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| Michigan Trails Advisory Council | |
|---|---|
| Name | Michigan Trails Advisory Council |
| Formation | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Lansing, Michigan |
| Region served | Michigan |
| Parent organization | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
Michigan Trails Advisory Council
The Michigan Trails Advisory Council advises the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on recreational corridors, nonmotorized routes, and multiuse pathways across Michigan. It provides strategic guidance on trail development affecting the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and communities such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. The council interacts with federal entities like the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, and the Federal Highway Administration on corridor planning, land-use coordination, and grant programs.
The council originated amid 1990s statewide initiatives tied to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, the growth of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and the expansion of trail networks such as the Iron Belle Trail. Early collaborators included the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, and metropolitan planning organizations like the Washtenaw County Road Commission. Milestones include coordination with the National Trails System Act implementations, incorporation of former Michigan Department of Transportation corridors, and responses to events affecting trails in the Hiawatha National Forest and along the St. Clair River. The council’s activities intersected with regional initiatives involving the Great Lakes Commission, the Lake Superior State University, and municipal parks departments in Marquette, Michigan and Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The council’s mission emphasizes safe, accessible, and connected trail systems linking destinations such as Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and the Mackinac Bridge corridor. Responsibilities include advising on trail planning coordinated with the Michigan State Parks, reviewing proposals from organizations like the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and county governments, and helping allocate funds from programs tied to the Recreation Trails Program, the Transportation Alternatives Program, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The council consults on accessibility standards related to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and public safety considerations with agencies such as the Michigan State Police and local sheriff departments in counties like Wayne County, Michigan and Oakland County, Michigan.
Membership traditionally comprises appointed representatives from statewide stakeholders including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan Department of Transportation, municipal park directors from cities like Saginaw, Michigan and Flint, Michigan, and representatives of advocacy groups such as the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Representatives have included former officials from institutions like Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. Ex officio members often represent federal partners including the National Park Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Appointments are influenced by state statutes enacted by the Michigan Legislature and overseen by the Governor of Michigan.
The council supports programs such as corridor designation for cross-state routes like the Iron County, Michigan segments of the Iron Belle Trail, pilot projects in urban centers like Detroit, and connections to regional greenways such as the West Michigan Greenway. Activities include advising grant awards through mechanisms linked to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, developing signage and wayfinding standards used in places like Holland, Michigan and Traverse City, Michigan, and coordinating volunteer efforts connected to nonprofits like the Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. The council has helped plan multiuse trail events and safety campaigns in partnership with organizations such as Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the League of American Bicyclists.
Funding streams advising the council come from state appropriations administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, matching funds through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, federal grants from the Federal Highway Administration and the National Park Service, and private philanthropy from foundations such as the Kresge Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Partnerships include coordination with regional planning commissions like the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and conservation entities including the Michigan Nature Association and the Trust for Public Land. The council influences allocation of funds to county agencies such as the Kent County, Michigan parks department and city agencies in Muskegon, Michigan.
Council guidance has contributed to increased trail mileage connecting sites like Isle Royale National Park access points, waterfront promenades along the Detroit Riverwalk, and inland routes in counties including Chippewa County, Michigan and Alger County, Michigan. Conservation efforts promoted by the council intersect with habitat protection initiatives led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service at locations like the Seney National Wildlife Refuge and the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The council’s planning supports ecosystem connectivity benefiting species monitored by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and aligns with climate resilience work performed by institutions such as the Great Lakes Information Network.
Critiques have arisen over trail routing decisions that affected property owners in townships like Novi, Michigan and led to disputes involving development interests represented by regional chambers such as the Detroit Regional Chamber. Debates have engaged stakeholders including the Michigan Farm Bureau and local historical societies in communities like Mackinac Island. Critics have also raised concerns about equitable access in urban neighborhoods of Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan, funding priorities vs. other statewide investments debated in the Michigan Legislature, and tensions between recreational use and wildlife protection advocated by groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Category:Michigan government councils