Emily Strizich receives statewide award for trail work and stewardship

By Reader Staff

The Idaho Recreation and Parks Association has named Emily Strizich as the recipient of the 2026 Professional Award for Parks, Trails or Conservation, recognizing her work building and maintaining trails, developing partnerships and growing a culture of stewardship in North Idaho. 

The award will be presented at IRPA’s annual conference in Twin Falls in April. 

Serving as executive director of Pend Oreille Pedalers and board chair of the Northern Rockies Trail Project, Strizich has for the past 18 months helped propel POP into a professional trail program — building nearly 20 miles of sustainable trail, organizing thousands of volunteer hours, and partnering with the city of Sandpoint and local land managers to complete numerous projects. She created an in-house trail crew from local talent that was able to deliver more trail while making the most of available funding — and sometimes coming from unlikely sources. 

When a group of local teenagers were found building unsanctioned trail features, Strizich chose to bring them into the fold rather than push them out. Within a season, those same riders were part of a professional crew — learning how to build sustainable trails and working within land management guidelines. 

“They were already doing the work, just in the wrong place. It made more sense to bring them in and teach them how to do it right then to shut them down,” Strizich stated. “If people feel ownership, they take care of things. These public lands belong to us all and shared value is what we’re trying to build.”

Strizich’s work with the city of Sandpoint has also helped shape how trail systems are managed. Together, they developed a trail risk management policy that is now being used beyond Idaho as a model for community-built trails. 

Strizich is beginning to shift her focus toward the Northern Rockies Trail Project, a new nonprofit aimed at expanding trail stewardship and public land access. 

“We’ve learned a ton here and I’m really proud of what we’ve built at POP,” she stated, “but keeping public land open and cared for takes a bigger table than just one user group. The Trail Project is about taking what’s worked: getting folks organized, collaborating with agencies and putting in the effort, but at a much larger scale.” 

POP will continue its work locally, with a focus on youth programming, events, bike advocacy and community trail projects. 

“There are a lot of people behind this award — staff, volunteers, partners — who put in the time and effort,” Strizich stated. “I’m proud of what we’ve built together.”