MONTICELLO, NY — Why would a county legislator want to develop a trail task force to enhance the many hiking trails in Sullivan County?

“It’s good for economic development; it’s good for tourism; it’s good for the health of communities and it’s a good way to expand opportunities for family time. If you look at communities that have developed trail systems, those are communities that have a better quality of life to offer their residents, and they’re also communities where visitors want to come and enjoy those communities.”

So said Legislator Alan Sorensen, who set up a trail task force in Sullivan County, which will soon hold its debut meeting to come up with strategies to enhance and expand the various trails not only in the county, but also in the region.

Speaking at a meeting at the government center on October 9, Sorensen said one project he is eager to pursue would be a footbridge over the Neversink River, which would connect two trails that run along the former O&W train line. He said re-connecting those two segments of the former railroad with a bridge would create a trail of some 12 to 14 miles, and the bridge over the river would serve as a regional attraction the way the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, which opened in 2009, has become a significant tourism driver for Poughkeepsie.

Sorensen said individuals from various organizations would be part of the task force and ultimately the group would be seeking grants through the Consolidated Funding Application System.

A website exists (www.trailkeeper.org) that lists 31 different trails, mostly in Sullivan County but also some in the surrounding region. The groups involved in the creation of the website include the Upper Delaware Council, the National Park Service, Sullivan Renaissance, the Sullivan County Visitors Association, the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, Catskill MountainKeeper and Morgan Outdoors.