(SAN MARCOS)-The National Park Service announced yesterday at the Angelina County Green Infrastructure appreciation lunch that the Angelina Trails Planning Project in Angelina County has been selected to receive technical assistance to help move the project toward its goal of a 75-mile trail network connecting the towns of Lufkin, Diboll, and Huntington with the area's natural resources. This assistance will include community involvement in a planning process that will identify strategies to put trails on the ground.  The project was proposed by The Conservation Fund who, with partners, authored the Angelina County Green Infrastructure Plan.  The trails project is one of the Plan's top recommendations for enhancing Angelina County's access to its natural resources.

"We are incredibly pleased to select the Angelina Trails Plan as one of our key projects for the coming year," said Kathryn Nichols of the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program. "This plan will build on the just-completed Angelina County Green Infrastructure effort by creating new linkages that allow area residents and visitors to explore by bike or foot Angelina County's beautiful natural landscape and have fun getting fit."

"As identified in the Green Infrastructure Plan, a top priority for Angelina County is to expand access to the region's natural resources and assets such as the Neches River and the Sam Rayburn Reservoir while generating tourism dollars at the same time," said Julie Shackelford, Texas Program Director of The Conservation Fund. "Angelina County is rich with natural assets - large forests, several major rivers and already protected recreational land.  The County and its cities are interested in pursuing activities that will enhance accessibility to these resources.  The trail network would best take advantage of local natural resources if it could connect Lufkin, Diboll and Huntington to the Neches River, in addition to Lake Sam Rayburn, the Angelina River and Angelina National Forest."

Through the RTCA program, the National Park Service helps communities and neighborhoods preserve their important local resources, protect river resources, develop new trails and greenways and create new natural areas. These projects are locally-led with RTCA staff supporting local recreation and conservation leaders.   If you are interested in participating in the trails planning project, please contact Julie Shackelford with The Conservation Fund at 936-468-5490.  You can find the final Angelina County Green Infrastructure Plan at www.conservationfund.org/strategic_conservation/lufkin-angelina. 

For more information on the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program, please visit www.nps.gov/rtca.

For more information about this project, contact Kathryn Nichols at 512-245-7246 or kathryn_nichols@nps.gov or Julie Shackelford at at The Conservation Fund's East Texas office in Nacogdoches at 936-936-468-5490 or julieshackelford@conservationfund.org.

About The Conservation Fund

The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America's land and water legacy. With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home. Since 1985, we have helped protect more than 6 million acres, sustaining wild havens, working lands and vibrant communities. We're a top-ranked conservation organization, effective and efficient.  http://www.conservationfund.org/