Boots on the Ground, Minds in Motion
The Alliance recently visited Foster Tech to introduce Outdoor Leadership Program students to conservation efforts and hands-on stewardship opportunities with HPA’s High Peaks Recreation Rangers program. The Rec Ranger program is a standout example of the collaborative stewardship happening across the High Peaks region.
Students explored key conservation projects, including Daggett Rock, a giant glacial erratic and community gathering place, the Fly Rod Crosby Trail, a 25-mile route built by volunteers, and the Scenic 7 Hiking Challenge, which encourages sustainable trail use. They also learned about Shiloh Pond Community Forest, Kingfield’s first publicly owned land conserved through collaboration.
Students visited Mosher Hill Falls, a 200-acre community gem that features a loop trail and a 45-foot waterfall. Mosher Hill Falls is the focus of an active conservation campaign to create the Mosher Hill Falls Community Forest, which will permanently protect the property and ensure ongoing public access, habitat preservation, and sustainable recreation.
Trail Talk and Big Ideas
At Mosher Hill Falls, students learned about the trail’s evolution from a traditional game trail to an informal hiking trail. The current path is direct, steep, and rocky, surrounded by numerous social trails. The conversation challenged students to think like trail builders and consider how to make the trail more sustainable while maintaining its natural character. They discussed various design options, such as constructing a stone staircase for safe, direct access versus creating switchbacks that could offer a gentler, more accessible approach. The group also explored how features like bog bridging or stepping stones might protect wet areas and offer different levels of accessibility and aesthetics.
Planting Seeds for Future Stewards
Amanda Laliberte, a Mt. Blue and Foster Tech graduate who studied at the University of Maine at Farmington and Black Hills State University, shared her journey back to Maine, where she found a passion for conservation work. Matt Kusper, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Planning from Appalachian State University and has extensive experience in trail crews and local government, shared his enthusiasm for trail building. Both encouraged students to pursue volunteering and seasonal work as ways to build skills, make connections, and find career paths in the outdoor and natural resource fields.
The High Peaks Recreation Rangers workforce development effort emerged directly from the State of the High Peaks Report, which identified the need for a dedicated regional stewardship crew to maintain trails, campsites, and other outdoor public lands. Led by High Peaks Alliance in partnership with Maine Huts & Trails, Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, and the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, these organizations share staff, resources, and management duties to care for more than 100 miles of trails and recreation sites. Their joint work ensures safe, sustainable, and enjoyable access throughout the region.
This program is part of the broader High Peaks Initiative (HPI), a collaborative network of local, regional, and national organizations focused on conserving the natural, recreational, and cultural resources in Maine’s High Peaks region.
Foster Tech Outdoor Leadership Program Coordinator Travis Tierney shared, “Partnerships with organizations like HPA connect students to places they inherently care deeply about with careers in the outdoor industry that advocate for, protect, and preserve those places. Given the opportunity to ask questions and walk hidden gems like Mosher Falls with Amanda and Matt opens students’ minds to opportunities they didn’t know they have. These partnerships are really important for their futures and the future of outdoor places in our region.”
Elizabeth Strickland, Senior, Foster Tech Outdoor Leadership Student, offered, “Being exposed to organizations like HPA allows me to look into a future in outdoor recreation, knowing that someday I’ll have the opportunity to use the skills and experience I’ve gained in this program in a job I love. This makes showing up and working hard every day fun and exciting.”
Matt Kusper, lead recreation ranger, said, “As our volunteer workforce continues to age, we must provide opportunities to instill a sense of ownership of our regional trails within the upcoming generation. Anyone with a passion for the outdoors and a desire to get their hands dirty is strongly encouraged to apply. Whether as an occasional volunteer or as a member of our full-time seasonal trail crew, our program will provide fun and fulfilling outdoor stewardship opportunities.”
The Alliance invites students and community members to get involved by applying to volunteer or intern with the Recreation Rangers program. No experience is necessary, just a passion for the outdoors and a willingness to contribute. The program provides training, important skills, and pathways to careers in conservation and outdoor recreation.
The collaboration between Foster Tech and the Alliance represents more than a day in the field. It marks a growing movement to connect education with stewardship across Maine’s mountain region, ensuring the next generation has both the tools and the love of place needed to care for it.
