Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

Volunteers Work Together To Heal Famous Trail

Almost a year after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the Southeast, an incredible team of volunteers from around the world is working together to restore the beloved Appalachian Trail using only hand tools like shovels, rakes, and pruners. The volunteers, spanning several generations and continents, are tackling the challenging work of filling massive holes left by uprooted trees and rebuilding damaged sections of the 2,000-mile trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine. Among the dedicated workers are three visitors from Japan who came specifically to help with the restoration, motivated by their own experience with natural disasters and wanting to return the kindness shown to their country after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The progress has been remarkable, with trail closures reduced from over 430 miles immediately after the storm to just 5 miles today.

Jake Stowe, a program support specialist with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, calls volunteers “the lifeblood of the Appalachian Trail,” and their efforts are making it possible for the 3 million annual visitors to once again enjoy this iconic hiking destination. The restoration work focuses not just on reopening the trail, but also on making it more resilient against future storms by adding sustainable improvements like water bars and steps. Crew leader Matt Perrenod, who hiked the entire Appalachian Trail himself about a decade ago, says the slow, careful work by hand is worthwhile because it improves the hiking experience for everyone. The incredible dedication of these volunteers from across the globe proves that when people come together for a common cause, they can restore even the most challenging natural spaces.

PrevPreviousTwelve-Year-Old Beluga Whale Makes Amazing Recovery After Historic Surgery
NextAmazing Medical Breakthrough As World’s Earliest Baby Reaches MilestoneNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

The Wildest Underwater Music Festival In America

February 10, 2026

Snorkelers playing saxophones underwater, mermaids strumming instruments, and everyone jams out to Yellow Submarine and Jimmy Buffett hits through underwater speakers – this might sound like a fever dream but it is real and happening every year in Florida. The Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival is where the annual subaquatic

Read More
Happy News

All Celebrities Spotted At Super Bowl LX

February 10, 2026

Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara California turned Levi’s Stadium into the ultimate celebrity hotspot as Hollywood’s biggest names descended on the Bay Area to watch the Seahawks take on the Patriots, and the crowd was almost as entertaining as the game itself. Chris Pratt kicked things off by introducing

Read More
Happy News

Super Bowl LX In Review

February 10, 2026

The Seattle Seahawks just claimed their second Super Bowl championship in franchise history with a dominant 29 to 13 victory over the New England Patriots, and running back Kenneth Walker the Third took home the Super Bowl MVP award after racking up over 150 yards from scrimmage while kicker Jason

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.