Marlinton Mayor Sam Felton passes the ceremonial gavel to Elkins representative Jessica Sutton to become the new chair of the Mon Forest Towns Partnership board.

At the conclusion of the Mon Forest Towns Partnership’s quarterly board meeting this July, Mayor Sam Felton of Marlinton, who has served the organization since its founding, passed the ceremonial gavel to Elkins representative Jessica Sutton, formalizing her election as the new board chair.

Full of boundless enthusiasm, Mayor Felton remarked, “It has been my distinct honor to serve this organization through its founding. The Mon Forest Towns Partnership has grown well beyond what many thought possible in the early years of its organization. The time was right to pass the torch.”

The concept for a regional partnership emerged in 2017, following a series of discussions centered on leveraging over a million acres of outdoor recreation assets to address the complex challenges facing West Virginia’s rural mountain communities.

With support from town councils, the USDA Forest Service, WVU Extension, Woodlands, and other stakeholders, the organization formalized a governing board in 2019 composed of local representatives from twelve towns across eight counties.

Guided by their mission to “collaboratively grow a strong, sustainable recreation economy that enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors by providing the best outdoor experience,” members hit the ground running to build a solid foundation for future development by conducting economic impact surveys and crafting a brand identity that highlighted the area’s unique history and scenic beauty.

After passing the torch, Mayor Felton joined the board at Marlinton’s new bike-optimized 27-mile Monday Lick Trail System, the first Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funded recreation construction project in the country.

A critical step in achieving Gold Level ride status for the region, the trails are projected to generate a five to sevenfold increase in tourism to the region, with an economic impact of $45,000,000 according to WVU tourism studies.

Although not even a decade old, the partnership’s collaborative spirit is powering projects once thought impossible and leaving an impression on communities across the nation.

Felton remarked, “The idea of gateway towns to the Mon created a connection between the forest and the towns that is raising the outdoor recreation economy in ways not seen before. The Mon must have been waiting for the right representatives to highlight the gateway communities and the Towns stakeholders could in turn promote the Mon as one of the state’s premier assets, which was recognized as underutilized. Prior to the partnership, the Mon was a stranger in the house. We welcomed them in but didn’t know much about them. But now we are friends.”

While Felton’s tenure as the partnership’s first board chair leaves big shoes to fill, Jessica Sutton is equipped with the determination and skills to continue accelerating Mon Forest Towns’ impact.

An avid trail runner and outdoor enthusiast, Sutton is engaged at nearly every level of regional recreation development. A founding board member of Elkins Area Shared Trails (EAST) initiative and Wonder & Grow Mindful Nature Experiences, Sutton also manages WVU’s Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative (OEDC) community development program, helps to coordinate Elkins’ Ascend WV program, coaches youth cross-country and tennis, organizes Elkins’ adult volleyball league, and participates in the Randolph County Outdoors Collaborative.

For more information about the Mon Forest Towns Partnerships mission, project updates, and how to get involved, visit MonForestTowns.com