' s ▁environmental ▁review ▁comm itte es ▁receive ▁training ▁and ▁insight ▁into ▁specific ▁local ▁challeng es ▁such ▁groups ▁face ▁each ▁month . ▁For ▁example , ▁E LL A ▁work shop ▁topics ▁have ▁included ▁background ▁of ▁locally ▁invas ive ▁species , ▁and ▁detect ing ▁and ▁protect ing ▁v ernal ▁po ols . ▁E LL A ▁members ▁have ▁access ▁to ▁a ▁resource ▁library . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Te at own ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁York – New ▁Jersey ▁Tra il ▁Conference ▁established ▁a ▁partners hip ▁on ▁a ▁new ▁effort ▁to ▁provide ▁assistance ▁to ▁local ▁trail ▁programs ▁in ▁Put nam ▁and ▁West chester ▁count ies . ▁La unch ed ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁" H ud son ▁Hills ▁and ▁High lands ▁Community ▁Tra il ▁Program " ▁is ▁one ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York – New ▁Jersey ▁Tra il ▁Conference ' s ▁larger ▁effort ▁to ▁expand ▁its ▁reach ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Hudson ▁River ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁to ▁Columbia ▁County . ▁For ▁nearly ▁ 1 0 0 ▁years , ▁New ▁York – New ▁Jersey ▁Tra il ▁Conference ▁volunte ers ▁have ▁helped ▁public ▁ag encies ▁provide ▁safe ▁and ▁responsible ▁access ▁to ▁open ▁space ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁west ▁to ▁the ▁Del aware ▁Water ▁G ap ▁and ▁north ▁to ▁the ▁Cat sk ills . ▁ ▁Environment al ▁education ▁▁ ▁An ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁Te at own ' s ▁mission ▁is ▁to ▁teach ▁e col ogy ▁and ▁encou rage ▁responsible ▁interaction ▁with ▁nature . ▁About ▁ 2 5 , 0 0