End of Season Letter 2021

October 31, 2021

Thank you for another incredible season!

Dear Friends,


Thank you for another incredible season on the trails! However, it is with heartache that we must write another End of Season note knowing that not all were able to visit Kingdom Trails this year. These times leave us even more grateful for access to green space, forested land, and recreation as so many folks are still confined to rooftops, balconies, and sidewalks. We have deepened our appreciation and sense of privilege for the refuge and renewal that our trails afford us, adding new value to the practice of Riding with Gratitude and it’s mantras; Respect This Gift, Care for Others, Protect Nature, and Be the Example. 


This code of conduct we adopted from Bike Borderlands is a crucial element to reaffirm respectful behaviour, yet we recognize that it is just one step toward making our trails accessible and welcoming. Therefore we are proud to have put forth so many incredible initiatives throughout this past year to holistically support our community and private landowners. 


We begin with our organization being more open to and in conversation with our community, listening better to their needs and concerns by debuting our monthly Community Chat series. We engaged the community throughout our now completed Capacity Study process as they directly informed the priorities we are actively tackling to address our congestion and infrastructure challenges. We offered more Volunteer Work Days and expanded our already existing Ambassador Program to increase trail user engagement, education and accountability. And we held strong to our commitment to equity and inclusion, working with Vermont Adaptive and the Kelly Brush Foundation, to now host 53 miles of Adaptive MTB trails! 


Above all we were proud to partner with and financially support the Town of Burke to complete the East Darling Hill road project, offering a bike lane, securing parallel trail access, and providing a safer intersection for all. We have continued our valued relationship with the Vermont Land Trust to conserve 7 miles of trails and 271 acres of land on Darling Ridge with the support of Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and contributions from over 740 local businesses and community members to ensure the land will remain undeveloped and available for public recreation as well as farming, forestry, and educational activities forever.


In closing, we are profoundly grateful to you and humbled by your continued support. Without the vision 27 years ago by our founders and the volunteer toil by which the original trails were hand built; without the now 104 private landowners who generously share their land; without our resilient and hardworking staff, some of which have been with the KT Team for 20 years (CJ Scott, Trail Director!) who make it possible for us to keep the network open, safe, and enjoyable; without our members who respectfully and loyally recreate and ride here; this incredible gift would not exist.   


See you when the snow flies! 


Abby Long, Executive Director

Alongside the KT Team & Board of Directors 

Leadership Transition Announced at Kingdom Trails and the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative

By Sven Cole • July 25, 2025
Dear KT Community, I write to you today as I begin a transition in my relationship with Kingdom Trails. I have made the difficult decision to take the next step in my professional journey and step away from my role as Executive Director. Serving Kingdom Trails and this incredible community over the past eight years has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am deeply proud of the work I’ve led and supported, from navigating immense global challenges and natural disasters, to forging incredible relationships, with our landowners and community. And throughout this journey, the Northeast Kingdom has become not just where I live, but truly my home. It’s the place I chose to become a mother and where my family has put down roots. That said, I am ready to explore new ways to serve this community, ways that will allow me to continue growing as a leader. I’ve accepted the role of Interim Executive Director for the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative, where I will carry forward the work I fell in love with through Kingdom Trails: strengthening our communities and supporting thoughtful economic development. In this new role, I’ll have the opportunity to advocate not only for outdoor recreation, which is so essential to the heart of our region, but also for the many sectors that make the Northeast Kingdom such a unique and vibrant place. Please know I remain deeply committed to Kingdom Trails. This is my home, and it will remain my home. I wish to always be an ambassador for KT, including playing a role in ensuring a graceful, responsible transition with care. The Board of Directors and I have committed to this, to ensure continuity, stability, and the trust you hold in this organization. I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity to have served my community through this role, and I look forward to closing this chapter with the same heart and good intention with which I began it. Georgia Gould is stepping in as interim Executive Director to lead the organization through this transition. Georgia has served on the KT Board of Directors since 2021, leading both the Landowner and Trail Advisory Committees. She is a KT Landowner with an impressive mountain biking and cyclocross resume - including a bronze medal in one of her two Olympic bids on Team USA and five career national championships in cross-country and short track mountain biking. Georgia, her husband Dusty, and their two young children are engaged members of the Burke community and the KT team. Her deep ties to the sport of cycling, dedication to providing great trails for all skill levels, and her love of this community make her the perfect choice to lead KT in its next phase. The Board and I are thrilled that Georgia has agreed to lead KT and feel confident that she will hold the mission of the organization at the center as she has throughout her Board service. You can reach Georgia directly and welcome her to this new role at ED@kingdomtrails.org . With deep gratitude, Abby ### Kingdom Trail Association The mission of the Kingdom Trail Association is to provide recreation and education opportunities by managing, maintaining, and building trails to foster the health of our community, surrounding environment, and regional economy. Kingdom Trails strives to accomplish this mission by offering a 100+ mile network of quality, non-motorized, multi-use trails for all levels of ability, incorporating the best of our local scenery and natural diversity. The Kingdom Trails are made possible through the generosity of 106 private landowners. Northeast Kingdom Collaborativ e The mission of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative is to improve the quality of life for all residents of the NEK through coordinated economic and community development as the vision is a strong, vibrant Northeast Kingdom where we all thrive. The NEKC brings people together to spark positive change in our communities, creating structures that bring partners together across service areas, sectors, municipal and political boundaries to provide solutions for the renewal of the Kingdom. The NEK Collaborative serves as the backbone organization for the federally designated NEK REAP Zone and community partner for USDA Rural Development.

Cannondale Becomes KT's First Corporate Sponsor

By Sven Cole • June 17, 2025
Cannondale Dirt Party a Success
Vermont State Treasurer, Mike Pieciak, speaks at the 2025 Outdoor Recreation Day at the Statehouse

KT is taking action—on the trails and in the Statehouse!

By Abby Long • February 13, 2025
KT is taking action—on the trails and in the Statehouse! This 2025 Legislative Session, KT is teaming up with other amazing trail organizations through the Vermont Trails & Greenway Council, to advocate for H.147 a bill to establish the Recreational Trails Compensation Study. Why does this matter? Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy generates $2.1B annually, nearly 5% of the state’s GDP, that's 2nd in the nation after Hawaii (Go VT!) KT alone drives $10M in economic impact annually. Therefore, the state must recognize and incentivize these generous private landowners, including the 106 who make KT possible and allow public access to trails.
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