desoto connections fall 2010
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The Desoto County Board of
Supervisors sponsored Family
Health and Fitness Day on Sat-
urday, September 25,2010. It
was conceived in part as a re-
sponse to the U.S. Surgeon
General's report on Physical
Activity and Health. The holi-
day's purpose, with the partici-
pation of local organizations,
was to increase good health
awareness and promote family
involvement in physical activi-
ty.
Desoto County Greenways
participated in the event by
sponsoring Bike Rides in Olive
Branch and Hernando along
with an interpretive hike on the
ARK trails. David Baker,
Greenways volunteer led the
Olive Branch ride.
Jeff Shocklee with Hernandos
Ride for Reading bicycle team
hosted a morning mountain
bike ride at Bayou Point Trail
along with 5 mile family fun
ride and a 25 mile longer ride
for more accomplished riders in
conjunction with the Hernando Bicycle club. Bo McAninch with
the Hernando Bicycle Club said the Hernando to Arkabutla Lake
ride exceeded their normal expectations by including entire fami-
lies participating in the event with a focus on family health. The
Bicycle Ride was also supported by Desoto County Greenways,
University of Memphis & Journeymen Racing .
Hernando Girl Scout troop 10702 led by Gia Matheney, Cub Scout
Pack 741 from Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church along with
several volunteers and others took part in an interpretive hike on
the recently opened ARK trails just off MS 304 near Hernando.
Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation volunteers Val Smith and
Missy Flanagan gave a brief presentation of their work with wild-
life rehabilitation and overview of the future nature center.
Pat Irby, volunteer with Cub Scout Pack 741 said the event was
very interesting and I really enjoyed the nature hike.
Desoto County Celebrates Family Health andFitness Day
Greenways Connections
D E S O T O C O U N T Y G R E E N W A Y S October 1, 2010
Volume 1, Issue 2
Desoto GreenwaysConnections
Mailing Address: 316West Commerce Street,
Hernando, MS 38632Fax: 662-489-5195Phone: 662-489-9708Web Address:www.desotogreenways.orgEmail:[email protected]
2010 Desoto CountyGreenways
Desoto GreenwaysConnections
2
Fall is a Great Timeto Get Outdoors
2
Desoto VisitorsCenter Trail
2
Greenways Focus:Arkabutla Lake
3
Hernando and HornLake parksAustin Family Do-
nates Land
4
Greenways andFamily Health
7
Greenways Masterplan update
6
Inside this issue:
Cub Scout Pack 741 and Girl Scout Troop 10702 on the ARK
trails
Hernando Bicycle Club
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residents a place to walk,
stretch, picnic or peaceful rest.
This issue ofDesoto Green-
ways Connections is focused
on family health, fitness andrelated outdoor activities.
In this months issue we offer
a variety of greenways news
and related articles from
around Desoto County as well
as article relating to family
health and fitness.
Mississippi has the highest
obesity rate in the nation and
although, Desoto County
scores better than the rest ofthe state, we have ample
room for improvement.
Getting both children and
adults outside can reduce obe-
sity and provide familyfriendly recreation in the
meantime.
Our goal is to initiate creative
thinking and engagement of
our readers that will ultimate-
ly improve our greenways
system here in Desoto County.
We are open to suggestions
and comments regarding con-
tent and news articles and will
be soliciting greenways relat-ed articles from others.
We want to especially thank
the Desoto County Board of
Supervisors and the DesotoCounty Economic Develop-
ment Council for their contin-
ued support for our Green-
ways program.
We are constantly developing
our mailing list and hope you
will join. If you know of some-
one that wants to receive the
newsletter or volunteer for
greenways related activities,
pleas email me at lar-
[email protected]. orjoin in on the discussion on
Facebook.
Greenways and the Desoto
County Tourism Association.
The 1/4 mile handicapped ac-
cessible interpretive trail circles
the storm water retention pond
on the outer edges of the civic
center and will feature native
landscaping. The pet friendly
trail will provide visitors and
The Desoto County Visitors
Center trail construction is
complete except for landscap-
ing and tree planting which is
scheduled for later this fall.
The project is a collaborative
effort between the Desoto
County Convention and Visi-
tors Bureau , Desoto County
Desoto County Visitors Center Trail Update
for every one of all ages and all
backgrounds to enjoy the state's
diverse natural resources. Par-
ticipants can improve their
health while supporting recrea-
tion opportunities.
Fall is a season the whole fami-
ly can enjoy. When the weather
turns crisp and leaves begin to
change colors, many people
feel that the fun of the year is
over until Halloween comes
around. However, there are
numerous activities that can get
the whole family revved up for
Fall. Inexpensive crafts and
activities abound throughout
the season that can make the
transition from the warm
weather of summer more excit-
ing.
