10 manage our trails with strict policies and procedures to teach and govern important environmental land stewardship procedures. VAST clubs, their steadfast volunteers, and the landowners who allow riders to cross their land are the backbone of the organization. VAST maintains a working relationship with more than 9000 private landowners (80 percent of VAST trails are privately owned and the other 20 percent are state and federal lands). Snowmobiling is a privilege and is permitted only through the generosity of these property owners. VAST has a good working relationship with state agencies including Agency of Natural Resources, Forest Park and Recreation, Fish and Wildlife, and Agency of Transportation. With our clubs we maintain more than 100 large grooming machines statewide that have a collective value of $15,000,000. Lots of the VAST trail system is also enjoyed by other sports like cross country skiing and snowshoeing at no cost to those users. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT VAST and our members feel it is incredibly important to be great stewards of the land, and that includes respecting the land, landowners and those who use it. WHYVASTTRAILS ARE IMPORTANTTOVERMONT • Conserving environmental and historic resources that are central to Vermont’s heritage • Conferring healthy exercise benefits to users at a variety of activity and ability levels • Providing safe and inviting places for people to spend time in a natural environment, thereby increasing awareness of the importance of the state’s unique landscapes and wildlife • Benefitting the economic development of small towns relying on our members • Attracting tourists in a manner that encourages respect and appreciation for Vermont’s rural spaces and small-town communities. Think Snow for 2019 and thank you so much to all that you who volunteer do! If you ever want to chat about VAST, feel free to reach out to me anytime.