Riverside Trails along Piers Gorge will be improved as part of a planned $300,000 project at the Menominee River State Recreation Area in Norway. A grant awarded through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund is part of $23.3 million being spent across the state for recreation development. The city of Iron Mountain is receiving $183,200 for a mountain bike trail system on Pewabic Hill. (DNR photo via Iron Mountain Daily News)
IRON MOUNTAIN — Outdoor recreation in Dickinson County will get a boost from a pair of Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants authorized this week by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The city of Iron Mountain will receive $183,200 for a mountain bike trail system on Pewabic Hill, while the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will dedicate $300,000 to a Piers Gorge trail at the Menominee River State Recreation Area in Norway.
Both projects were recommended for funding by the Trust Fund board in December. Iron Mountain’s Pewabic Hill trail grant will be aided by a $64,000 match from the non-profit Dickinson Trail Network. The project includes about 6 miles of public trails on city property east of Park Avenue. It will link to DTN’s Millie Hill Trailhead, a 5-mile system just west of Park Avenue.
The city has committed $15,000 worth of in-kind work through site development of the parking lot and other amenities, likely near East B Street.
“The park’s hilltop terrain is ideal for mountain biking and offers spectacular views of downtown and the surrounding landscape,” the Trust Fund board said.
The Menominee River project will replace two small pedestrian bridges and improve riverside trails along Piers Gorge to allow access to scenic overlooks and emergency access to the falls for rafters. The recreation area, which is co-managed by Michigan and Wisconsin, encompasses nearly 10,000 acres of public land along both sides of 17 miles of the river through natural surroundings. It provides exceptional viewing opportunities for bald eagles, osprey and waterfowl.
“This project is critical to providing safe whitewater rafting experiences on the river and public access at the park, while protecting sensitive natural areas,” the Trust Fund board said. In all, Senate Bill 1028 provides funding for 117 recreation development projects and land purchases totaling $45.6 million. It is now Public Act 151 of 2022.
“Outdoor recreation in Pure Michigan is essential to the high quality of life Michiganders and visitors enjoy in our beautiful state,” Whitmer said. “These Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants support so many of the world-class outdoor opportunities we have in Michigan, including fishing, hiking, kayaking or simply enjoying an accessible playground.”
Of the $22.3 million to fund acquisition projects, $14.2 million will be awarded to local units of government, while the remaining $8 million will go to the DNR for a variety of projects. Of the $23.3 million recommended to fund development grants, $20 million will support 82 local government projects and $3.2 million will back 13 state projects.
Collectively, the $45.6 million of Trust Fund grants is matched with nearly $39 million of additional funding for a total of nearly $84.6 million being invested in land acquisition and development projects.
“By leveraging these additional dollars from local government partners, Trust Fund grants ensure expanded outdoor recreation and the continued conservation of our natural resources throughout the state,” DNR Director Dan Eichinger said. “These grants fund outdoor recreation opportunities that have proven even more important over the last several years as people increasingly ventured outside to recreate.”
The fund is a restricted fund that was established in 1976 to provide funding for public acquisition of land for resource protection and outdoor recreation, as well as for public outdoor recreation development projects. It is funded through interest earned on funds derived from the development of publicly owned minerals, primarily oil and gas, and can only be used for public outdoor recreation. In more than four decades, the Trust Fund has granted more than $1 billion to local units of government and the DNR to develop and improve public outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan.
The Trust Fund board’s recommendations go to the Michigan Legislature for review as part of the appropriation process. The Legislature then forwards a bill to the governor for approval.
Descriptions of all development projects and acquisitions approved by Whitmer are available at Michigan.gov/MNRTF.
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State trust grants awarded for Pewabic Hill, Piers Gorge work - Marquette Mining Journal
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