BOONE, N.C. — At the end of spring semester 2019, students in Appalachian State University’s Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education (RMPE) pitched in to help an Access Fund conservation crew establish the official climber’s trail to Buckeye Knob — one of Boone’s premier bouldering destinations.

For the final exam of their Sustainable Trail System Management class taught by Kristian Jackson, senior lecturer in the RMPE department, the students applied what they learned during the semester and built 700 linear feet of new trail in this location, just outside of Boone.

Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC), one of the nation’s leading climbing stewardship organizations, acquired Buckeye Knob to sustain and preserve the property. Access Fund, a national advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment, helped CCC make the purchase.

Story and photos submitted by Matt Jones, an Appalachian senior from South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, majoring in recreation management.

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Kristian Jackson connects humans and the environment — by building trails and a legacy

April 2, 2019

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About the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education

The Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences is an innovative, diverse and forward-thinking academic unit consisting of two undergraduate programs. The recreation management program prepares students for careers as professionals in three concentrations: commercial recreation and tourism management, outdoor experiential education, and recreation and park management. The health and physical education program prepares students for careers as K-12 health and physical educators, school-based activity directors and coaches. Learn more at https://rmpe.appstate.edu.

About the Beaver College of Health Sciences

Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS), opened in 2010, is transforming the health and quality of life for the communities it serves through interprofessional collaboration and innovation in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical outreach. The college enrolls more than 3,600 students and offers 10 undergraduate degree programs, nine graduate degree programs and four certificates across six departments: Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Public Health and Exercise Science, Recreation Management and Physical Education, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Social Work. The college’s academic programs are located in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s main campus and the Levine Hall of Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art, 203,000-square-foot facility that is the cornerstone of Boone’s Wellness District. In addition, the college supports the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness and has collaborative partnerships with the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, UNC Health Appalachian and numerous other health agencies. Learn more at https://healthsciences.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.