The Foundation is Committed to Sustainability
The Foundation employs a program officer whose work over the years has been focused on GIS, mapping, and providing specialized support to other agencies, who are able to leverage this expertise in order to secure grants. These land use agencies and other nonprofits make use of our staff’s skills and willingness to help in order to increase their capacity to do their own good work.
This has laid the groundwork for our own enhanced commitment to the principles of sustainability, preserving open space, and creating livable communities.
Swasey Recreation Area Upper Trail Network
This trail is great. I have lived on Lower Springs for 4 years and have witnessed the evolution of the BLM trails. Amazing job, folks! I run, ride my bike, and ride horses out here. This trail system is one reason we will never move from the West side. Thank you!
The Foundation helped construct 3 miles of new trails. These trails link to the existing Bureau of Land Management recreation area, greatly increasing opportunities for hikers, bikers, and equestrian use. A regional plan completed in 1993 set this area aside as an area of critical concern because of the need to conserve and interpret prehistoric and historic archaeological resources. The trails are now carefully routed to avoid deterioration of sensitive habitats, and are not available to motorized vehicles. An additional two miles of trails will be completed next spring, adding more opportunities for recreation for all the enthusiastic users.
Shasta-Trinity Trail Connection Project
The Shasta-Trinity Trail is envisioned as a trail network connecting some of the region’s best destinations – the Sacramento River, Clear Creek, and Shasta, Trinity, and Whiskeytown Lakes. Once in place, the approximately 100-mile trails would be open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Rather than a completely new trail built, this would be a regional trail connecting existing local trails already in use. It could link the Sacramento River Trail with the Westside Trail, or the trails of the Horsetown Clear Creek Preserve with those of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. One segment nearing completion will connect the Sacramento River Trail to the Rail Trail.
This project is assisted by the Rivers and Trails Program, a national program that provides support to local community trails, greenways, river, and open space projects at the invitation of the local community. A coalition of agencies and organizations, including The McConnell Foundation, has come together to implement these plans. Much progress has already been made, and having a master plan in place has enabled organizations to win grants to carry out the vision.
Livable Communities - New Urbanism
The Foundation has long had an interest in building better communities. Over the last year, the board and program staff have been researching the New Urbanism movement and the role that the built environment can play in the vitality, health and livability of a community. We will continue investigating how New Urbanism might improve our local communities. Visit the NewUrbanism.org website to learn more about New Urbanism.
Healthy Shasta
Healthy Shasta is a local partnership designed to promote healthy and active living among North State residents. Created in response to serious concerns about the increasing rates of childhood obesity and chronic health problems such as Type II diabetes, Healthy Shasta takes a multifaceted approach to addressing these problems. HS promotes public awareness with media campaigns, events, and outreach to schools. It also links the community to practical resources such as walking trail maps, farmers market schedules, and farm trail maps, found on the HS website.
Partnering with Healthy Shasta and exploring the concepts key to New Urbanism are both intertwined efforts The Foundation has taken toward understanding and addressing the effects of choices that city planners, policymakers, and even funders can have on the health and vitality of the community. Research has shown that traffic congestion and neighborhoods designed to cater primarily to auto traffic can discourage physical activity. With the Healthy Shasta partnership, and by examining New Urbanism, we will continue to ask questions about how we can improve the health and vitality of our local communities.
For more information visit their website at: www.healthyshasta.org.