![Before trimming](https://matthewschroebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/powerlines-us-40-before-225x300.jpg)
I’m one of these folks that feel they have a duty to return the favor for what others have done. An example of this is the Appalachian Trail, a marked foot trail in the Eastern US that is about 2,000 miles long and spans uninterrupted from Maine to Georgia. The AT, as it’s called, is a local treasure and a nice place to take a leisurely walk with our dog, find a nice view and have lunch. The AT was built by and is still maintained by a hoard of volunteers. An endless task and always more to do there there is time
![Trimmed, 1st day](https://matthewschroebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/powerlines-us-40-after-225x300.jpg)
I try to help out as often as I can. Here’s a few pictures of some work we’ve done recently, with more to come in the future. This is a section of the Appalachian Trail that passes under a powerline with a cleared right of way and so it gets a lot of sun. Since it’s in the wild, with full sun, the wild plants grow, well, like wild, and one of the gnarliest of the all is multi-flora rose. One mean rose. The first and second picture are from June 10, and the final clean shot is from June 25. A nice section to walk through without the poison ivy, wild rose or ticks attacking.
![Appalachian Trail in MD after trimming](https://matthewschroebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/at-pine-knob-under-powerlines-20160626-300x225.jpg)