b'VAST DirectionBy VAST Executive Director Cindy Locke the volunteers and landowners whoand landowners who stand as quietVERMONT ASSOCIATIONEvery winter, when the hills andunderpin the VAST network. champions of recreation.valleys of Vermont are blanketed inSupporting these priorities doesnt justAs Vermont looks toward future fresh snow, thousands of snowmobilershelp landowners, it protects the futurewinters, keeping VAST trails strong hit the iconic trails that crisscross theof Vermonts snowmobiling culture,means supporting the people who state. Vermont offers some of the mostrural economies and outdoor way ofmake them possible, especially scenic and extensive snowmobilinglife. amid economic challenges. When experiences in the Northeast. AtIn conclusion, snowmobiling inlawmakers, riders, clubs and the heart of this winter tradition areVermont is more than a winter hobby.landowners work together, Vermonts the Vermont Association of SnowIts a network of friendships, localwinter trails will continue to be places Travelers (VAST) trails, a network ofbusinesses, scenic landscapes andof laughter, community and adventure meticulously maintained corridors thatshared experiences. Its traditionsfor decades to come.connect communities and celebratepassed through generations,Best Regards, outdoor recreation. snowmobile clubs that volunteer But behind every mile of trail andthousands of hours maintaining trails, every thrilling ride are the landowners whose cooperation and generosity make these experiences possible. Many VAST trails traverse private property. Whether its a field at the edge of a family farm, woods behind a seasonal home, or a woodlot in a mountain town, landowners across Vermont open their land for public winter recreation.Without these generous land access agreements, the VAST trail system would fragment, diminish in quality,Send your SnowAngel pictures to editor@vtvast.org!or even disappear from key regions.We will send you a t-shirt for your angel if we use your photo.These landowners are true partners in sustaining Vermonts snowmobiling culture.As trails and riders benefit from private land access, the broader well-being of these landowners, and rural Vermonters in general, matters deeply to the future of snowmobiling in the state. Vermonts community services and education systems are strongly supported by local property taxes. But escalating property tax burdens can strain family budgets, making land ownership expensive, especially for rural landowners whose land may not generate substantial income.We also have healthcare costs rising faster than many incomes; families across Vermont, including farm families and rural landowners, face tough choices about care, premiums and deductibles.In the Vermont Statehouse, VAST andKelsie Davis helps her grandfather,Bennett Rhoades and Grant Rhoades community advocates are speakingBob Thody, president of the Corinthhead out for an early-season ride on up. They urge legislators to considerSno-Scramblers, install trail signage ontheir clubs trails with the Barnard how these economic trends affectCorridor 5/25 between OE 60 and OE 61. Mountainviewers.'