It stretches nearly 2,200 miles, a ribbon of mountains and meadows, forests and fauna. But scientists, hikers and land managers say the Appalachian Trail is more than a footpath. Passing through 14 states and eight national forests from Georgia to Maine, it’s also a living laboratory that could help warn 120 million people along the Eastern Seaboard of looming environmental problems.

The Appalachian Mountains are ideal for the project because they are home to one of the richest collections of temperate zone species in the world, and the trail has a natural diversity that is nearly unsurpassed in the national park system. It also has different ecosystems that blend into one another - hardwood forests next to softwood forests next to alpine forests. The idea for the Appalachian Trail Mega-Transect is in its infancy but it already has support from the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, Cornell University, National Geographic Society and the earth-conscious beauty products company, Aveda Corp.

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