Whether or not you hike the Appalachian Trail, its landscape figures prominently in the Heart of Maryland. Winding through our region within South Mountain State Park, the “wild side” of the Heart of Maryland connects the mountain with our communities and working farms and forests. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the National Park Service co-convene the Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership, or ATLP, to help regional conservation partnerships like HMCA protect land that’s important not only to hikers, but to the communities through which the Trail passes. When you enjoy the amazing views from the A.T. in Maryland, most of what you see is privately owned land. When we work together to conserve farmland, historic sites, and open space beneath the ridge, we are protecting the special place up on the ridge.