Year in Review

2024 marked a significant year for Midcoast Trails Stewardship (MTS) as we celebrated our first full year of operations. Emerging from a strong community of volunteer trail builders and a for-profit trail company, MTS has built on established relationships with regional landowners and managers to offer a full range of support for region-wide trails. As we wrap up the build season, we’re taking a moment to share our accomplishments and look forward to becoming a sustainable nonprofit, providing year-round trail-based support to the Midcoast community.

501(c)(3) Status

In 2024, MTS proudly achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, allowing us to raise funds and secure grants to further our mission of supporting trail projects across the Midcoast. This status provides the foundation to ensure long-term growth and sustainability.

Trail Work Highlights: Enhancing Accessibility and Adventure

At MTS, we work hard to maintain and build trails that benefit our local community and visitors alike. Here’s a snapshot of some of our major trail projects.

Thomaston Town Forest (TTF) and Jack Baker Woods Preserve (JBW)

In response to the challenging winter storms, MTS worked to enhance the flow and drainage of TTF trails, making them even more resilient and enjoyable for all non-motorized trail users. We also dedicated significant resources towards brushing back vegetation along most of the trail network. These efforts improved sight lines, increasing trail user safety, along with helping to mitigate tick exposure. MTS also worked to complete a major trail rehabilitation started in 2023 in the Jack Baker Woods Preserve. The JBW project resulted in significant trail improvements that are more welcoming to novice riders and hikers alike, especially people with mobility challenges. With the support of the Town of Thomaston, Trail Runners of Midcoast Maine, the Midcoast Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association (McNEMBA), and the Georges River Land Trust (GRLT), we’ve transformed TTF into a popular trail network, from easy green trails to more challenging experiences like the Timber Tiger flow trail. This project was made possible through funding from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, GRLT, McNEMBA, the Maine Mountain Bike Trail Fund, and the Town of Thomaston trail maintenance fund.

Lincolnville Center School (LCS)

LCS is a great example of how multi-use trails can serve the community. We supported the school by clearing fallen trees and reinforcing wet areas by rock-armoring drainage crossings, ensuring safe access for youth participating in student mountain biking programs like Riding for Focus. This project was made possible through funding from the Maine Mountain Bike Trail Fund, McNEMBA, individual donors, and the Lincolnville Central School.

Waldoboro - Quarry Hill Preserve (QHP)

Through a continued partnership with Midcoast Conservancy (MCC), the Town of Waldoboro, and McNEMBA, we created a new beginner loop at QHP. This trail provides local residents with easy access to mountain biking and hiking, making outdoor recreation more accessible to everyone in the community. This project was made possible through funding from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, McNEMBA, and the Maine Mountain Bike Trail Fund.

Rockland Bog

We worked with GRLT to improve an unsustainable segment of the Georges Highland Path trail, addressing drainage issues and challenging sections by rerouting part of the trail through a unique bog environment. This new trail segment has improved accessibility, preserves the bog's distinct natural features, while enhancing the experience for trail users. This project was made possible through funding from the Maine Mountain Bike Trail Fund, McNEMBA, and private donations.

Ragged Mountain Preserve - Goose River Trail Network

MTS partnered with the Coastal Mountain Land Trust (CMLT) to rehabilitate and increase accessibility to the Lollipop Loop at the base of Ragged Mountain. This project involved adding bridges, rock armoring, and improving drainage, ensuring a sustainable and enjoyable trail for both beginner and advanced users. The work completed on this loop improves trail connectivity to the Camden Snow Bowl and the remainder of the Ragged Mountain Preserve, with each undergoing a trails master planning effort led by the Outdoor Sports Institute. This project was made possible through funding from the Maine Mountain Bike Trail Fund and McNEMBA.

Trail Statistics

Feet of new trail: 2,456
Feet of trail maintained: 10,300
Number of locations: 7
Number of partnerships: 12
Number of individual donors: 12
Foundation grant awards: 2
Volunteer hours: 1,060

Education & Training:

Building Knowledge and Skills

MTS is committed to developing the next generation of trail stewards and ensuring that our volunteers have the skills they need to improve the resiliency and safety of our local trails. Highlights from our education programs include:

Crew Training: MTS staff received advanced training in trail maintenance, rock armoring, and excavator operations from the Outdoor Sports Institute.
Volunteer Training: Our volunteers received hands-on training at several workdays, learning vital trail building and maintenance skills.
Midcoast School of Technology (MCST): MTS partnered with MCST students engaged with the Outdoor Leadership Program to teach them trail maintenance and bike handling, helping foster the next generation of outdoor leaders.

