After working 20 years at Verizon, Abe Christian could retire before he even turned 40. At first, the idea seemed appealing.
But then reality set in.
“I got so bored, so bored,” Christian said, “so I just started throwing myself at different volunteer opportunities that are out there.”
One outlet came from his love of hiking, and the thing that would change his life.
“I eventually came across Stephen Foster [Folk Center State Park], which is just about an hour north of here, and a sign that said, ‘These trails are maintained by volunteers. Sign up,’” he said.
So he did. Christian joined the Florida Trail Association, and one of his first thoughts was “These are my people.”
He started in trail maintenance, drawn to the challenge and hard work.
“You're getting out there, and sometimes you're out exposed in the sun, riding with this giant mower that wants to roll in the mud and you're dealing with all kinds of weeds,” Christian said. “I love those little moments on the cusp of ‘This is really, really hard. I want to give up.’ And then seeing how I can handle myself in those moments.”
Ten years later, Christian, 48, now serves as the operations director for the Florida Trail Association. FTA’s main goal is to maintain and promote the 1,500-mile Florida National Scenic Trail and side trails. The nonprofit relies heavily on volunteers, with around 400 currently and very few staff members.
But the association is facing a growing challenge: recruiting enough new people to take up the mantle as longtime members step back.
“We have a big issue with our base, these legacy volunteers that are out there clearing trails and even doing outreach events,” Christian said. “They're aging out, and we're not necessarily getting folks that are joining back to replenish the aging out folks.”
As a result, FTA has turned its attention to community engagement and getting more people involved, especially the younger generation who can meet the more intense physical demands.
Perspectives in the Park is one of the many seminars FTA has presented. The program takes place on the first Sunday of every month at Hogtown Creek Headwaters Nature Center, surrounded by the park’s playground, trails and 82 acres of natural habitat.
Christian, representing the FTA, was the program’s November speaker, and about 15 people showed up to hear him.
The presentation offered attendees, including 76-year-old Michael Shields, a deeper understanding of FTA’s work and its impact. Shields said the presentation went beyond simply appreciating nature, highlighting the positive economic effect and the importance of preserving the natural environment.
As the program coordinator at Leadership Monroe County, Shields spends much of his time studying ecosystems, specifically in the Everglades. Some of his work includes advocating for the importance of watersheds.
“The protection of the environment will determine the quality of our communities in more ways than just simply our visual appreciation,” Shields said. “It's our livelihood. Whatever happens to the water happens to us all.”
Water from the park’s wetlands form the start of Hogtown Creek, which Shields believes is especially important to protect for the immediate community of Gainesville. He attends events at the nature center to support the creek.
The history of the nature center also caught his attention. Formerly a family farmhouse, its progression is a “good illustration of the growth, development and preservation of this property for all of the citizens,” Shields said.
He attended the presentation with his partner, Carol Tedesco. It was their second Perspectives in the Park seminar.
Tedesco said she believes the program brings a key value to the community: education.
“I would have had no idea of the scope of it [FTA] or the very large committed volunteer network that really keeps this moving forward,” she said.
Tedesco added she was impressed by the association’s development and commitment.
Nathaniel Herz, 58, attended Perspectives in the Park for the first time on Nov. 2. He said the program helps Gainesville residents like him learn.
“I’m already interested in hiking and being outdoors, but I don’t really know that much about this, the Florida Trail, and how I could get involved with it,” Herz said.
Herz joins local group hikes every couple of weeks and tries to walk daily. He’s also walked the park’s trail multiple times. As a result, he’d be interested in future speakers exploring the area’s ecology.
“I’d like to know more about the local trees and plants I see here and in other parks around Gainesville,” Herz said.
Rae Hafer, recreation leader, handles the Perspectives in the Park’s scheduling, promotion and outreach to speakers. The program started in August 2022, a month before she joined the center.
“My goal is for people to be curious about their local area, and there's always a different way of looking at things,” Hafer said.
The program has grown from Hafer lining up speakers just weeks before each session to now scheduling them a year in advance. Future topics include the geology of Florida rivers, frog calls and nature photography, which can be viewed on the city’s website.
“One doesn't appreciate what you don't know,” Hafer said. “With seminar speakers as subject matter experts, they are the best people to transmit that passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm about an area.”
The one-hour seminars cover a range of topics — science, nature, history and art — all from a local perspective.
“You can delve into their world and learn about everything from our local cemeteries and the history of the people who lived here to an art program used in hospitals to help people recover,” Hafer said.
In the future, Hafer hopes to bring in more history and art speakers, as most of her contacts are in nature and science. Like Christian, she also wants to attract a younger audience to the program.
Besides outreach through speaking and presentations, FTA runs the Next Generation Coalition to target younger volunteers from age 18 to 30.
“It's basically like-minded younger folks,” Christian said. “They do special work parties that are designed just for them, special activity hikes and special campaigns. Like they made a special sticker that was just for Next Generation for the last round.”
FTA is also focusing on more fundraisers like ultra runs, last-man-standing events and festivals. Not only do they hope to bring people outdoors and increase involvement, but also raise money for more marketing, Christian said.
Christian hopes between their outreach efforts, additional fundraisers and volunteer incentives, FTA will live on.
“Those who can, do,” Christian said. “Those who can do more, volunteer.”