2006 Promising Projects — Protecting the Environment

Building on the West Michigan Strategic Alliance and the Land Conservancy of West Michigan's publication of a regional vision map, the Land Conservancy will undertake a comprehensive project to:
- evaluate conservation potential on privately-held natural lands;
- increase the amount of land under permanent protection;
- build models for fundraising collaboration with other green infrastructure partners; and
- sustain the momentum for green infrastructure work in West Michigan.
These activities are part of a larger, regional effort to move the green infrastructure work forward, and includes the West Michigan Strategic Alliance, Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, Grand Valley Metro Council and the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission as well as numerous non-profit environmental organizations.

The work outlined here brings the previous planning and mapping efforts of the Green Infrastructure Committee to the local government level. Encouraging communities to proactively protect their natural resources is a key component to long term success in protecting the environment. This project is an exemplar of the type of grantmaking the Frey Foundation is pursuing.

A coalition of more than 50 organizations and local government representatives have been working to connect communities of West Michigan to each other and to link the region's natural areas, parks, historic landmarks, cultural venues, and civic destinations while preserving natural areas and enhancing the quality of life in the region. They have developed a plan to fill in the gaps and connect a regional system of trails and greenways in West Michigan. Their initial focus is on a 9-county area including Kent, Ottawa & Muskegon Counties. The plan calls for the development of 14 sections of trailway in the West Michigan region, which have previously been acquired, for a total of 140 miles of new trail development.

Indirect outcomes include expanded active lifestyle opportunities, green land preservation and reclamation, increased connectivity of parks and open space, the availability of alternative non-motorized transportation and even increased tourism potential.

A regional system of hubs and links, via trials and greenways, is a key component of green infrastructure. Support for a coordinated effort to establish these links aligns well with the Foundation's environmental grantmaking strategy.