After six years of leading the trust, Mr Wilson is stepping down at tonight's annual general meeting, along with fellow trustee John Hillhorst.
During his tenure as chairman, a job he took on as a founding trustee when no-one else put their hand up, the popularity of and public interest in walking and cycling trails had grown enormously, Mr Wilson said.
The trust was formed in 2002, when Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive officer Duncan Field and the then Department of Conservation area manager, Chris Eden, called a public meeting to gauge interest in forming such a group.
"There was huge interest," recalled Mr Wilson.
The founding trustees, among them Cliff Broad, Simon Beale and Tony Moor, decided to focus the trust's work solely on the Wakatipu Basin.
"We wanted to create a world-class network of trails in the Wakatipu Basin and we've pretty much stuck to that."
But the work of establishing the network of trails had always been a team effort, he emphasised.
Trails such as the Lake Hayes walkway came as a result of several agencies, namely Doc, QLDC and the WTT, as well as adjacent landowner Jim Boult, who got on board enthusiastically to allow the track to cross his property.
"It's a classic example of the kind of teamwork a track often requires and of all these agencies being involved.
"I say building a trail is like an iceberg - you only see 10% of what's there.
"It takes lots of time and winning over the attitude of the landowners.
As people see the success of the Lake Hayes trail, they will see that it doesn't impact on the landowner."
The latest addition to the Arrowtown to Queenstown route - the newly announced link from Arrowtown through Millbrook and Millbrook West to Speargrass Flat road and on to Lake Hayes - was another "very significant" section in the Wakatipu network, Mr Wilson added.
"To be able to walk from Arrowtown to Lakes Hayes and back will be fantastic."
Walking, he said, was one of the most popular visitor activities in the Wakatipu.
"Everyone when they get off the plane wants to go for a walk, whether it's around the gardens or along the lakefront or around Lake Hayes. It's a huge driver, not just for visitors, but locals as well," he said.
And a main attraction for visitors walking the Wakatipu trails was the remoteness of the terrain, he added, a good reason to ensure the goose that laid the golden egg - the Wakatipu landscape - was not killed off in the business of attracting tourists.
"We're killing the wilderness experience. You can only really appreciate the scenery when you go at walking speed."
Destination Queenstown chief executive David Kennedy agreed that walking was a huge drawcard for visitors to the Wakatipu and he acknowledged the valuable work of the WTT and Mr Wilson.
"Walking is certainly up there. The work of John and the Trails Trust has been an outstanding example of realising a vision through sheer hard work.
"Linking the Wakatipu Basin through the Trails Trust will benefit both the community and the visitors for years to come," Mr Kennedy said.
Wakatipu Trails Trust chief executive officer Renee Bowman said Mr Wilson's input to the project had been invaluable.
"John is hugely respected amongst the trust and the community.
"His passion and commitment has seen the trust go from stride to stride - and he will obviously be missed - but hopefully he will remain a friend of the trust for advice and consultation."
Miss Bowman said several "exceptional" candidates had come forward for the trustee roles, "which speaks of how highly regarded and respected the trust work is, and John has always been a cornerstone of that work".
The Wakatipu Trails Trust annual general meeting will be held tonight at the Queenstown Lakes District Council chamber, starting at 7pm.
