This award recognizes an individual that has made outstanding contributions and provided consistent support for trail planning, development, or maintenance. It is intended to recognize the efforts of a private or public sector individual working for enhanced trail recreation on either the local, state, or national level.
Steve Hale, Recreation Specialist on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is continually "turning dirt" to creatively develop new trail opportunities in the northern Nevada area around Lake Tahoe.
By creating partnerships with many trail organizations, Steve has been a key player in generating trail planning, development, and maintenance work that involves over $1.75 million dollars that would otherwise not be happening.
Steve has laid out a new trail for construction next year that will complete a trail system connecting two states, three public agencies, and public easements through a private development. Fifty new trail signs in the most popular trail area near Reno, Nevada are now in place due to Steve’s two years success in working with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. Wooden trail intersection signs that were being destroyed by black bears in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness were replaced in June by sturdy metal posts Steve suggested as a Boy Scout Eagle project.
