Summer Season Closing Letter from Abby
October 29, 2020
Winter is around the corner.
Dear Friends,
I usually begin my end of season letter with thanking everyone for joining us this season.
However, I know this is not the case. Not everyone was able to visit and for that we are truly
heartbroken. Please know you were missed. I hope you and your families stayed healthy and
you enjoyed other beautiful places to recreate and lift your spirits, clear your minds, and fortify
your body. I thank all for riding with gratitude and respecting our priority to take care of our
staff, landowners, and community members, but most of all each other.
In spite of these challenging times, I continue to be amazed by the outpouring of love,
especially for our Darling Ridge conservation campaign
with the Vermont Land Trust
to
permanently protect 269 acres of land at the heart of our trail network. We are nearing the
finish line, now fundraising for Kingdom Trails’ Land Protection and Stewardship Fund to
support the future care of this incredible land and the world-class recreation trails that
invigorate people and communities. Thank you to all those who have contributed and to those
who are planning to contribute still.
Yet, the biggest thank you is to our Landowners. They play a key role in vitalizing our region,
providing a quality experience, and a healthy outlet for all. 2020’s trail development, by our
hardworking crew and steadfast volunteers, focused on establishing safe connections to keep
trail users off the roadways and increase family friendly trail access. With more miles of trails,
KTA welcomed more landowners, bringing our total number to 100! I am in awe at how our
neighbors share the foresight of what trails can bring to their community
And to end on the happiest of notes! My husband and I welcomed our first baby into the world
this summer! Baby boy Wilder joined us July 9th, (sharing my birthday!) weighing 7 lbs 13 oz, as
healthy as could be! He has already been rippin’ trail as we walked White School every day of
my maternity leave. We are beyond thrilled as this is truly why we moved to the area. This is
where we wished to grow and raise our family, surrounded by these trails and this community.
A dream come true!
Thank you all for your support of Kingdom Trails and our community. We can’t wait for the
snow to fly and our amazing crew begins to groom again as we understand the outdoors is a
refuge, a safe place to gather, and an essential source of renewal. Until then I hope all
continues to be happy and healthy!
I am so grateful,
Abby Long
Executive Director
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 Dirt Party a Success
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.
