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

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Fall is a Great Timeto Get Outdoors

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Desoto VisitorsCenter Trail

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Greenways Focus:Arkabutla Lake

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Hernando and HornLake parksAustin Family Do-

nates Land

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Greenways andFamily Health

7

Greenways Masterplan update

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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


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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


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!

[email protected]

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 Gets Master Plan Update and Goals

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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


"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

Desoto Connections Fall 2010

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