HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 06-03-2025; 8-g - National Trails Day Proclamation 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: June 3, 2025
Action Agenda
Item No. 8-g
SUBJECT: National Trails Day Proclamation
DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks
& Recreation (DEAPR)
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Abby Mattingly, 919-245-2510
PURPOSE: To approve a proclamation declaring June 7, 2025 as "National Trails Day" in Orange
County.
BACKGROUND: June 7, 2025 has been declared National Trails Day for 2025 by the American
Hiking Society. National Trails Day aims to inspire individuals and organizations to take action to
maintain and improve upon local trail networks. The American Hiking Society encourages
communities to share their passion for the outdoors by joining a local trail event, committing to
collect trash on local trails, and advocating for trail protection.
Orange County trails connect residents, with access to parks and open space consistently been
ranking as a high priority. Parks and nature preserves in the County contain over 20 miles of trails,
including a large segment of the State's Mountains to Sea Trail. National Trails Day is an
opportunity to encourage the community to get outdoors and connect with local trails.
Trails offer benefits to communities as an outlet for healthy recreation, alternative transportation,
and contribute to an improved quality of life. As asserted in the Climate Action Plan, trails can
provide shelter from the sun, cooling temperatures, resilience to flooding, and carbon
sequestration. By affirming June 7, 2025 as National Trails Day, Orange County exemplifies the
community's passion for trail-centric infrastructure, and advocates for a future of trail stewardship.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with approval of the proclamation.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports:
• GOAL 2: HEALTHY COMMUNITY
OBJECTIVE 7. Invest in services and programs that improve the health and quality of life
of the community (e.g., recreation and public open spaces, arts, etc.)
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the
Chair to sign the proclamation to declare June 7, 2025 as National Trails Day in Orange County.
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROCLAMATION - NATIONAL TRAILS DAY
WHEREAS, June 7, 2025 has been declared National Trails Day for 2025 by the
American Hiking Society; and
WHEREAS, National Trails Day inspires individuals to take easy actions to make a
difference, such as leaving trails better than when they found them, committing to trail
service, and advocating for the protection of public land; and
WHEREAS, National Trails Day is an opportunity for the community to get outdoors,
connect with others, and ensure a continued legacy of trail stewardship; and
WHEREAS, Orange County trails connect people, towns, natural areas, parks and open
spaces, and other cultural and natural resources; and
WHEREAS, public and non-profit parks and nature preserves within Orange County
contain more than 20 miles of trails across the County with plans to add more, including
a large segment of the State's Mountains to Sea Trail that stretches more than 1,000
miles from the Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks; and
WHEREAS, trails offer benefits to communities as expressions of local character and
pride, as outdoor workshops for science education, as tools for economic revitalization,
as free resources for healthy recreation, as accessible alternative transportation, and as
sites for social and cultural events; and
WHEREAS, parks and open space have consistently been ranked as a high priority
among Orange County residents including through recent Strategic Plan surveys; and
WHEREAS, the adopted 2023 Climate Action Plan asserts that living in a green
community contributes to an improved quality of life, as well as providing climate
resiliency; and
WHEREAS, trails in wooded areas provide shelter from the sun, cooling temperatures,
resilience to flooding, and carbon sequestration benefits; and
WHEREAS, annual trail runs and community hiking activities on Orange County trails and
nature preserves exemplify a passion for trail-centric recreation;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby
proclaim June 7, 2025 as "NATIONAL TRAILS DAY" in Orange County and commend its
observance to all people.
Adopted this the 3rd day of June, 2025.
Jamezetta Bedford, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners
ATTEST:
Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board