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2 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION - TRAILS DAY <br /> WHEREAS, June 6th has been declared National Trails Day for 2026 by the American Hiking <br /> Society: and <br /> WHEREAS, National Trails Day inspires individuals to take easy actions to make a difference, <br /> such as leaving trails better than when they found them, committing to trail service, and <br /> advocating for the protection of public land; and <br /> WHEREAS, National Trails Day is an opportunity for the community to get outdoors, connect with <br /> others, and ensure a continued legacy of trail stewardship; and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County trails connect people, towns, natural areas, parks and open spaces, <br /> and other cultural and natural resources; and <br /> WHEREAS, public and non-profit parks and nature preserves within Orange County contain more <br /> than 20 miles of trails across the county with plans to add more, including a large segment of the <br /> State's Mountains to Sea Trail that stretches more than 1,000 miles from the Smoky Mountains <br /> to the Outer Banks; and <br /> WHEREAS, trails offer benefits to communities as expressions of local character and pride, as <br /> outdoor workshops for science education, as tools for economic revitalization, as free resources <br /> for healthy recreation, as accessible alternative transportation, and as sites for social and cultural <br /> events; and <br /> WHEREAS, parks and open space have consistently been ranked as a high priority among <br /> Orange County residents including through recent Strategic Plan surveys; and <br /> WHEREAS, the adopted 2023 Climate Action Plan asserts that living in a green community <br /> contributes to an improved quality of life, as well as providing climate resiliency; and <br /> WHEREAS, trails in wooded areas provide shelter from the sun, cooling temperatures, resilience <br /> to flooding, and carbon sequestration benefits; and <br /> WHEREAS, annual trail runs and community hiking activities on Orange County trails and nature <br /> preserves exemplify a passion for trail-centric recreation. <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim June <br /> 6, 2026 as "TRAILS DAY" in Orange County and commend its observance to all people. <br /> Adopted by the Orange County Board of Commissioners this 2nd day of June, 2026. <br /> Jean Hamilton, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> Laura Jensen, Clerk to the Board <br />