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

This Award Show Is Finally Returning Soon

February 7, 2026

Billboard Women in Music is returning in 2026 to celebrate another year of women’s excellence in the music industry, with the annual awards show taking place at The Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles to recognize the bold vision, global influence and artistic excellence of women transforming music across all genres.

Read More
Happy News

McDonald’s Brings Back Most Requested Happy Meal Toy

February 7, 2026

McDonald’s announced it is bringing back the Changeables Happy Meal featuring nostalgic toys originally launched in 1987 that transform from McDonald’s menu items like French fries into robots and dinosaurs, marking the return of what the company calls “the most requested” Happy Meal toy from the past. The Changeables officially

Read More
Happy News

Fourth Graders Get Music Lesson From Rihanna’s Husband

February 7, 2026

A$AP Rocky headed back to a Harlem elementary school to teach kids a thing or two about rap for the Wednesday episode of Celebrity Substitute, where Mr. Mayers’ class was in session and fourth graders got a crash course in hip hop from one of the neighborhood’s most famous success

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.