Its finally Fall and time to get
outdoors and a great time to
celebrate outdoor recreation
and the role it plays with im-
proving the quality of life in
Desoto County. Whether bik-
ing, hiking, trail running, camp-
ing, swimming, boating, fish-
ing, hunting or simply explor-
ing nature, park and recreation
facilities provide opportunities
Fall is a great time to get outdoors!
Welcome to Desoto Greenways NewsletterConnections! By Larry Jarrett
Greenways Connections Volume 1, Issue 2
Do notfollowwhere thepath maylead. Goinstead,where thereis no pathand leave atrail.
Ralph WaldoEmerson
Page 2
Larry JarrettDesoto Greenways Co-ordinator
Visitors Center Trail Diagram
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Greenways Focus: Arkabutla Lake
Greenways Connections Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 3
residents and visitors generat-ing over $ 21.4 million in
annual visitor spending with55% being captured by the
local economy.
Desoto County residents arefortunate to have diverseoutdoor recreational opportu-nities readily available withpublic land access with Ark-abutla Lake and surroundingpublic lands. Whether itshunting, fishing, boating, or
just enjoying the outdoors,Arkabutla Lake provides avariety of opportunities forall outdoor enthusiasts toenjoy. Activities and areasestablished for recreationinclude: trails for hiking andbiking, picnic areas, picnicshelters, ADA parking spacesat the boat ramps and recrea-tion areas, an ADA accessiblefishing pier, 3 swimmingbeaches including one that isADA accessible, ADA acces-sible playgrounds, a varietyof campgrounds. Recreationon the lake provides for someof the best fishing in theSoutheast and some of thebest sailing east of the Mis-sissippi River. The Arkabutlalake area has over 30,000acres of land open for public
hunting.
Desoto County Greenways isproud to be partnering withthe US Army Corp of Engi-neers Arkabutla Lake topromote their outdoor recrea-tional activities specifically
with the construction andpromotion of the ArkabutlaNature Center Trails system
Mississippi State UniversitysNatural Resources Enterprises
Program recently publishedinformation on the economicimpact of outdoor recreationin Mississippi. For example,the annual economic impactfrom hunting was $1.2 billion;fishing -$690 million; andwildlife watching - $791 mil-lion for a total economic im-pact of $2.7 billion. This eco-nomic activity included bothprivate and public lands andsupported over 71,000 jobs.Desoto County is fortunate to
have Arkabutla Lake and theColdwater River system thatnot only provides recreationaland associated health benefits,but generates an economicimpact to the local communi-ty. The money spent by visi-tors to Corps lakes on tripexpenses adds to the local andnational economies by sup-porting jobs and generating
income.
Visitor spending represents asizable component of theeconomy in many communi-ties around Corps lakes. Ac-cording to the Corps naturaland recreational resources atArkabutla Lake already pro-vide social, economic andenvironmental benefits for
and the connection of Green-ways with the Public lands
around Arkabutla Lake. A fewof the activities at Arkabutla
include:
Hiking Arkabutla Lake has
four trails for hiking, mountainbike riding, or just enjoyingthe outdoors. The North Out-let Channel Recreation Areaprovides access to the Coldwa-ter River Nature Trail System.This network of trails encom-passes two hiking trails (onetrail is 3 miles in length andthe other is 5 miles in length)and the Big Oak Nature Trailwhich is a self-guided interpre-tive trail. The area includespristine bottomland hardwoodand pine forests where anabundance of wildlife andnative plant species can be
found throughout.
The Arkabutla Lake Nature andEnvironmental Education Cen-
ter trails, which opened thisspring, consists of 2 miles ofwoodland walking trails locat-ed 10 miles west of Hernandoon Highway 304 just west ofFogg Road. Look for signs andparking area on the left just
past Panther Creek.
Biking As a result of the part-nership between the Corps ofEngineers and the Mid-SouthTrails Association an off-road,4.7 miles mountain bicycle trailhas been established at Bayou
Point.
Disc Golf A partnership be-tween the Corps of Engineersand DeSoto county Disc GolfClub has rendered an 18-holedisc golf course near PrattRoad below the dam. The LostIndian Spring Disc Golf Courseis 5,623 feet. Use of the trails
system and disk golf is free.
The Army Corps of Engineersis the steward of the lands andwaters at Corps water resources
projects. Its Natural ResourceManagement Mission is tomanage and conserve thosenatural resources, consistentwith ecosystem managementprinciples, while providingquality public outdoor recrea-tion experiences to serve theneeds of present and future
generations.
