Maine Trails Coalition Statewide Gathering Recap and Resource for Trail Managers
A lot has happened since we hosted our Statewide Gathering at the end of October- like Maine voters passing the Trails Bond! Thank you for your endless support! The work continues and we couldn’t have made it this far without you
Over 80 people involved with trails the future of Maine’s trails at the YMCA Camp of Maine. The Gatherering theme was ‘Momentum for Trails’. Everyone was abuzz in advance of the Trails Bond (LD 1156) being on the ballot for Maine voters in November (it passed- thank you Voters!). Attendees included stewardship staff from land trusts, conservation districts and municipalities, staff representing long-distance trails and greenways, state and government representatives, funders, volunteers from trail clubs/non-profits, bicycle and pedestrian community groups, outdoor industry representatives, congressional district representatives, and more.
There were morning information sessions about the Trails Bond, followed by a presentation on DEI Efforts, Success, and Continued Barriers with Angelique Bitshilualua, Inclusion Manager at Portland Trails. This was followed by networking and a delicious lunch catered by YMCA staff. During the post-lunch panel, “Building Community: Trends in Trail Building”, attendees heard from, Chris Riley, President of the Central Maine chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association (CeMeNEMBA), Ryan Gates, Coastal Mountains Land Trust, Erin Amadon, Founder of Town 4 Trail Services LLC and Brennan Turner, Trail Supervisor at Baxter State Park.
We are thankful to have revived this important gathering which is the impetus of what started the Maine Trails Coalition.
Here is a resource that was shared at the Gathering: ‘MTC Government-Based Funding Sources’.
Please note, that this is a living document and will be revised as needed. Please share this document with anyone who you think may find it helpful.
Be sure to check out our ‘Trail Resources’ page and other pages that live under our ‘Resources’ menu, as well as our news/blog.
Some quotes from attendees:
“It was so important to have face to face connections, and to learn about what the funding landscape might look like if the trails bond passes.”
“It was a great opportunity to connect or reconnect with other Trail professionals and user groups in Maine.”
“Appreciated the networking and learning from other people who share their experience. The panel got down into he nitty-gritty of trail building and maintenance.”
“The funding update will be useful in planning. Learning about what others are doing is energizing!”
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Photos: Photography for the People & Silvia Cassano
