Tom Receives National Trails Award for Public Service

American Trails, a national nonprofit organization working on behalf of all trail interests, has named Tom the 2008 winner of the National Trails Award for Public Service.

The awards were announced on November 17 at the 19th National Trails Symposium in Little Rock, Arkansas. A local presentation of the award will be made to Torlakson at the Delta Protection Commission's meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, in Stockton at the San Joaquin County WorkNet Building Conference Room, First Floor, 56 South Lincoln Street.

The Delta Protection Commission nominated Tom for the national honor in recognition of his vision in the creation and initial planning stages of the Great California Delta Trail through his authorship of SB 1556, which was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 30, 2006.

"The Delta Protection Commission is honored to have the opportunity to facilitate the planning process for the Great California Delta Trail,"
said Delta Protection Commission Chair Arne Simonsen. "Senator Torlakson's recognition of the unique resources of the Delta and his support of the Commission, having been one of the original Commissioners when the Commission was established in 1992, is applauded and appreciated by those who live, work and play in this nationally recognized estuary."

"As someone who runs and bicycles in the Delta, I know how important it is to expand public access to this outstanding natural resource," Tom said. "I look forward to working with the Delta Protection Commission and local leaders throughout Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Yolo, and Solano Counties to turn this trail vision into a reality."

Tom authored SB 1556 (2006) to create the Great California Delta Trail, a first step in developing a recreational bike and pedestrian trail system around and through the Delta region. The concept was inspired by the San Francisco Bay Trail, which will encircle over 450 miles of Bay waterfront and link over 47 cities and communities. The Great California Delta Trail will be a bike and pedestrian trail system and recreation corridor along more than 1,000 miles of Delta waterfront in Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Yolo and Solano Counties. The Great California Delta Trail will provide recreational access to the Delta ecosystem and meet the many identified recreational needs in the Delta region.

American Trails presents the National Trails Awards every two years "to recognize the tremendous contributions of volunteers, professionals, and other leaders who are working to create a national system of trails for all Americans." The Trails Public Service Award is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated significant and consistent support of trail planning, design, or implementation through strong leadership and/or legislative efforts.

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