Devoting $11.15 million to a project linking Otago's cycle trail network was a highlight for the Central Lakes Trust this year, its chairman said.
Speaking at the trust's annual meeting on Monday Dr Malcolm Macpherson said the trust played a "pivotal role'' in Prime Minister John Key's announcement in May, supporting the proposal.
"The proposal is to create a 536km trail network, linking the four existing Central Otago Great Rides - the Queenstown Trail, the Otago Central trail, the Roxburgh Gorge Trail and the Clutha Gold Trail - creating one of the biggest continuous trail networks in the world, in some very special landscapes,'' Dr Macpherson said.
The trust funding for the network, over five years, would be its biggest grant.
Mr Key said the Government would provide $13 million towards the trail network.
Dr Macpherson said the trust was in a strong financial position and its commitment to the trails project would not have an adverse effect on funding support for other projects.
Most of the trust's grants were lower profile but equally important.
For example, giving $1million in operational funding to more than 30 organisations helped provide "the glue that holds our communities together''.
The trust had donated more than $78 million since it was established in 2000.
Pioneer Energy Ltd was owned by the trust and that organisation had grown significantly, trust chief executive Paul Allison said.
The $8.6 million dividend received from Pioneer was almost half the trust's total income during the past financial year.
