{"id":1570,"date":"2018-01-18T19:36:51","date_gmt":"2018-01-18T19:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/blog\/?p=1570"},"modified":"2025-02-14T06:54:48","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T06:54:48","slug":"bay-state-trail-riders-association","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeopet.kloudexpert.com\/ca\/bay-state-trail-riders-association\/","title":{"rendered":"Bay State Trail Riders Association"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are countless charities and volunteers around the world working tirelessly to support and protect communities, families, people and animals in need. And here at HomeoPet we do what we can to help support those that support others.<\/p>\n

At HomeoPet we donate to and support many worthy causes each and every year. The work these charitable organisations do is incredible, and we want to share with you a little bit about what they do and why we get involved\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Bay State Trail Riders Association, Inc.<\/h2>\n

Trails are among the best ways to experience the outdoors, particularly on horseback, but they need maintenance to ensure they remain in good condition and are available for horse riders to use.<\/p>\n

Bay State Trail Riders (BSTRA) was established in 1973 by a group of equestrians who recognized that there was a need for grass roots organizations to take an active role in the creation, acquisition, maintenance and preservation of trails in Massachusetts.\u00c2\u00a0 BSTRA became a non-profit whose #1 priority is keeping access to trails open for equestrian use.\u00c2\u00a0 They also advocate for multi-use trails that are horse friendly and used for hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.<\/p>\n

BSTRA completes a number of projects annually \u00e2\u20ac\u201c performing trail creation and maintenance projects primarily in Massachusetts, but also in Rhode Island and Connecticut.\u00c2\u00a0 BSTRA also promotes responsible use of trails \u00e2\u20ac\u201c educating their 500+ members on trail etiquette and safety for all trail users.<\/p>\n

As an equestrian based non-profit organization, it is important for BSTRA to make sure that there remain trail systems open for equestrian use.\u00c2\u00a0 State funding for state forests and parks is limited, so it is their mission to share stewardship of trails \u00e2\u20ac\u201c helping with trail maintenance and preservation, while also facilitating communication, cooperation and goodwill between trail users and landowners.<\/p>\n

As of the end of 2017, BSTRA has put more than $570,000 into trail projects \u00e2\u20ac\u201c creating and maintaining trails open to equestrians and other non-motorized trail users \u00e2\u20ac\u201c since 1989.\u00c2\u00a0 Their projects have made improvements in forests and parks in 34 towns across Massachusetts, as well as in Rhode Island and Connecticut.<\/p>\n

Some highlights of their recent work include the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT), a 22 mile long National Recreational Trail which runs through six towns before continuing into CT for another 20+ miles, the Douglas (MA) State Forest, Inman Hill Wildlife Conservation Area, Mendon, MA and Upton (MA) State Forest. BSTRA is a proud recipient of the Department of Conservation and Recreation\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 2017 Shared Stewardship Award.<\/p>\n

HomeoPet has been a proud supporter of BSTRA for several years now and we are continually impressed by their enthusiasm and dedication. Lynn Paresky of BSTRA comments \u00e2\u20ac\u0153HomeoPet has been a generous Platinum Business Sponsor for several years.\u00c2\u00a0 Their generous donation has directly impacted our ability to take on trail projects benefiting equestrians and others who use the trails for outdoor recreation and fitness.\u00c2\u00a0 BSTRA is proud to have HomeoPet as one of our valued sponsors.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The biggest challenge faced by BSTRA is being able to reach enough people to gain more support.\u00c2\u00a0 With more support they could invest even more into trail creation and improvement projects than they are currently able to do. If you love using the trails for outdoor recreation and fitness (whether you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a horse rider or not), you can support BSTRA and the work they do in a number of ways:<\/p>\n