Beyond the Trails: How CORA Builds Healthier Lives and Communities
By: Elena Terán
I love being in the woods. I get satisfaction from a hike or a bike ride in the forest specifically. What’s so great about trees, dirt and a bunch of sticks and logs? This blog isn’t about the value of forests from an environmental perspective; it’s about getting clear on the value that we can derive from getting out and into natural spaces at the human level. I’ve gotten involved with CORA in the last few years because I’ve personally benefited from the trails CORA builds and maintains and the community it fosters. Because of that, I’m compelled to expand CORA’s work.
So what’s the value that CORA brings to our region? In essence, why do we exist? What’s our why? Here’s what I think:
I’ve heard people share the anecdotes below in different ways but they all hit on the same thing—CORA’s trails help people mentally, physically and socially. Our trails have a unique way of addressing these. Here is how:
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For many, getting out in the forest and on CORA’s trails has been a lifesaver; an antidote to mental health challenges. We saw an explosion in trail usage during the pandemic where so many around the world were dealing with internal struggles. For me, being in the forest is meditative and nurtures mental wellness.
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We know that moving our bodies and working out is healthy for us but it can be hard to follow through given our busy lifestyles. One of most visited features on CORA’s website is coratrails.org/trails with links to trailheads, trail maps, and soil conditions, which removes potential barriers to accessing our trails. For those of us who live to see our Strava stats improve and smile at the kudos and encouraging comments we receive, we’re encouraged to get faster and stronger and that’s what fuels us to keep going— It’s ok to admit it. No matter what motivates people, our trails are being used and people are staying physically active.
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Almost every time I’m on a mountain bike group ride, I hear someone say how much they value the opportunity to connect and socialize through a shared hobby. The women’s group rides I’ve led are intentionally set up to carve out a space for women and encourage a supportive environment. The meaningful connections I’ve seen through a shared love of trail running, hiking, or mountain biking are so incredibly important to building healthy communities.
CORA has evolved from a mountain biking enthusiast organization to one that embraces all forms of trail usage and seeks to give our community an avenue to physical, mental, and social wellbeing through our expertise in trail building. We seek to build extensive outdoor recreation opportunities that will lead to more active lifestyles and vibrant communities.
There are other benefits to CORA’s work, like advocating for environmental sustainability and playing a role in attracting tourism to our region. I think that our greatest reason for existence is simply that healthy people make for healthier communities. I have fully benefited from our trails and I want to give others the same experiences. CORA’s trails are more than just trees, dirt, sticks and logs. I believe our trail systems are a conduit to healthy people and communities.
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Elena Teran is a Board Member, an advocate for all things trails, and a certified mountain bike instructor. She enjoys hiking and mountain biking on the variety of trails that CORA has to offer. If you would like to discuss how you can make a difference in the CORA community, reach out to Elena at eteran@coratrails.org
Through the end of the year, your contribution to CORA will be matched up to $40,000 by an anonymous donor. That means every dollar you give goes twice as far in fueling our trailblazing efforts.
Your support directly fuels the tools, machinery, and equipment needed to empower our volunteers—changing the lives of our community one mile at a time.
Donate Today: coratrails.org/donate