This award is given in recognition of successful efforts to influence public policy relating to trail planning, trail protection, trail development, or maintenance.
A leading trails advocate in Florida for many years, Linda is the Project Director for the FL Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program and is a research associate for the University of Florida, Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
Linda is also founder and President of BIKE FLORIDA, a multi-day bicycle ecotourism event, that generates over $50,000 annually for bicycle safety education. She also served on the Florida Greenways and Trails Council from 2005 to 2007. Through these roles, Linda has worked to develop programs helping individuals and communities to live healthy and environmentally responsible lives.
Linda's advocacy for trails came to full fruition this year through her leadership as organizer of the 2008 BIKE FLORIDA Event. While this annual event has historically been a primarily on-road, long distance bicycle ride, Linda dubbed the 2008 event “Trail Link” and incorporated several trails into the 250 mile route. The event provided significant exposure to some of Florida’s most notable and beautiful trails along the Gulf Coast. These included the Pinellas Trail, Suncoast Parkway Trail, Withlacoochee State Trail, Withlacoochee Bay Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway, and Nature Coast State Trail. The event, held March 30-April 4, did much to promote trails both in the media and to the event’s 1000 cyclists. The event was so successful, it led to a resolution by Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet on May 13, 2008 recognizing its importance.
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