For more information visit:
Arkabutla
Coldwater River NatureTrail
Arkabutla Lake
Coldwater River Nature
Trail
Exercise and
Outdoor Recreation
Better Health Reduced Health
Care Costs
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can begin until the sewer line is
completed.
Playful City USA communities
are making a commitment to
play and physical activity bydeveloping unique local action
plans to increase the quantity
and quality of play in their
community. In doing so, some
of the most innovative ideas
and cost-effective programs are
being developed in Playful City
USA communities proving
that parks and play are more
important than ever.
been installed at Baldwin Rd and
Highway 61 and easements are in
place for the first phase of con-struction. The Johnson Creek
greenway will include interpre-
tive signage, outdoor environ-
mental and education classroom,
wildlife viewing area and land-
scaped parking areas including a
constructed wetlands. Plans in-
clude planting native grasses for
wildlife under and around the
utility easements. No trail work
The Johnson Creek Greenway
project is awaiting the comple-
tion of the Desoto County region-al utility Authority main intercep-
tor line construction which is
scheduled for sometime later this
year. We are in the design phase
of the parking areas and trails and
research is almost complete
documenting the areas historical,
cultural, ecological and educa-
tional values associated with the
property. Signs have already
The Johnson Creek Greenway Update
Hernando and Horn Lake Earn Recognition forParks
Greenways Connections Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 4
August 18, 2010
Hernando and Horn Lake were
among the 118 cities and towns
across the country that earned
recognition as a Playful City,
ensuring children in their com-
munities are active and
healthy. This is the first year
Horn Lake has earned this des-
ignation and the third year for
Hernando. Only 30 of the 118
cities received this recognition
for the third consecutive year.
Latimer Lakes Park
Lees Summit Park
DCRUA Construction along
Johnson Creek
Austin Family Donates more Land for Greenways
October 1, 2010
Brothers Bill and Gerry Austinannounce a 10-acre donation tothe North Mississippi Land
Trust Mississippi to expand theJohnson Creek Greenway. Thiswas the second donation fromthe Austin family to the NorthMississippi Land Trust for thebenefit of the Desoto CountyGreenways Program and the
Johnson Creek Greenway.
DeSoto County GreenwaysCoordinator Larry Jarrett saidthe land eventually would be
developed as part of the exist-ing Johnson Creek Greenwaythat begins at Baldwin Rd andwill eventually end at the Mis-sissippi River. This strip ofland begins at the intersectionof Church Road as it crosses
Johnson Creek and connectswith land previously donatedby the Austin Family just west
of MS 301 near Austin Rd.
The Johnson Creek Trail runsparallel to and was planned inconjunction with utility ease-ments obtained by Entergy andthe DeSoto County Regional
Utility Authority.
See related article below.
We need you!
Please contact us if youhave any information thatyou would like to include in
our newsletter!
662-489-9708
Austin Land Donation
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Desoto County Greenways recently met for a strategic planning session to update
the original Greenways Master plan which was originally developed in 2005.
The planning session attendees included Desoto Greenways committee members,
North MS Land Trust Board members, Desoto Economic Council members,
County officials and several representatives from the various user groups.
The new plan adds additional proposed bike trails and greenways; identifies City
parks and green space as a result of a County-wide inventory with help of Leader-
ship Desoto.
During the planning session, participants reviewed the Greenways mission, the
Greenways Coordinators scope of work, future plans and objectives.
The group also identified goals and marketing ideas in the form of a matrix which
David Baker, with Fisher and Arnold, authors of the Master Plan provided along
with a new proposed greenways map.
In addition to the Coldwater River Blueway, several proposed bike trails were
Greenways Connections Volume 1, Issue 2
Greenways Gets Master Plan Update and Goals
Page 6
added throughout the County. Protected lands,
wetlands and existing green space were identi-
fied as major hubs along with the associatedlinks which connect the green space that also
can be used for recreation and wildlife corri-
dors.
The plan also identifies future expansion of
some of the trails to Tunica and Tate Counties.
We welcome any questions or comments on the
future plans for Desoto Greenways and how we
can further make Desoto County a better place
to live.
See Matrix, on page 8 and Greenways Master
Plan Map below:
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Southavens 2nd Annual 5K
Run
Saturday, October 23, 9:00 at
Snowden Grove Park in
Southaven, MS
4th Annual Wolf River Green-
way 4-Miler and Family Fun
Walk.
GermantownWolf River
Greenway October 16,2010
Many people realize exercise is
important for maintaining good
health in all stages of life; how-
ever many do not regularlyexercise. The U.S. Surgeon
General estimates that 60% of
American adults are not regu-
larly active and another 25%
are not active at all. In commu-
nities across the country, peo-
ple do not have access to trails,
parks, or other recreation areas
close to their homes. Trails and
greenways provide a safe, inex-
pensive avenue for regular ex-
ercise for people living in rural,
urban and suburban areas.
