and motivated staff are working diligently each day to achieve our mission to preserve and protect the park. Having doubled our budget means that charitable support has doubled, in effect putting to work the generous gifts of a growing number of donors, many of whom have deepened their commitment. For a woman with a fundraising career and commitment to mission, it doesn’t get any better than that!

Is there anything you’d do differently?
Gosh, for what was essentially a fledgling organization at the time I arrived, there were plenty of things I could have done differently. There weren’t enough of us to go around to do all that was needed. I prioritized mission, investing in and supporting staff, and engaging donors and volunteers in as many ways as I could. I wouldn’t change any of that. 

What will you miss the most?
People. Always the people. Being with like-minded park lovers is a reward unto itself. 

While I’ll miss the daily commitment to supporting the park, I certainly won’t miss the park. I intend to take with me the deeper appreciation I developed as a result of these eight years and enjoy the park with the satisfaction of knowing I had a role in its preservation.

Swains Lockhouse by Josh Bowers

Do you have a favorite spot or favorite memory in the Park?
My lockhouse visits were special experiences. I especially liked the early morning walks in what felt to me like my very own piece of the park. Staying at Swains Lockhouse might be one of my favorite memories. My husband and I were the first to stay overnight after we helped rehabilitate it and added it to the Canal Quarters program. We were ‘kicking the tires’ and learning what our guests would experience to be sure it was really ready. I felt so much pride for the Swain family, the National Park Service, and generations of visitors – past, present, and future. Together, we preserved a very special part of the history of the C&O Canal. I definitely had a moment.

What do you hope for the future of the Trust?
I haven’t yet mentioned the Trust’s relationship with the National Park Service. I wish for a long, healthy partnership based on mutual trust and earnest goodwill. It has been with this approach that the Trust has flourished and been able to enhance its support of the Park. There is so much more to do, and it will all be within the construct of this mutually supportive relationship.

What’s next for you in retirement?
I’ve purposefully decided to craft my retirement years as they present themselves, at least initially. I have some vague notions about travel and more time spent with family. There are many books to be read and parks to be explored. I plan to take some time to enjoy the freedom while sketching out a fulfilling plan.

Park After Dark 2022 by Turner Photography Studio

Anything else you’d like to share?
I cannot imagine a better way to cap off my career than with the work I’ve done here at the C&O Canal Trust. The board of directors graced me with their support, provided me with the latitude to run the organization, and were my soulmates in crafting a strategy for developing the organization into a high-performing partner for the National Park Service. I’ve worked with two amazing park superintendents who were also willing partners. It’s with a fair amount of satisfaction that I leave this work and these important relationships to my successor. All best wishes to Lauren Riviello and everyone at the Trust and the National Park Service. See you on the towpath!

 

Annual Artwork Contest Seeks Logo for 2023 Canal Community Days

By Canal Pride, News

The C&O Canal Trust is conducting its annual t-shirt artwork contest to find a logo that will represent our 2023 Canal Community Days events. Artists are invited to create and submit artwork that celebrates these annual volunteer events, bringing community members together to beautify the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP).  The winning design will be printed on our Canal Community Days t-shirts and worn by volunteers as they work along the C&O Canal throughout the spring and summer. Read More