Maine Trails Coalition

Maine Trails Coalition
Name	Maine Trails Coalition
Formation	2010s
Type	Nonprofit coalition
Headquarters	Maine
Region served	Maine

Maine Trails Coalition is a statewide alliance of trail managers, conservation organizations, recreation groups, municipal agencies, and advocacy groups working to plan, develop, maintain, and promote multi‑use trails across Maine. The coalition collaborates with land trusts, state agencies, regional planning commissions, and national organizations to coordinate trail mapping, funding, stewardship, and policy initiatives. Its activities intersect with park management, outdoor recreation, regional tourism, and habitat conservation throughout northern New England and the northeastern United States.

History

The coalition emerged following meetings between representatives from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Maine Office of Tourism, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, and regional organizations such as the Mahoosuc Land Trust and the Quoddy Regional Land Trust amid a resurgence of interest in trail planning parallel to initiatives like the East Coast Greenway and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Early partners included the Nature Conservancy, the Maine Audubon Society, the Percival P. Baxter Foundation, and municipal trail committees from communities like Portland, Maine, Bangor, Maine, and Augusta, Maine. The coalition’s formative projects drew inspiration from models used by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the Conservation Law Foundation, and volunteer networks associated with the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Sierra Club in the region.

Organization and Governance

The coalition is organized as a membership network with representation from county governments such as Cumberland County, Maine, Penobscot County, Maine, and Hancock County, Maine alongside nonprofit members including Pisgah Legal Services affiliates and nonprofit land trusts. Its governance includes a steering committee and technical advisory groups composed of trail engineers, landscape architects, and planners who have worked with firms like Stantec and agencies like the United States Forest Service in regional offices. Strategic plans have been shaped through consultations with the Northern Forest Center, the New England Trail Coalition, and academic partners including the University of Maine and the Colby College environmental studies program. The coalition’s bylaws establish committees for finance, stewardship, access, and outreach, and its membership categories mirror structures used by the American Trails network.

Trails and Projects

Projects promoted by the coalition have ranged from rail‑trail conversions inspired by the Downeast Sunrise Trail and the Calais Branch Railroad corridor to cross‑state route planning linking to the East Coast Greenway and connections with the Appalachian Trail corridor. Signature initiatives include corridor studies in the Penobscot River valley, connector trails near Acadia National Park, multi‑use pathways in the Greater Portland region, and winter trail maintenance programs reflecting practices used on Sugarloaf Mountain ski trails. The coalition has supported projects that intersect with state parks such as Rangeley Lakes State Park and municipal greenways in towns like Brunswick, Maine and Topsham, Maine. It collaborates on habitat connectivity projects with organizations like the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and regional conservation efforts by the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, state recreational trail programs administered through the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Recreational Trails Program, and private foundations such as the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation and the Libby Foundation. The coalition partners with federal agencies including the National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration on Complete Streets and active transportation grants, and leverages technical assistance from the National Forest Foundation. Corporate partners and donors have included regional outdoor retailers and organizations like LL Bean philanthropic initiatives. Collaborative grant applications have referenced models used by the Kennebec Land Trust, the Saco River Corridor Commission, and regional economic development agencies like Greater Portland Council of Governments.

Advocacy and Policy

Advocacy work engages with state legislative processes in the Maine Legislature and regulatory bodies such as the Maine Department of Transportation to influence policies on trail easements, right‑of‑way reuse, and motorized versus non‑motorized access. The coalition has submitted policy recommendations aligning with federal statutes like the National Trails System Act and state statutes governing public access on conserved lands. It has coordinated position papers with statewide organizations including the Maine Conservation Voters, the Maine Chamber of Commerce, and the Farmington Trails Committee to address liability, landowner relations, and funding mechanisms. The coalition also participates in regional planning forums convened by entities like the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers working groups and the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority where trail connectivity intersects with transportation planning.

Events and Community Engagement

The coalition organizes annual summits modeled after conferences from American Trails and regional workshops similar to those held by the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Maine Outdoor Brands community. It supports volunteer trail stewardship days with partners such as the Conservation Corps Maine, the Maine Youth Conservation Corps, and local Rotary clubs in towns including Skowhegan, Maine and Ellsworth, Maine. Public outreach includes guided trail tours in collaboration with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and interpretive programs developed with museums like the Abbe Museum and historical societies such as the Maine Historical Society. The coalition also promotes annual trail‑focused events tied to regional festivals like Maine Lobster Festival and tourism campaigns run by the Visit Maine branding efforts.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Maine