WALKING WOMEN 50PLUS NEWSLETTER January 2019 The January Walking Newsletter explores how we can help keep our walking and hiking environment healthy. What’s Going on in your Neighborhood? If you love walking and hiking, you’ll become more aware of what’s going on in your local walking and hiking environment. On the West Coast the intense fires are now a new normal in the summer and the results are visible everywhere we hike. In winter time you can see the stacked piles of brush waiting for controlled burns as part of the Ashland Forest Resiliency Project. Together with the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, a non-profit, a grassroots organization that develops and implements forest and watershed restoration projects in Oregon and Northern California they try to bring back the natural cycles of fire for the land. https://lomakatsi.org. We can support these projects by subsidizing the organizations that make it happen, and by taking part in community forums. I want the forests to stay. Is there a project you’ve become aware of as you hike in the place you live? Can you contribute to your health AND to your community by taking part in such a project? Your Impact on the Trails. Have you ever considered how your walks or hikes impact the conditions of your local trails? When we walk and hike on the trail, our presence impacts the soil and plant life. Not only do we alter the plant life of the trail where we walk, our footsteps affect plant life within 5 feet of the trail. Walking and hiking eliminates plants and introduces new species that can stand up to the compacting of the soil. This affects the plant ecosystem. Read here what you can do to decrease the harmful impact. Stay on the trail and heed the restoration signs (areas that are blocked off from traffic to restore plant life) Wear lightweight footwear. Boots with heavy lug soles may give you a sense of stability and balance, but they destroy the trail. Instead wear a lighter shoe and use hiking poles for stability and weight distribution at every step you take. The tread on our walking/hiking footwear affects the trail. https://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/2013/07/03/plants-affected-by-foot-traffic-on-trails/ Start the Year 2019 Right, Walk for a Cause! Walking contributes not only to your health and wellbeing, but by not using a car you help the environment. To take it a step further, get together with your walking buddies and choose a local organization that helps maintain or build trails, or find a national organization that works on a restoration project in your area. Create a fundraiser by inviting others to walk and raise money for miles walked or by drawing attention to your project and asking for donations. Your walking will have a new meaning! To see how to do this via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1479688138996343/permalink/1649499702015185/ January is for commitment: Tami Brooks inspired us to join her in the “52 hikes in 52 weeks” challenge. Women all over the country have started alone or in a group. Form your group where you live and inspire others to walk! https://www.facebook.com/52hikechallenge/ Are you committing to 10,000 steps 5 days a week? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

WALKING WOMEN 50PLUS

NEWSLETTER

January 2019

The January Walking Newsletter explores how we can help keep our walking and hiking environment healthy.

What’s Going on in your Neighborhood?

If you love walking and hiking, you’ll become more aware of what’s going on in your local walking and hiking environment. On the West Coast the intense fires are now a new normal in the summer and the results are visible everywhere we hike. In winter time you can see the stacked piles of brush waiting for controlled burns as part of the Ashland Forest Resiliency Project. Together with the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, a non-profit, a grassroots organization that develops and implements forest and watershed restoration projects in Oregon and Northern California they try to bring back the natural cycles of fire for the land. https://lomakatsi.org.

We can support these projects by subsidizing the organizations that make it happen, and by taking part in community forums. I want the forests to stay. Is there a project you’ve become aware of as you hike in the place you live? Can you contribute to your health AND to your community by taking part in such a project?

Your Impact on the Trails.

Have you ever considered how your walks or hikes impact the conditions of your local trails?

When we walk and hike on the trail, our presence impacts the soil and plant life. Not only do we alter the plant life of the trail where we walk, our footsteps affect plant life within 5 feet of the trail. Walking and hiking eliminates plants and introduces new species that can stand up to the compacting of the soil. This affects the plant ecosystem. Read here what you can do to decrease the harmful impact.

Stay on the trail and heed the restoration signs (areas that are blocked off from traffic to restore plant life)
Wear lightweight footwear. Boots with heavy lug soles may give you a sense of stability and balance, but they destroy the trail. Instead wear a lighter shoe and use hiking poles for stability and weight distribution at every step you take. The tread on our walking/hiking footwear affects the trail. https://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/2013/07/03/plants-affected-by-foot-traffic-on-trails/

Start the Year 2019 Right, Walk for a Cause!

Walking contributes not only to your health and wellbeing, but by not using a car you help the environment. To take it a step further, get together with your walking buddies and choose a local organization that helps maintain or build trails, or find a national organization that works on a restoration project in your area. Create a fundraiser by inviting others to walk and raise money for miles walked or by drawing attention to your project and asking for donations. Your walking will have a new meaning! To see how to do this via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1479688138996343/permalink/1649499702015185/

January is for commitment:

Tami Brooks inspired us to join her in the “52 hikes in 52 weeks” challenge. Women all over the country have started alone or in a group. Form your group where you live and inspire others to walk! https://www.facebook.com/52hikechallenge/

Are you committing to 10,000 steps 5 days a week?