MATCHING FUND

LEGACY KEEPERS MATCHING FUND HAS BEEN CREATED FOR HIKING/RUNNING CLUBS, PARTNER GROUPS & INDIVIDUAL DONORS. THESE DONORS ARE COMMITTING TO POOL THEIR GIFTS TOGETHER AS A MATCHING CHALLENGE AT THE END OF THE 2021 TKO LEGACY BUILDERS GIVING CAMPAIGN BETWEEN DECEMBER 26th TO 31st –  OUR HIGHEST GROSSING DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN. OUR GOAL IS TO MOTIVATE DONORS TO ACT FAST TO DOUBLE THEIR IMPACT FOR OUR CAUSE.

TKO’s organizational growth is reliant on you, our Legacy Keepers.

In the donation form, please indicate your group affiliation in the “Note, testimonial?” section to ensure we can track the support you are helping raise.

The service we provide at TKO to protect and enhance the Oregon hiking experience through advocacy, stewardship, outreach, and education is only possible thanks to you and others in our community. Your gift to the Legacy Keepers Matching Fund will allow TKO to build upon the momentum from the last few years. In 2021 alone your past support allowed us to: 

  • Expanded important restoration in areas in the state impacted by wildfires

  • Host 400+ trail stewardship events for more than 2,500 volunteers 

  • Maintain almost 400,000 feet of trail and interacted with 1000s of visitors

You’ll see firsthand the direct impact you can have on Oregon’s trails in the coming year. Wherever in the state you love to hike, your support will help TKO do even more for your beloved trails in 2022 and beyond.

YOU’LL JOIN A DEDICATED GROUP OF TRAIL ADVOCATES WHO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL FUNDING FOR TKO’S WORK. JOIN US AT A BUILDERS-KEEPERS EVENT, A SITE TOUR TO WITNESS OUR STEWARDSHIP IN ACTION!

Builders-Keepers Events

We’ve all been through a lot over the last few years… Together, we’re navigating so much that we’ve never seen before. Our moments in nature are seemingly critical to reset, take the long view and hike on through these challenges. Oregon’s trails are more important than ever – to more people than ever. Increased use – plus the wildfire damage to many of our treasured areas – makes Trailkeepers of Oregon’s mission more important than ever. Big, audacious challenges lay ahead for Oregon’s trails and our programming:

  • Reimagining TKO’s OregonHikers.org and what +1.5 million page views can achieve in breaking down barriers to access to enjoy Oregon’s scenic sites near and far.

  • Providing safe & welcoming outdoor spaces through an expanding trailhead and on-trail Ambassador programming. Not all people feel safe & welcome in the outdoors due to racism, bias & hate – TKO aims to be a part of changing that.

  • Solving gaps in trail systems across the state, through a steady support of trail maintenance and advocating for inspiring efforts like the Oregon Coast Trail, Salmonberry Trail, Columbia Gorge Towns-to-Trails and so much more.

  • Activating communities to respond to wind & fire events that threaten our access to public lands due to limited local, state and federal resources. 

Read on for more details: TKO’s mission, vision & values, as well as how we are making change to our programming and Oregon’s trails to be more safe & welcoming!

TKO Strategic Plan 2020-2030
TKO's DEI Impact Goals

A nonprofit since 2007, TKO  started tracking our trail service in 2017. Here is what we have achieved in 4 years.

BY THE NUMBERS:

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Trail Parties

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Thousand Volunteer Participants

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Million Feet of Trail Scouted

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Million Feet of Trail Maintained

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Thousand Hours of Service

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Volunteer Leaders

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Ambassador Stations

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Thousand Visitor Interactions

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Parks & Ranger Districts Served

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Thousand Feet of Trail Developed

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Million Dollars of In-kind Service

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TKO Staff Positions Created

Here’s a sample of what happens when we are given the capacity to expand – Oregon Coast stewardship started in 2018, taking off in 2019!

SCALABLE GROWTH

TKO REGIONAL STEWARDSHIP HUBS

In just under 5 years, TKO now has in place 8 staff people – with regional hubs in Portland, Columbia Gorge, Mt. Hood, & the northern/southern Oregon Coast. Each investment in TKO brings the possibility of staffing lifts to regions that need our support. TKO has a scalable growth plan to expand in urban regions down the Willamette Valley and connect to rural hubs to Oregon Coast and into eastern Oregon.

TKO Staff & Board

BUSINESS TIME

TKO’s First Staff Person, 2017

After 10 years a nonprofit, TKO stepped into hiring their first staff person in 2017. A capacity grant from REI Co-op made this possible, TKO implemented a donation program in July 2017. In 2 short months, a flood of support arrived with the overwhelming challenge of restoring Gorge trails from the Eagle Creek fire.

Learn More from ED Steve Kruger

Latest News

Trail Ambassadors are getting ready to launch!

By Loren Payne

Spring is quickly approaching! That means before we know it, Trailkeepers of Oregon will be kicking off another Trail Ambassador season. Through partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, the Mt. Hood – Columbia River Gorge Tourism Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, and Friends of the Columbia River Gorge, Trail Ambassadors will take to trails beginning April 22nd to engage with trail users across the state. We are always looking to grow our team – if you’ve been looking to give back to the trails you love, we want you on board!

[…]

@ by Natalie Ferraro

Family Friendly Events are Back!

An adult holds a fern while a child uses lopper to cut it at the base.

Join TKO on the last Sunday of each month to learn all about trail stewardship!

By Natalie Ferraro

Trailkeepers is excited to once again be offering Family Friendly trail parties for 2023. These events are a chance for kids of all ages to learn some of the basics of trail stewardship, spend quality time with family and friends outdoors, and learn the value of taking care of a place they love. We think our Family Friendly trail parties are some of the best fun you can have on a Sunday, but you don’t have to take our world for it. We asked TKO volunteer Jon and his son Liam to share why they love volunteering with TKO. […]

@ by Natalie Ferraro

Safety, Fun, Service – becoming a TKO Crew Leader

A close up of two faces. One person wears a blue jacket and a yellow hat, the other wears a yellow jacket and an orange hat. They both have dirt on their faces and are smiling.

Being a Crew Leader with TKO is rewarding work and comes with a fun and supportive community that can’t wait to welcome you!

by Elaine Keavney and Loren Payne

So you’ve earned your green hat, and are getting “hooked” on trail stewardship.  As you get to know your crew leaders, do you find yourself wondering whether leading a crew would be something you would enjoy? Read on for some information about leading crews, and what you need to do if you would like to become a TKO crew leader!

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@ by Natalie Ferraro
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