Resource Category: Ecological Design & Techniques

Organizational Summary

Princeton Hydro is a small business consulting firm committed to improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better. We provide integrated ecological and engineering consulting services throughout the Northeast to create resilient, sustainable, regenerative, and nature-based solutions from concept to construction. Our landscape architecture services emphasize accessible passive outdoor recreation by designing inclusive trails, overlooks, and gathering spaces that go beyond ADA compliance and allow people of all abilities to experience natural areas with minimal environmental disturbance. We integrate nature-based design, clear circulation, and community-focused visioning to ensure accessible, intuitive, and welcoming outdoor environments.

Organizational Summary

Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy livable communities for generations to come. We envision an America where all communities can connect to nature, near and far. From neighborhood parks to national parks, Trust for Public Land partners with communities to plan their conservation priorities, fund their visions for their landscapes, protect the lands and waters they value, and create the parks, gardens, and trails they need to thrive. Our work results in cleaner air and water, healthier bodies and neighborhoods, and increased resilience and livability for humans and wildlife. Trust for Public Land has been connecting New Jersey communities to the outdoors – and to each other – for over 30 years. To date, we have preserved nearly 30,000 acres, made possible 220 active or completed projects, and brought a park or natural area to within a 10-minute walk of over 322,000 people across the Garden State.

Organizational Summary

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to connecting people to the outdoors. Founded in 1876, AMC is the nation’s longest serving conservation and recreation organization. Protecting natural resources and outdoor experiences from Maine to Virginia drives everything we do. Our overarching priorities include understanding and addressing climate change; protecting land, air, and water; and creating and caring for trails to foster access to the outdoors.

AMC’s expertise in trail construction, campsite planning and management, and mapping services reflects more than a century of experience. We pair the most current understanding of sustainable trail design with techniques that we’ve honed and refined for trails throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. AMC provides a wide range of professional trail building services to all land managers and landowners, from bridge construction and campsite development to trail maintenance, design, and planning. Whether it’s front country or backcountry work, our AMC professional crews can help you complete your project.

The Appalachian Mountain Club’s Trail Training Program delivers hands-on trail maintenance training and professional trail skills workshops at AMC sites across the Northeast, and on-site with partner agencies. Through events like AMC’s Trail Skills College and youth-focused programs, AMC is growing a knowledgeable, connected trail community—equipping the next generation of stewards with the tools to care for the outdoors.

Here is a link to the New Jersey-New York Chapter – The Appalachian Mountain Club of New York-North Jersey – Be Outdoors

Here is a link to the Delaware Valley ( Southern NJ) Chapter – Appalachian Mountain Club Delaware Valley Chapter (AMC-DV)

Organizational Summary

Our mission is to be the model for the creation of scalable ecological solutions that inspires and empowers people to take action for a better future. We hold large volunteer groups to work on our two market garden regenerative farms and connect the community with healthy food and sustainable food systems, including groups such as Bergen County Adult Special Services, Adler Aphasia Center, and other organizations that serve disabled communities.

Organizational Summary

Our Mission: Connecting and transforming communities through the power of trails.

We drive our mission by fostering positive change in key areas:

• Professional Development and Education: Promoting well-trained trail professionals and volunteers.
• Advocacy: Forming coalitions to shape pro-trail policies at all government levels.
• Data and Research: Cultivating support through partnerships.
• Funding and Resources: Enhancing access for under-resourced organizations and underserved communities.

Organizational Summary

The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is a volunteer-powered organization that builds, maintains, and protects more than 2,100 miles of public trails in the Northeast. Together with our partners, we strive to ensure that the trails and natural areas we share are sustainable and accessible for all to enjoy for generations to come.