Menard County Trails & Greenways

March 28, 2022April 1, 2022

Trash Taskforce: Good Clean Fun

Join the Menard County Trails and Greenways (MCTG) and Petersburg Athletic Association’s (PAA) Trash Taskforce as we clean up litter around Petersburg! We will pick up litter at several parks and spaces around town on Saturday, April 2, from 9:30 – 11am (Rain Date: April 9 or 10 – TBD). We need your help! Meet at Hurie Park (just east of County Market) to register and pick up supplies. We will be clearing out litter from the parks and surrounding vacant lots.

Whether you have 30 minutes or a full hour, every little bit counts! To thank you for helping to keep our community clean, and on a first-come, first-serve basis, we will give away a free reusable tote bag to each participating family and a free DQ coupon to every participant (while supplies last).

With Earth Day approaching on April 22, we encourage everyone to take some time this month to clean up around your neighborhood. Earth Day was established in 1970 and is an annual, worldwide event to raise awareness about issues affecting our land, air, and water.

Whether you join us on April 2 or clean up litter on your own, we have some general rules of thumb to share with you:

Be safe! Take precautions, including wearing sturdy gloves and being careful on river banks or near roads. Adults should handle dangerous items, and supervise children closely.
Properly dispose of all litter. During the clean-up on April 2, litter collected can be dropped at dumpsters at Hurie Park or the girls ball diamond. If you clean up around your neighborhood, please dispose of the litter with your household trash.
Share the good news by posting a picture of your work or simply talking with friends and family about your efforts. You may inspire others! It takes all of us to keep our community clean.

March 9, 2022March 9, 2022

Partnership with Broadgauge Establishes Menard County Forest Fund

mend county courthouse Menard County Trails & Greenways has entered into a partnership with Broadgauge that is dedicated to beautifying our community by planting and preserving native trees on public lands in Petersburg and Menard County. Continue reading “Partnership with Broadgauge Establishes Menard County Forest Fund”

November 30, 2021

Invasive Species at New Salem State Historic Site

Regular forest management is necessary to deal with invasive species that have displaced so much of our native flora.

It is very exciting to kick off our habitat restoration work at New Salem Historic Site in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources! While the site is best known and visited for the recreated village where Lincoln once lived, much of the site is forested land, from the floodplains along the Sangamon River to the upland forests crisscrossed by several miles of hiking trails. Like most natural areas, regular management is necessary to deal with invasive species that have displaced so much of our native flora. Continue reading “Invasive Species at New Salem State Historic Site”

Board of Directors Meeting

The next Menard County Trails & Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 13 at 7:00 PM. Physical location or Zoom TBD. All members are welcome to attend. Email us for more information.

CANCELLED — MCTG Sangamon River Fall Float

The river level is too high to safely hold the float! Sorry for any inconvenience cancellation has caused. Full refunds are being processed.

Join Menard County Trails & Greenways on October 16, 2021 as we paddle 5 beautiful miles of the Sangamon River from the Gudgel Bridge to the New Salem riverside picnic area/boat ramp.

Explore on your own or take part in a guided float to learn about the geology, history and nature of the Sangamon River in Menard County. Immediately following the float everyone is invited to socialize around a cozy campfire for a weenie roast (provided with registration).

This stretch of the river has an exceptional natural history story to tell. Each participant who chooses to partake in the guided tour will receive a points-of-interest location map and corresponding handout with a detailed description of each stop. Experts will be floating along with the group to answer questions.

All participants must pre-register! Registration ends October 10th!

EVENT DETAILS & REGISTRATION

Rain Date – October 17, 2021

Petersburg Harvestfest

Come see us at the 2021 Petersburg Harvesfest on the Square in Petersburg. We’ll have a dam simulator demo set up, as well as a display of kayaks and canoes to view. More details to come….check back!!

Adopt-a-Highway Clean Up

Join us on Saturday, September 11, at 9:00 AM for our Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup. With a full crew it should only take about an hour.

Meet at the main entrance to New Salem off Rte. 97 at 9:00 AM to take care of our 2-mile IDOT Adopt-A-Highway segment that runs from the south edge of New Salem to the south end of Petersburg.

Trash bags and safety vests supplied (if you have one our safety vests please bring it).

Please wear gloves, long pants, closed-toed shoes or boots. Please follow current CDC guidelines for Covid.

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021

MCTG provides public comment on City of Springfield’s amended Supplemental Water Supply Project

On July 1, 2021 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Public Notice addressing the City of Springfield’s amended Supplemental Water Supply Project. MCTG submitted the following public comment letter.

The project’s initial proposal was to build Hunter Lake Reservoir to the southeast of Springfield Lake as an auxiliary water supply. Springfield subsequently requested an additional Purpose & Need of the project to include Aquatic Recreation. Per National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) requirements a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) is being prepared to address the addition of Purpose and Need of Aquatic Resources. Under NEPA, the SEIS must evaluate all appropriate and reasonable alternatives, including, among other things, “Use of other existing surface water reservoirs for water supply and aquatic recreation opportunities.”

When considering existing aquatic recreation opportunities, the Sangamon River should be included as an appropriate and reasonable alternative to provide aquatic recreation in central Illinois.

August 4, 2021

Regulatory Division – Mr. James Kelley
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Rock Island District
Clock Tower Building
PO Box 2004
Rock Island, IL 61204-2004

Re: CWLP – City of Springfield
CEMVR-OD-P-2016-0095

Dear Mr. Kelly:
Menard County Trails & Greenways (MCTG) is responding to the public notice regarding the proposed Hunter Lake and the project specified above. MCTG is a non-profit organization in central Illinois that promotes the development and use of a network of land and water trails, such as the Sangamon River, for recreational purposes.

MCTG supports the improvement of existing resources, including the Sangamon River, for local residents to participate in outdoor aquatic activities. Designated in part as the Lincoln Heritage Canoe Trail by former Governor Otto Kerner in 1965, the Sangamon is a rich historical and cultural asset to the communities in central IL. Despite its designation as the state’s first water trail, public access to the river – and its use – remains limited. Between Decatur and Oakford, IL, an approximate 100+ mile reach of river, only a handful of public access points exist. Compounding poor access are a number of unsafe low-head dams that impede recreation.

People want to be on the Sangamon River, evidenced by well-attended events that MCTG and other local organizations have held over the years, with permission from private landowners to access the river. MCTG hosts an annual fall paddle on the Sangamon and prior to this, the Lincoln Heritage Water Trail Association hosted an annual canoe/kayak race that drew participants from across the state. Improved and new public access points along the stretch of Sangamon that flows within the 50-mile radius anticipated to draw users to the proposed Hunter Lake would facilitate additional recreating on the Sangamon River, whether through organized events or private paddling. Enhanced public access, adequately funded and supported, would also facilitate wider appreciation of the river, thereby encouraging the conservation and sustainability of this historic river for the recreational enjoyment of generations to follow.

Jennifer Satorius
Vice President, Menard County Trails & Greenways