40 New National Recreation Trails designated

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne formally announces the 40 new National Recreation Trail (NRT) designations in 22 states for 2007. The new National Recreation Trails showcase the diversity of the American landscape. They join a network that contains more than 11,000 miles of trails. View the 40 new designations at www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/NRT2007_release.doc.

1000th National Recreation Trail Dedicated to Refuge Manager, Rich Guadagno,
Killed on United Flight 93
Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett will dedicate the 1000th National Recreation Trail at the 15th Annual National Trails Day on June 2, 2007, at Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge, near Dallas, Oregon, and dedicate it to the refuge’s former manager, Rich Guadagno, who was killed on September 11, 2001, aboard United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

Pam Gluck, Executive Director of American Trails, says “Designating the Rich Guadagno Memorial Trail as the 1000th National Recreation Trail is an important milestone in trails history and is a clear statement of the significance of trails in America. It is most fitting that the 1000th NRT celebrate the life of such a great American hero. Tragically Rich died helping to resist the brutal seizure of United Flight 93. He was a hero that day along with the other passengers and crew, but Rich was also a hero before September 11th because of his vision for Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. He was a hero because he loved our national landscape and because he worked tirelessly to share his passion and pride for Baskett Slough." View the entire press release at http://americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/1000th_NRT_release.doc and the plaque dedicated to Rich at www.AmericanTrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/Rich_panel.pdf.