Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance

Fred Meijer, a pioneer of supercenter retailing and visionary philanthropist and a devoted trail advocate, died Friday, November 25 in Grand Rapids

Fred Meijer’s name is synonymous with trails and parkland philanthropy. Born in 1919 to Dutch immigrant parents, at the age of 14 Meijer helped his family launch the first-ever Meijer operation: a grocery store in the small city of Greenville. Meijer went on to build one of the most successful retail companies in America, and one of the nation’s largest family-owned businesses.

Meijer has two philanthropic passions—the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and rail-trails. In the early 1990s, he funded the purchase of the first rail-trail right-of-way in Michigan. That purchase became the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail, a 43-mile rail-trail that unlocks some of Michigan’s finest agricultural lands, woods, meadows, wetlands and small historical towns.

Meijer’s generous philanthropy joined with a dedicated and active citizens group to form a strong and ambitious trail community. The original Heartland Trail is now the centerpiece of the Fred Meijer trails network, which connects a number of rural and urban areas in the Lower Peninsula.

Thanks to the philanthropy and vision of Fred and his wife Lena, millions of Americans now have the opportunity to enjoy the respite that Michigan’s trails system offers. He also created the first endowment fund in Michigan for the maintenance of trails.

Public visitation will be held Tuesday from 2 to 10 p.m. at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI. Memorial contributions may be made to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in memory of Fred.

Read More: “His name is on the store  — but he leaves much more on the landscape of Michigan”  by Pat Shellenbarger

Director of DNR, Rodney Stokes announces some organizational changes.

I am transferring the personnel and functions of FMD’s Recreation and Trails section into the Parks and Recreation Division. Right now, we have two different DNR divisions that promote and manage camping and trail use. Uniting our camping and trail management and promotion responsibilities within a single division will help us realize greater efficiency, improve outreach and greatly boost our ability to establish Michigan as “the Trail State.” Changes become effective January 8, 2012.
To read more of the changes . . .

Imagine walking up to a trailhead… There’s a sign with the expected trail map, a bear advisory posted last spring, and some rules tacked up behind plexiglass. But there can also be an instant link to a wealth of current information using the smartphone in your pocket. Welcome to the trailhead QR.

Quick Response (or QR) codes are a rapidly emerging media tool. You’ve seen these square-shaped black-and-white codes in stores and magazines. Are you ready to put QRs to work in your favorite outdoor space? It can be simple. Read more . . .

On October 1, 2011, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) commemorated its 25th anniversary with an award reception in Washington, D.C. At the event, RTC paid tribute to the honorees from all over the United States and their enduring place in the rail-trail movement. Two of Michigan’s own, Fred Meijer and Carolyn Kane were among the twenty-five honoree’s. To read more about this tribute see Rails-to-Trails

A LONGTIME LEADER in outdoor recreation, Michigan can now officially boast being No. 1, receiving the 2011 National Recreation and Park Association Gold Medal for the top state park system in the nation.