Icing on the Cake!

Mississippi River Trails Centennial Partnership Creates Pathwyas for Connecting Communities with Federal, State, Regional and Municipal Parks

This presentation is designed to illustrate how diverse partnerships benefit trail and greenway development and bring new connections and opportunities to diverse partners and organizations whose missions, while different, compliment one another.

by Terry Eastin, Executive Director, Todd Antoine, AICP, Deputy Director - Planning, Great Rivers Greenway District, Paul Labovitz, Superintendent, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

This presentation is designed to illustrate how diverse multi-state, multi-region partnerships benefit trail and greenway development and bring new connections and opportunities to diverse partners and organizations whose missions, while different, compliment one another.

About the Authors

Terry Eastin is the co-owner of Eastin Outdoors, Inc. and is also the Executive Director of Mississippi River Trail, Inc. Throughout her career, Terry has worked tirelessly to bring attention to the conservation, health, and economic benefits of urban trails. She is the recipient of the Kodak American Greenways Award (2007), Presidential Citation, Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association (2007), Delta Tourism Person of the Year Runner-up (2007), and 2008 National Trails Symposium Co-Chair.

Todd Antoine, AICP, is the Deputy Director for Planning at the Great Rivers Greenway District in St. Louis, Missouri. The primary focus of his work is to develop and implement The River Ring, a regional interconnected system of greenways, parks and trails. He coordinates efforts to establish partnerships with local, state, and regional entities in the implementation of The River Ring with projects in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County, Missouri.

Paul Labovitz is the Superintendent of the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area that covers 72 miles of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. He has also served as the Program Leader for the NPS Midwest Region, Rivers & Trails Program, and his first NPS position, in 1988, was as Outdoor Recreation Planner in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Before working for the NPS, Paul was Forester/Wildlife Biologist and Manager of the Rockwell Somerset Woodlands. When not working, Paul can be found hunting, fishing, trapping, woodworking, or gardening.

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