News : Old Creamery Nature Trail Accepted into Iowa's Living Roadways Trails Visioning

The Old Creamery Nature Trail, which connects the communities of Vinton, Garrison and Dysart, has been selected for participation in the 2015 Iowa’s Living Roadways Trails Visioning Program. The trail is one of four Iowa trails that will take part in the program during 2015. The other three trails are located in Spencer, Ottumwa and Muscatine.

Trails Visioning is a planning process that works with a community or trail committee to identify a trail’s transportation-related attributes and opportunities for improvement.

The Trails Visioning planning process can include the following types of projects:

* Trailhead planning, design and improvement

* Protection and/or enhancement of natural areas adjacent to the trail

* Use of native vegetation along the trail to provide multiple benefits and functions

* Consideration of safety and comfort concerns

* Planning for directional signage

* Incorporation of stormwater management methods

Throughout Trails Visioning, a Trees Forever field coordinator provides guidance, education and structured facilitation of the planning process. Also, a Trees Forever project team creates conceptual plans that reflect the vision of the Trails Visioning participants and volunteers.

At the conclusion of the Trails Visioning process, concept presentation boards and a final trails report, which describe and depict the proposed enhancements, are provided to the community or trails group.

To learn how you can be involved in the Old Creamery Nature Trail Trails Visioning process, please call Randy Scheel at 319-477-3150 or Patty Petersen, Trees Forever field coordinator, at 319-350-4185.

The Trails Visioning program is a partnership between Trees Forever, the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Living Roadway Trust Fund of Iowa.