A redesigned county volunteer program to steward trails and open space was presented to the County Council on Oct. 7, proposing a user‑friendly Adopt a Trail model organized around short, specific tasks and multiple participation formats.

Celeste Raffin, a member of the Open Space Working Group, told council the current adopt‑a‑trail program lacked clarity, had long time commitments and few signups. “I asked myself, would I sign up for the program? No,” she said. Raffin presented a three‑tier model: organized county‑led events, one‑day adoptions (trail‑ or task‑based), and custom adoptions for groups or special projects.

Raffin outlined the SMART design principles (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time‑bound) and recommended a simple web and app sign‑up flow, task‑level training, difficulty ratings (green/blue/black), and a verification and appreciation system that could include certificates, media recognition and tiered ‘swag’ to incentive repeat volunteers.

Raffin noted Los Alamos has over 4,000 acres of open space and about 58 miles of trail. She highlighted specific maintenance pressures — steep terrain, crumbly volcanic soils, monsoon rains, invasive plants and feral cattle — and argued that sustainable trail techniques reduce long‑term maintenance. She estimated volunteer time value at roughly $33.49 per hour (volunteer value benchmarks in her research) and recommended a paid program coordinator to manage the online system, training and logistics.

County staff said the idea has momentum but would require additional staff time and funding to execute. “This is outside of our current scope of work, so it would require additional resources, man hours … and a website,” said Open Space Specialist Eric Peterson. Staff recommended returning implementation proposals with a budget request to the council.

Council members and public speakers broadly praised the plan and urged a budget and timeline for piloting it in 2026. Raffin proposed a phased launch with a beta test and a goal to go live in 2026 after staff approval, training materials, a modest SWAG budget and an app or web page integration with existing county systems.

The council did not vote to fund the program on Oct. 7; members encouraged Raffin and staff to develop a budget for the next fiscal cycle and to coordinate the new program with the updated trails and open space management plan expected to return to council.