Fundraising Efforts: Making Every Dollar Count

While our funding was limited, MTS maximized every dollar through generous donations and in-kind support from our partners. With these resources, we were able to tackle high-impact projects, ensuring that the community continued to benefit from quality, accessible trails. These contributions helped make all of our projects possible, and we are deeply grateful for the ongoing support of our donors, volunteers, and partners.

Private Donations: $33,000
Foundation Grants: $70,000
In-kind Donations: $10,000

Partnerships & Community Impact: Collaborating for Lasting Results

Throughout 2024, MTS worked closely with municipalities, land trusts, schools, and local organizations, contributing not only to the trails themselves but also to the overall health and well-being of the community. These cooperative partnerships were critical to the success of our trail maintenance efforts, amplifying the benefits of each project beyond what we could accomplish alone. By collaborating with key partners, we were able to achieve the following:

Municipalities: We supported local governments by maintaining and enhancing public spaces, which are vital for the physical and mental health of the community.
Land Trusts: Our collaborations with Midcoast Conservancy, Coastal Mountain Land Trust, and the Georges River Land Trust helped enhance natural spaces, ensuring sustainable, well-maintained trails that the community can enjoy for years to come.
Schools & Youth Programs: Our continued work in the Thomaston Town Forest, Lincolnville Central School, along with our collaboration with Midcoast School of Technology helped foster outdoor learning and leadership, connecting youth with nature through mountain biking programs and trail education.

Community Health (Social, Physical, & Economic Impact):

Trails that Connect and Support Our Community

We believe in the power of nature's social network! While we haven’t captured the precise metrics that convey the impact of our work, it’s easy to observe the increased use of our trails in real time. Local residents and visiting trail users are enjoying enhanced accessibility and quality, benefiting their physical and mental health. The economic impact is also evident with trail users frequenting local businesses when traveling to trail destinations. Additionally, trails have helped forge stronger social connections, as families and community groups get out and explore together.

MTS also created four full-time jobs and one seasonal position (student employment) in 2024, contributing to local employment. With the support of our board, we attracted professional trail builders to the region, ensuring MTS's sustainable growth for years to come. Our work with the Midcoast School of Technology's Outdoor Leadership Program is another means to support the growing professional trail building industry, while providing on the job training experience for eager students.

Looking Ahead: Exciting Times

As we reflect on an incredible first year, MTS is excited to continue growing, learning, and supporting the Midcoast community. With over 250,000 feet of trail to maintain, along with trails master plans being developed for new trails at the Camden Snow Bowl, Rockland Bog Preserve, and the Ragged Mountain Preserve, we have an enormous amount of work to accomplish in the years ahead of us. Some are large-scale redevelopments of popular riding locations, and others are new pockets of trail networks that will be emerging in the coming years. Our work is just beginning, and we are committed to building and maintaining the trails that connect, rejuvenate, and inspire all of us. Focus areas in various stages from community visioning to shovel ready projects include:

Hidden Valley Nature Center - Midcoast Conservancy
Camden Hills State Park - Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
Quarry Hill Preserve - Town of Waldoboro and Midcoast Conservancy
Rockland Bog Preserve - Georges River Land Trust and the City of Rockland
Thomaston Town Forest - Town of Thomaston and Georges River Land Trust
Camden Snow Bowl and Sagamore Farm Trails - Town of Camden
Waterfront to Wilderness Trail - City of Rockland
Ragged Mountain Preserve - Coastal Mountains Land Trust
Rockland South School - Regional School Unit 13

Donate

Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support makes all the difference! Community support and investment from individuals, businesses, and organizations is what will keep the momentum going. All are welcome to become involved in this journey.

$5 a foot campaign

There are significant cost factors involved in the care and feeding of over 250,000 feet of trail. Existing trail maintenance and new trail development can cost anywhere between $5 - $40 per foot, based on the difficulty of the terrain and the particular type of trail that is being envisioned, among other factors. These donations will help ensure MTS can continue to provide the Midcoast Community with resilient and engaging trails for generations.

Year in Review

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