American Frontiers: A Public Lands Journey was a non-profit publicity project executed from July to September 2002 which was intended to raise awareness about public lands in the United States. It involved teams of travelers making their way across the United States, from Mexico to Canada, traversing exclusively public lands and avoiding private estates.
Background In 2002, the non-profit Public Lands Interpretive Association (PLIA) partnered with the National Geographic Society, federal and state land management agencies, private businesses, and other organizations in an attempt to focus national attention on American public estate by highlighting the experiences of two groups of travelers who followed a route from Mexico to Canada that stayed on public lands the entire way - "the first ever made entirely on public lands".3,000 Mile Trek Showcases American Lands Environment Science News Service, 2002 This project, known as American Frontiers: A Public Lands Journey, aimed to create broad national exposure about the role and relevance of public lands.Handwerk, Brian. Trekkers to Cross United States Entirely on Public Lands National Geographic News. August 1, 2002.]
Trek On July 31, 2002, two teams of travelers started simultaneously from the Mexican and Canadian borders in New Mexico and Montana. During the next two months, they travelled more than 2,600 miles and crossed six states,3,000 Miles Trek Showcases American Lands Environment Science News Service Aug 2002 entirely on public lands.
The trekkers travelled using various modes of transportation, including foot, horseback, mountain bikes, ATVs, off-road motorcycles, canoes, whitewater rafts, motorboats, and four-wheel-drive vehicles.
The teams met sixty days later on National Public Lands Day in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest near Salt Lake City, Utah.
Teams
The North Team left from the Canada–US border in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Montana, and travelled south toward Salt Lake City, Utah.
+ North Team trekkers Name Trek duties Home state Michael Murphy National Geographic Society (NGS) teacher California Roberto Carlo Trekker New York Dana Bell Trekker California Charlotte Talley Stutz Trekker South Carolina
+ North Support Team Name Trek duties Home state Charlie Thorpe Team leader Alabama Robert Ashley Education outreach coordinator / NGS teacher alternate Illinois Bob Van Deven Media & special events coordinator / 1st alternate Arizona Stephen Braunlich General logistics Virginia Cheryl Fusco Route logistics / supply & equipment manager Florida Sidna Small Food and beverage manager Kansas Paul Bucca Food and beverage manager Alabama Ravinda Gupta Medical support North Carolina Michelle Wiliams Medical support New York
The South Team left from the Mexico–US border west of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and travelled north to Salt Lake City, Utah.
+ South Team trekkers Name Trek duties Home state Catherine Kiffe National Geographic Society teacher Louisiana Jan Nesset Trekker Montana Richard Tyrrell Trekker Pennsylvania Julie Overbaugh Trekker Alaska
+ South Support Team Name Trek duties Home state Bob Hammond Team leader Washington, DC Kay Gandy Education outreach coordinator / NGS teacher alternate Louisiana Jessica Terrell PR/media & special events coordinator / 1st alternate Missouri Jacob McLeod General logistics / 2nd alternate Florida Rob Monnig Route logistics / supply & equipment manager Kentucky Sam Altman Food and beverage manager Kentucky Lorie McGraw Technical support South Carolina Vipul Lakhami Medical support North Carolina
Education American Frontiers attempted to present a balanced view of America's public lands – their history and their uses – engaging the two teams in special public land showcase events, round table discussions, backcountry classrooms, and en route visits to schools and communities. Trek updates were shown on the television show National Geographic Today and through daily postings by team members on the American Frontiers website.
Trek events Both teams took part in events along their trek. These events were hosted by US Fish & Wildlife, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Geological Survey, and others.
The North Team's events included a tour of the OCI Trona Mine near Green River, Wyoming; attending a wild horse and burro adoption event in Jackson, Wyoming; and paddling across Clark Canyon Reservoir in a dugout canoe, following the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The South Team's events included a Wilderness Roundtable discussion in Silver City, New Mexico, about the importance of the Gila Wilderness in the lives of surrounding communities; a discussion about ATV use in the Fishlake National Forest in Utah; and a presentation on condor reintroduction in the Kaibab National Forest.
Geography Action! 2002 American Frontiers: A Public Lands Journey inspired the National Geographic Society's Geography Action! 2002 curriculum, aimed at school-aged children.Update on American Frontiers/ Geography Action! Corpslakes 2002
References
External links American Frontiers website Report on the journey by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management