Today we’d like to introduce you to Jane Pollack.
Hi Jane, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Florida Trail began in 1966, when hiker and conservationist Jim Kern envisioned a long-distance footpath stretching the length of Florida. What started as a grassroots effort grew into one of only eleven National Scenic Trails, officially designated in 1983. Today, the Florida Trail Association has 19 chapters across the state, with volunteers contributing more than 30,000 hours each year to maintain and protect the trail. Over 400,000 people set foot on the Florida Trail annually—hiking, exploring, and connecting with Florida’s wildest places.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges we face is the scale and diversity of the Florida Trail itself—1,500 miles of terrain ranging from swamps and wetlands to forests and sandy scrub. Maintaining the trail requires constant volunteer coordination, managing weather-related impacts like flooding and storms, and addressing environmental changes that affect trail conditions. Additionally, engaging and growing a volunteer base while ensuring safety and high-quality stewardship takes ongoing effort. Despite these challenges, our dedicated volunteers and chapters consistently rise to the occasion, proving that community and commitment can overcome even the toughest obstacles.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The Florida Trail Association (FTA) is dedicated to building, maintaining, protecting, and promoting the Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST)—a 1,500-mile hiking trail that showcases the state’s diverse ecosystems from the Everglades to the Panhandle.
We specialize in trail stewardship and outdoor community building, coordinating thousands of volunteers and 19 local chapters across Florida. Our members contribute more than 30,000 hours of volunteer service annually, maintaining trail tread, bridges, boardwalks, and blazing, as well as leading hikes and educational programs.
We’re most proud of our volunteer-driven model and the way our community connects people to wild Florida year-round. What sets FTA apart is our commitment to conservation through connection—we don’t just maintain a trail; we cultivate lifelong stewards of Florida’s natural lands and waters.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson we’ve learned is that trails are more than paths—they’re community builders and catalysts for stewardship. Maintaining and protecting the Florida Trail takes thousands of volunteers, hours of teamwork, and dedication, and it has shown us that conservation thrives when people are connected to purpose and to each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://floridatrail.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floridatrail/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/floridatrailassociation
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/florida-trail-association/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/floridatrail
