March 2011

International Appalachian Trail

Sentier International des Appalaches

Sendero Internacional de los Apalaches

Linking the ancient Appalachian terranes of North America, Europe and North Africa

March 2011

Earth Day – April 22, 1994

“Today I propose a project that would connect the mountains, people and cultures of Maine with its Canadian neighbors. I propose a trail to be one of the truly outstanding hiking trails on the continent… a symbol of our continuing commitment to work as neighbors, to sustain and enjoy our common environment, and to celebrate the grandeur of the landscape that ties us together.”

Governor Joseph E. Brennan

Portland, Maine

Three major goals of the project:

Connect the highest peaks of Maine, New Brunswick & Quebec by Earth Day, 22 April 2000 – later extended to Cap Gaspé

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Atlantic Canada – Newfoundland, 4/2003; Nova Scotia, 10/2008 & Prince Edward Island, 10/2009

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Greenland, Europe & North Africa – Greenland, 4/2010; Scotland, 5/2010; Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Netherlands, England & Ireland, 10/2010; Spain, 11/2010. Additional chapters pending!

Three major goals of the project:

Connect the highest peaks of Maine, New Brunswick & Quebec by Earth Day, 22 April 2000 – later extended to Cap Gaspé

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Atlantic Canada – Newfoundland, 4/2003; Nova Scotia, 10/2008 & Prince Edward Island, 10/2009

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Greenland, Europe & North Africa – Greenland, 4/2010; Scotland, 5/2010; Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Netherlands, England & Ireland, 10/2010; Spain, 11/2010. Additional chapters pending!

From Katahdin the trail heads northeast…

… through the North Woods

…to Mt. Carleton in New Brunswick,

across the Restigouche River, from New Brunswick…

… to Quebec,

world famous for Atlantic salmon,

through the Matane Reserve wilderness and over the Chic-Chocs,

over Mt. Jacques Cartier,

to Cap Gaspé, the end of the Appalachian chain in mainland North America.

Cap Gaspé, Earth Day, 22 April 2000

Three major goals of the project:

Connect the highest peaks of Maine, New Brunswick & Quebec by Earth Day, 22 April 2000 – later extended to Cap Gaspé

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Atlantic Canada – Newfoundland, 4/2003; Nova Scotia, 10/2008 & Prince Edward Island, 10/2009

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Greenland, Europe & North Africa – Greenland, 4/2010; Scotland, 5/2010; Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Netherlands, England & Ireland, 10/2010; Spain, 11/2010. Additional chapters pending!

Ferry to Port Aux Basques, NL from North Sydney, NS

Inaugural meeting of the Newfoundland Chapter of the IAT, April 2003.

Indian Lookout and Portland Creek Inner Pond in the Long Range Mountains, NL

Caribou in Gros Morne National Park

Annual General Meeting of the IAT chapters, Iona, NS, October 2008

Mabou Highlands, NS

Bainn Bhiorach, Cape Mabou, NS

Inaugural meeting of the PEI Chapter in Charlottetown, April 2008

The IAT follows the Confederation Trail through much of PEI,

as well as footpaths through the forest,

and ancient Appalachian sandstone headlands.

The IAT in North America ends at Crow Head, nearby the World Heritage site at L’anse aux Meadows, NL.

Three major goals of the project:

Connect the highest peaks of Maine, New Brunswick & Quebec by Earth Day, 22 April 2000 – later extended to Cap Gaspé

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Atlantic Canada – Newfoundland, 4/2003; Nova Scotia, 10/2008 & Prince Edward Island, 10/2009

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Greenland, Europe & North Africa – Greenland, 4/2010; Scotland, 5/2010; Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Netherlands, England & Ireland, 10/2010; Spain, 11/2010. Additional chapters pending!

Linking the ancient Appalachian terranes of North America, Europe and North Africa

Plate tectonics

Iceland

Evidence of divergent plate boundaries above sea level

Iapetus Ocean

Ordovician – 450 mya

The Iapetus Ocean floor will become part of the ancient Appalachians Mountains as Pangaea is formed.

Laurentia

Siberia

Baltica

Early Devonian – 390 Ma

Appalachi

ans

The Appalachians build as Laurentia and Baltica come together.

Late Carboniferous – 306 Ma

The Appalachians continue to build.

Appalachians

Late Permian – 255 Ma

The Appalachians are near the center of what will soon become Pangaea – all land – one continent.

Appalachi

ans

Early Triassic – 237 Ma

The central Atlantic Ocean first appears as Pangaea begins the long process of breaking up.

Appalac

hians

Atlantic Ocean

Late Triassic– 220 Ma

Late Jurassic – 152 Ma

The central Atlantic Ocean expands as Europe, South America and Africa separate from North America. Bits of the ancient Appalachians

are torn away with Europe and Africa.

Appalac

hians

Atlantic Ocean Africa

Europe

S. America

N. America

Middle Eocene – 50.2 Ma

The present day Atlantic Ocean is nearly complete as the continents continue to drift apart.

Appalac

hians

Atlantic

Ocean

Africa

Europe

S. America

N. America

And the story is complete…

Harrisburg area, Pennsylvania, USA

Guadalupe area, Spain

Three major goals of the project:

Connect the highest peaks of Maine, New Brunswick & Quebec by Earth Day, 22 April 2000 – later extended to Cap Gaspé

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Atlantic Canada – Newfoundland, 4/2003; Nova Scotia, 10/2008 & Prince Edward Island, 10/2009

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Greenland, Europe & North Africa – Greenland, 4/2010; Scotland, 5/2010; Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Netherlands, England & Ireland, 10/2010; Spain, 11/2010. Additional chapters pending!

• 2009 – Visits to Scotland, Ireland, N. Ireland & Wales

• 2010 – Greenland (April) and Scotland (May) establish chapters; Adventure Travel Trade Association Annual Meeting in Aviemore, Scotland (October) – Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Denmark, the Netherlands, England & Ireland establish chapters; Spanish Geology Association meeting (October)

• 2011 – Visits planned and underway to Spain, Portugal and Morocco; Shetland Islands & France

Extend the trail to the ancient Appalachian terrane of Greenland, Europe & North Africa

A delegation from Maine & Newfoundland traveled to Scotland in June 2009.

Meeting with the West Highland Council

Summit of Ben Nevis

The IAT combines geological history and exploration with adventure travel…

…at places like Knochan Crag.

The idea of linking the IAT across the Atlantic was further explored in meetings in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales…

…and along possible sections of the trail like the Wicklow Way.

In April 2010, Greenland established a chapter of the IAT.

June 10, 2010

An international news story noted that IAT chapters were established in Greenland and Scotland in April and May 2010.

BBC Radio, July 17, 2010

The expansion of the IAT to Europe was the focus of the Annual Meeting of the Adventure Travel Trade Association in Aviemore.

October 7, 2010, in Aviemore Scotland,

IAT Chapters established in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Faroe Islands, Denmark, the Netherlands, England and Ireland.

The IAT was presented to a gathering of geologists in Madrid in October 2010.

The Geopark of Villuercas - Ibores - Jara was established in July 2009, through which Sendero Internacional de los Apalaches will pass.

Activities anticipated in 2011

Further exploration of the idea of linking the IAT to Spain, Portugal and Morocco

Adding specific trail sections like the Slieve League Trail in Ireland and the Great West Way in Scotland to the IAT

Possible additional IAT chapters established in the Shetland Islands, the Isle of Man, France, Germany and Belgium, as well as in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.