WHO: Teresa H. Mitchell, president of Seaway Trail Inc., has been with the nonprofit tourism and economic development organization since it started in 1978 as a group of volunteers who met every month. In 1986, when the organization hired its first staff, she became its first and only director.

The Seaway Trail is 518 miles long, following the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie. It is a National Scenic Byway.

The Seaway Trail is replacing all 50 informational kiosks along the trail and installing 140 new thematic interpretive panels.

HOW WAS SEAWAY TRAIL STARTED? "It was started because people were concerned about tourism and attention to beauty. It was a mix of economic development and awareness of beauty of the area.

"A group of people had a meeting in Alexandria Bay with then-Lieutenant Governor Mary Anne Krupsak and a caravan of elected officials. People at the meeting saw that along the shoreline in Southeast Ontario, the shore was a lot more appreciated. And we asked, 'Why aren't we getting more attention?'

"So a small group of people examined what they had in Ontario that we didn't. They have the Heritage Highway that goes from Windsor to Gaspé Peninsula, marked by brown and white signs.

"And then a group of people began planning how one could be started on the U.S. side. It was a combination of tourism, marketing and planning people."

TELL ME ABOUT THE THEMES THAT YOU USE: "The themes include maritime history, the War of 1812, the French and Indian War, nature, architecture, agriculture and geology. Related interpretative panels each have color-coded frames. The colors are what we've painted the rooms at the Discovery Center.

"The building that we're now in was a hotel. What was the kitchen we've painted yellow, the color for agriculture. Where visitors would be registered or get a drink, because it was the bar, that is red because we thought a strong, warm color would be good. And it symbolizes people of the coast. Those are two of the most important rooms.

"In the red room, Ulysses S. Grant tells visitors where they can go and experience. The people who were significant along the Seaway Trail's history, this is a showcase to their history.

"In the yellow room, we have the cow, and she talks about the significance of agriculture along the trail and what it's like to be a cow."

HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON THIS YEAR'S THEME, BIRDS? "Everything Seaway Trail does is based on a theme. When we set up the organization in the '70s, we looked at what significant themes there are to tell the story of the Seaway Trail. There's history — the War of 1812, culture — people who came before us, and natural history, which has many subthemes.

"We thought birding would be a good subtheme of natural history. It's narrow enough that we can give better information on a specific subject. And a narrow subject also allows us to do better with media coverage."

LAST YEAR'S THEME, SHIPWRECKS, EARNED THE TRAIL A STATE AWARD. WHY WAS IT SO SUCCESSFUL? "Last year's theme was successful because it was a shoot off of maritime history.

"Lighthouses are a great theme, but the best stories are really behind them — the shipwrecks, the people who lost their lives, why they went down. A lot of them sank because they were overloaded.

"Shipwrecks and dive sites help romanticize lighthouses and make them more personal.

"The Seaway Trail and connected roads get as close to the water as possible. People really like to be next to water — to listen to it and watch it and learn about it. It's a magnet. It's a point of fascination."

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE SEAWAY TRAIL? "People my age grew up taking short rides with their families on the weekends. It was all people could do in a short amount of time and for a little money. Our treat for the week was taking a ride — that's all we did as kids.

"We would go visit people or look at houses, which is the concept of the Byway program. On the Seaway Trail, we also promote loops off the trail, such as attractions to important themes.

"I feel lucky that I have a job that grew up from those Sunday drives. It's the experience of the drive, not just the destination. On the trail, we have a similar kind of concept, encouraging frequent stops to see interpretive panels and attractions."

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