Erica Roselius, Carson Valley Trails Association President
A BODY IN MOTION STAYS IN MOTION
When Isaac Newton wrote his first law of motion, the Inertia Law, he clearly had the energy of Erica Roselius and the Carson Valley Trails group in mind. Entering her second year as President of the Carson Valley Trails Association, Erica shared with Minden Rotary some history as well as current activities.
Founded in 1994 by a group of citizens concerned with public access to land, the association officially became a not-for-profit organization two years later. The mission is “to provide public access through a recreational trail system for present and future generations to enjoy” and they strive to connect “people to the outdoors through a system of trails.” Fueled primarily by volunteers, the growing membership is always looking for additional volunteers to help with trail maintenance and outreach and events.
The group currently maintains approximately 66 miles of trails, including the Jack Valley Trails, River Fork Ranch (the only no dog trail), Clear Creek Trail System, Pinion Trail, Fay Luther/Jobs Peak Trail System, and the Genoa Trail System. They offer guided hikes, members' events (there were 25 events and programs on the schedule last year) and have been active in the schools where they have discussed trail etiquette. The Slow and Say Hello Initiative is also a current focus to help reduce trail conflicts.
CVTA recently completed a 5 year plan which spelled out their strategic direction as follows:
- ACCESS/TRAILS - Maintain a system of trails that are accessible
- OUTREACH - Increase awareness of CVTA through activities such as public events, partnerships and community involvement
- RESOURCES - Obtain sufficient funding, technology and volunteers
A future goal of the group is to expand the trails. There is a desire to create two new trails on the east side of Carson Valley if permissions can be obtained. Two projects created by CVTA's local sister organizations are the V&T Trail (Gardnerville to Reno) and the Water Trail (Carson Valley to Pyramid Lake)
If you are interested in becoming a member, volunteering or accessing the trail maps, visit the CVTA online at CarsonValleyTrails.org. Join the MInden Rotary for interesting programs like this one. We meet Thursdays at the COD Casino Garage in downtown MInden from 11:30am-1pm.
