Monthly: July 2023

The Eastern Trail Alliance and Eastern Trail Management District have begun a search for their next Executive Director. The Eastern Trail is a recreation and transportation greenway from Casco Bay to the Piscataqua River in Kittery, Maine. From start to finish, the trail is a scenic gem with postcard-perfect backdrops that span 65 miles, which attracts nearly 250,000 bike and pedestrian users every year. Together, the Eastern Trail Alliance, a membership-driven nonprofit organization, and the Eastern Trail Management District, an allied nonprofit that oversees construction, maintenance, and uses of the trail, are seeking its next Executive Director to lead our mission to connect people, nature, and communities with this incomparable resource.

We are seeking a dynamic and visionary Executive Director to provide strategic leadership and operational management for the Eastern Trail Alliance and Eastern Trail Management Division. As the Executive Director, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of our programs, trail management projects, fundraising efforts, and community partnerships. This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference and shape the future direction of our organization.

Go here for more information and application link 

The East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA) just recently produced a new video about the Eastern Trail’s Over the River Campaign. The East Coast Greenway connects 15 states and 450 cities and towns for 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida, with the Eastern Trail serving as the East Coast Greenway route in southern Maine.

Read below the ECGA’s introduction to the video, and then watch the video:

“Working together, we can close a key gap of the East Coast Greenway and the Eastern Trail in Maine. The Over the River section of trail transits 3 miles through Saco and Biddeford, Maine – the most significant population density along the Eastern Trail. Building improved trail connections through these two communities is a priority for our local partners and the East Coast Greenway. Together, we can complete the East Coast Greenway in Maine: https://www.greenway.org/states/maine

Connecting People to Place: The nonprofit East Coast Greenway Alliance leads the development of a walking and biking route stretching 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida. The East Coast Greenway is designed to transform the 15 states and 450 communities it connects through active and healthy lifestyles, sustainable transportation, community engagement, climate resilience, active tourism, and more. Learn more: http://www.greenway.org.”

Hello Eastern Trail community,

I hope this email finds you in great spirits and that your summer plans include time on the Eastern Trail. I am writing today to share an important leadership update.

After three years of dedicated service, our Executive Director, Jon Kachmar, is resigning from the Eastern Trail Alliance, and his last day will be September 1st. While we are sad to see Jon go, we are grateful for his dedication, passion, and the positive impact he has had on our organization.

Jon’s tenure began during the early months of the pandemic when many of us took to the trail to exercise and reconnect with nature and each other in a safe way. With trail use at a new high, Jon led the way to ensure our programs, partnerships, and revenues were strong. He has significantly advanced trail expansion work to realize the vision of connecting South Portland to Kittery through an off-road trail, and he shepherded the Eastern Trail’s national recognition and 2022 induction into the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

We are also excited about the opportunities this transition presents for the Eastern Trail Alliance. During this interim period, our dedicated staff and board members will work collaboratively to continue our programs and community engagement efforts. We will soon form a search committee tasked with hiring a leader who shares our passion for promoting safe outdoor recreation and connecting communities through one of the premier recreational assets in the region.

Please save the date, Saturday, July 29, and plan to attend the Eastern Trail Alliance Annual Meeting. We would love to meet you, share more updates with you, and have you join us in wishing Jon well on his next venture.  Go here to Sign Up Now!

Thank you for your support and commitment. Let’s embark on this exciting new chapter together.

Warmest regards,
Randi Hogan
President of the Board of Trustees
Eastern Trail Alliance