The idea of humans as an inte-
gral part of nature as it relates
to physical and mental health is
not new. A simple walk in the
woods, even in a city park, is
refreshing, because that is what
we have always done. It is not
only refreshing; but, also a
reminder of our place in the
universe.
People are naturally drawn to
nature and the outdoors. A visit
to the oceans, a park, moun-
tains or just a walk through the
forest relaxes us and makes us
feel good. Experts now tell us
that this attraction isn't by
chance and that we humans
need to be close to nature on a
regular basis.
In his recent book,Last Child
in the Woods: Saving our Chil-
dren from Nature-Deficit Dis-order, Richard Louv links the
absence of nature in the lives of
todays children to some of the
disturbing trends, including the
rise in obesity, attention disor-
ders, and depression. He con-
tends that direct exposure to
nature is essential for healthy
childhood development and the
physical and emotional health
of both children and adults. In
addition, Louv links nature
deficit to a loss of creativity
and a loss for respect for nature
and the living world.
In addition, the beneficial ef-
fects of natural settings, and
even of looking at pictures of
landscapes, can be measured,
and have been verified in psy-
chological studies. Laura Sea-
wall, a leading pioneer in the
field of Ecopsychology, con-tends that, in a technology driv-
en world, the daily demands on
our lives have caused us to
narrow our field of vision, ef-
fectively numbing of our sens-
es. She argues that, although
our sensory capacitiestaste,
smell, sight, hearing and touch
are fundamental avenues of
connection between self and
world, we have become psychi-
cally numb and oblivious to the
natural world around us.
We have a growing apprecia-
tion of the values of nature,
including its intrinsic value
We can restore our own health
and the health of the planet by
conserving green space, build-
ing trails and greenways and
getting both children and adults
outdoors for exercise.
Desoto County Economic De-
velopment Councils Third
Quarterly Membership Lunch-
eon
Friday, October 1, 2010
Whispering Woods Hotel and
Conference Center, Olive
Branch, MS.
Featuring Keynote Speaker Rao
Mulpuri, CEO, Soladigm, Inc.
Romp on the River
Saturday October 16, 2010 at
the Tunica River Park, Tunica
MS
All Day Event!
National Trails Symposium
Chattanooga, TN
October 14-17, 2010
Upcoming Events
Greenways, Family Health and the Nature-Deficit Disorder
Greenways Connections Volume 1, Issue 2
"The woods were
my Ritalin. Nature
calmed me, focused
me, and yet excited
my senses."
Richard Louv
(Last Child in the
Woods: Saving Our
Children from Nature-
Deficit Disorder)
Page 7
Join the Desoto County Eco-
nomic Development Council
http://www.desotocounty.com/
Call:662-429-4414
316 West Commerce Street
Hernando, MS 38632
Horn Lake Autumn in the
Park Fall Festival
October 14-16, 2010
Please email and letus know about up-coming Greenways
related events!
Cub Scouts from Pack 741
Children on ARK trails
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316 West Commerce Street
Hernando, MS 38632
Were on the Web!
www.desotogreenways.org
Join us on Facebook
ty Mississippi. The Greenways
system takes advantage of na-
ture and its beauty and will
encompass a variety of multi-
purpose trails and green space
suitable for hiking, skating,
jogging, walking, running,
equestrian use, canoeing and
kayaking and biking.
Desoto County Greenways
operates under the umbrella of
the Desoto County Economic
Development Council. The
program is supported by state
and County Elected officials,
an advisory council plus nu-
merous public and private
Desoto County individuals. The
Greenways advisory committee
The mission of the Desoto
County Greenways program is
to establish a greenway system
that connects public and private
open and green spaces with
sidewalks throughout Desoto
County Mississippi while pro-
tecting, restoring and linking
the natural features and their
functions in order to achieve a
healthy natural environment
and ecological diversity.
The Desoto County Greenways
program encompasses scenic
pathways, protected green
space and trails designed to
help improve the quality of life
for the people of Desoto Coun-
meets regularly and encourages
you to get involved to make
Desoto County a better place to
live now and in the future. Eve-
ryone is welcome to help so
call 662-489-9708 or visit
www.desotogreenways.org
online to find out how you can
help make this plan a reality.
About Us
Phone: 662-489-9708
Fax: 662-489-5195
E-mail: [email protected]
Experience Nature First Hand-Get Outdoors !
D E S O T O C O U N T YG R E E N W A Y S