Читать книгу The Outdoor Citizen. Get Out, Give Back, Get Active онлайн

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Today I am the president and CEO of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), a position I’ve held since 2012. The AMC opened its doors in 1876 and is America’s oldest conservation and outdoor recreation organization, sharing the bounty of the outdoors with hundreds of thousands of members, guests, constituents, and supporters. Through the AMC’s work and the work of other venerable outdoor organizations, people from cities, suburbs, and rural areas have the chance to fall in love with nature. I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand how strong connections with the outdoors empower people and benefit our planet.

My love of the outdoors has taken me all over the world, and I’ve seen a wealth of jaw-dropping natural beauty. I’ve taken sunrise hikes in Yosemite National Park; gone backcountry Nordic skiing in Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks (near Vail); snorkeled at dusk in the Maldives; paddled a canoe in Maine’s wilderness; Alpine skied in Chamonix, France; gone horseback riding in Colorado; cycled through New York City’s Central Park; and hiked hut to hut through the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. Nature is so magnificent, so capable of changing our lives for the better, and yet, tragically, so few people enjoy it. Fewer and fewer people have a meaningful, fulfilling relationship with the outdoors.