EAST HELENA — Montana Conservation Corps crews are getting hands-on conservation experience alongside Prickly Pear Land Trust by building new access trails in Prickly Pear Park.
Crew member Rory Hamilton shared, “I think it's really cool to be doing something where you can see such an immediate impact in the communities you are helping.”
(WATCH: Trail crews create improved access at Prickly Pear Park)
Since the park opened last spring, it has seen over 75,000 visitors, and as more people hit the trails, that requires more maintenance and access.
Trails and parks coordinator with PPLT, Collin Ahlemeier, noted, “It doesn’t matter your mobility, your age, or any of that; you can come out here and go birding or fishing.”
It takes a lot of hands to manage the around 50 miles of trails and land that Prickly Pear Land Trust handles.
Over the course of the next several days, workers in Prickly Pear Park are helping build 4 fishing access points and a brand new trail, all designed to make the area safer and easier to enjoy.
“We are building the new trail through the cottonwood grove that is pretty magical and inspires some curiosity,” PPLT executive director Mary Hollow said.
The project is more than trail work; it’s hands-on experience in conservation and stewardship, while giving the community better access to the creek.
Hollow said, “Nature is important for all of us for our health and happiness, whether we are two or 85.”
So next time you hit the trails, think about how it takes all of us to make our experience in the outdoors all the better.
