The Appalachian Trail helps protect the nature around it along with the many National and State Parks by bring in enough people that the area is economically stable enough the keep the land from being developed for commercial or industrial use. Many of the areas that the trail passes through are also protected areas that cant be developed. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy stations Ridgerunners and Caretakers along the length of the trail to educate hikers on the etiquette of the trail and how to preserve the beauty of the trail. In addition to this The ATC in conjunction with the National Park Service set up the A.T. Landscape  Partnership that consists of many conservation leaders that meet to, "to connect and conserve the natural, ecological, cultural, historic, scenic, recreational and community values of the exceptional landscape associated with the A.T. and the Appalachian Mountain Range"("Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership").