Green Infrastructure - Support Development of Regional Trails and Greenways Network
Recommendation Overview
Protect Critical Biodiversity Areas Support Development of Trails and Greenway Network
Encourage Regional Watershed and Management Planning
Protect Our Dunes and Shoreline
Promote Integration of Green Infrastructure in Urban Settings
Promote Regional Farmland Preservation
Local Implementation
Data Sharing
Trails and greenways that serve as connector elements are important to the green infrastructure vision. Trails and greenways are essentially links that join together larger core areas of open space. West Michigan already has an active trails and greenways coalition that has been working for several years on the development of a trails and greenways plan for west Michigan. They have identified over 500 miles of priority regional connector trails for development over the next several decades.
Trails and greenways serve several purposes, including:
- Creating corridors that allow animal migration between
cores of open space - Creating means of non-motorized access to green spaces
- Creating connectivity between communities
Existing Trail System in West Michigan
Recommendations:
- Develop a 25 year plan to complete a minimum of 500 miles of new regional connector trails and greenways in West Michigan.
- Create a full inventory and mapping of regional trails and their amenities and features, and maintain this as an online database and resource for public use.