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.
Shawn Redfield has held the position of Trail Director in our organization for the past three years, from 2011-2014.
Shawn was a long time Arizona Trail volunteer who retired from the Bureau of Land Management, and he hiked the entire Arizona National Scenic Trail where his passion for the Trail developed into his willingness to serve as a volunteer in the Arizona Trail Association’s vacant Trail Director position.
Since his appointment to the ATA Trail Director position, Shawn has made an outstanding contribution to the success of completing the construction of the Arizona National Scenic Trail in 2012. In coordination with the ATA Executive Director and Board of Directors, Shawn is now managing ATA’s trail operations program, which includes ATA’s nonprofit role in the planning, design, development, maintenance and sustainability of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Shawn works closely with ATA volunteers and land managing agency volunteers, trail crews and staff to provide a high quality trail and trail experience, and to comply with National Scenic Trail requirements.
Shawn’s background in working with a real estate acquisitions-related division of the Arizona State office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has given him unique knowledge, experience and skills in working with many of the Arizona National Scenic Trail’s intergovernmental land management contracts and agencies. His background in real estate has also been valuable in managing ATA’s contractual work with land management agencies for trail development and maintenance. His work with BLM also gave him a strong working knowledge of many trail planning processes such as Environmental Impact Statement studies and National Environmental Protection Act assessments.
Shawn manages the Trail Maintenance Volunteer Program activities on the Arizona National Trail, and he coordinates the trail maintenance program with more than 60 volunteer Regional and Segment Stewards, who plan, organize, and conduct all of the year-round volunteer trail maintenance work on the 43 passages of the 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail. He also coordinates the reservations for all of the ATA tool trailers and tools, as well as the routine repair, replacement and sharpening of ATA’s extensive supply of trail building tools and equipment that can supply tools for 300 volunteers statewide.
Additionally, Shawn and members of the Arizona Trail Association Board of Directors schedule trail training programs on topics such as trail maintenance, first aid, and volunteer outreach, and Shawn maintains a comprehensive spreadsheet on all of the maintenance work that needs to be accomplished on the route of the Trail.
In conclusion, the Arizona Trail Association is thrilled to submit the nomination of Shawn Redfield for the Trail Worker Award for his outstanding volunteer efforts and accomplishments in managing ATA’s program with our organization and land managers at federal, state, county, and municipal levels statewide. His success in managing the ATA programs for trail planning, development, construction and maintenance of the Arizona National Scenic Trail has been exemplary. His leadership helped bring the Arizona National Scenic Trail to completion in 2012, and helped ATA achieve the prestigious position of becoming only the third of the twelve National Scenic Trails to be fully completed.
