Trailblazing the Lakeshore: Footprints of Foolishness

[XLFD]

Nine months ago, it was revealed that $342,141 was to be awarded this year for projects that comprehensively plan for local, regional, or statewide coastal water trails along Michigan’s Great Lakes.  According to the grant-provider, the Michigan DEQ, the grants enhance public access to coastal areas; encourage stewardship of coastal, cultural, and historic resources; increase accessibility for all users; support local and regional waterfront redevelopment plans; and facilitate water trail development within Michigan and among its neighboring states.

A partnership between the Mason-Lake Conservation District and the Oceana Conservation District  received $12,590 for assessing a coastal Water Trail between Little Sable Point lighthouse and Big Sable Point lighthouse and flagging invasive aquatic plant species along the way. 

One of the ideas is to link seven Lake Michigan Watershed outflows:  Stony Creek Silver Lake, Pentwater River, Bass Lake, Pere Marquette River, Lincoln River, Hamlin Lake and the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant.  Effectively linking the Silver Lake State Park (at Little Sable Point) with the Ludington State Park (Big Sable Point) hence the name that was developed was the Sable Points Coastal Water Trail. 

The project was expected to exhibit signs expounding safety concerns and explaining the different areas people might be paddling near.  It was hoped it may increase accessibility for all for places like Summit Township beach and Buttersville Park as potential stops. 

The DEQ showed the following about this project, note the generous grant to LIAA just above it:

 

Note that the grant is stated to cover only planning, mapping, and marketing actions for this 'water trail'.  This last week, the local media gave updates on this water trail, probably getting notified by a news release:  MCP article on water trail and COLDNews Article on Water Trail.  We get some supplementary information that the Community Foundation of Mason County has added $2000 more to the till.

The Conservation Manager says the mission of his district is to work with private land owners to preserve and protect the environment, creating the water trail on public lands will create awareness of the district’s mission and promote conservationism.

 

The trail basically ties together the aforementioned facilities and assets and provides guidance to outdoors enthusiasts through the publication of a guidebook and signage at the destinations.  A planned guidebook about the trail is to come out Memorial Day weekend and 12 signs are going up at township and state parks in Mason County. 

We are expending just under $15,000 to put twelve informational and safety signs in the water near places of interest, get a spot on the state's website of water trails, and put out a bunch of colorful flyers with maps of this trail.  Let me get this straight.

 

We are somehow preserving, protecting, and conserving the environment by putting up far-from-natural signs in scenic areas, and by making lots of superfluous pamphlets with all the wood pulp that entails, and of which you can bet some will be left behind in those scenic areas?  

 

I may be strange, but informational signs tend to detract from my aesthetic enjoyment of natural settings, and marketing brochures produced for a limited audience usually find themselves thrown out in bulk after a while.  And I would add, the Michigan DEQ apparently is given too much money each year if they provide a third of a million dollars in grant money to make water trails that only rob the general public of the enjoyment of the quality of their environment and their natural resources. 

[XLFD]

Extremely good points to ponder john streeter, as Aquaman will concur, we have a treacherous shoreline, and any increased usage of the shoreline by kayaks,canoes, etc. will lead to accidents and local resources used for such emergencies.  With a defined 'shoreline trail' it may also lead to increased liability to local and state governments whose legal bills are paid for by the people. 

If Ludington forgoes seasonal lifeguards at Stearn's Park for 'liability issues' the year after they save at least three teens from drowning, why do we once again increase the chance for drowning with a government-approved 'water trail' and not consider liability issues?

[Willy]

Very good points john. If this project had no costs to the taxpayers I would support it but I'm just plain tired of politicians abusing their power and taking money from us because one of them came up with a silly idea. X is right. All that needs to be done is advertise this so called water trail and it's maps on the State of Michigan website right along with the other recreational opportunities that are available in the DNR link. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr