Trailkeepers of Oregon
$76,906  Coast Range   Willamette Valley   West Cascades 

Trail Champions will be trained to engage with the public around responsible recreation practices. Trail Champions will also be trained to educate the public on issues of drought and wildfire resilience to help improve outreach on these subjects. Youth will engage the public by tabling at busy trailheads primarily in Mt. Hood, North Coast, and the Gorge.

Trail Champions will be developed as an expansion of TKO’s current Trail Ambassador program. TKO’s Trail Ambassador training was collaboratively developed by a group of nonprofit and land agency partners to equip volunteers with core competencies in public outreach and engagement. The training meets the standards for Leave No Trace education, and additional DEI training available to volunteers provide skills beyond the standard ambassador training to ensure volunteers are equipped to create safe and welcoming experiences for visitors.