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History
The Rivendell
Trails Association (RTA) is a 501c3 non-profit organization charged with
the mission to create and maintain the Cross-Rivendell Trail as an
educational and recreational resource.
The Cross-Rivendell Trail was first proposed at a
Project Co-Seed conference in 1998. The Rivendell Interstate School
District (Fairlee, Vershire and West Fairlee VT, and Orford, NH) was
still only a concept when Sally Tomlinson of Orford proposed a
cross-district trail as a way to tie the four towns together
physically. In December 2000, David Hooke of Vershire, who had long
experience with the Dartmouth Outing Club and the Appalachian Trail,
came aboard to lead the project. Jayson Seaman of Orford, then External
Programs Coordinator for Rivendell, made the connections that permitted
Rivendell Summer Trail Crews to begin construction on the trail. Grants
obtained in 2001 allowed for construction of the Mt. Cube Section and
the planning of the Vermont route, and with that the project was off
and running. When
it became clear that the District needed additional help to manage the
trail over the long term, interested townspeople formed the Rivendell
Trails Association (RTA) in 2003.
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The Cross Rivendell Trail is managed through a
unique partnership between the Rivendell Trails Association and the Rivendell Interstate
School District (RISD), drawing upon the strength
of each organization.
This
includes joint financial support for a part-time Trail Coordinator
position responsible for coordinating trail and outreach efforts of the
RTA as well as opportunities for place-based education programs within
the RISD curriculum. |
The
RTA oversees the trail, maintains insurance coverage for trail
operations and landowners, sponsors events, publishes newsletters, and
provides information to the public about the trail. The RTA has over
175 members (including the 60 landowners who have generously given
permission for the trail) and a Board of 11, including 7 townspeople, 2
Rivendell teachers, and 2 Rivendell students.
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