Iowa a leader in
Millennium Trails

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This article was written and posted on INHF's website in July 1999.

Iowa recently received another tribute to reinforce the state's status as a national trail leader. The White House recently announced Iowa will boast four National Millennium Trails; only Missouri shares this honor.

Sixteen trails were selected nationwide as National Millennium Trails, including the four that cross Iowa. The trails, which are part of the White House Millennium Council's effort to "honor the past and imagine the future," were announced at the International Trails and Greenways Conference in Pittsburgh on June 26 by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

The White House chose to designate trails to honor how people have traveled America in the past, and to encourage Americans to experience the country in new ways in the future. "Transportation is about more than asphalt, concrete and steel; it's about people," Slater said.

The National Millennium Trails in Iowa include the American Discovery Trail, the Mississippi River Trail, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the Underground Railroad.

Thanks to their National Millennium Trail designations, these four trails are in a better position to receive funding and promotion.

Iowa ranks fifth in the nation in number of multi-use trails and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) has played a key role in the process. The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is a non-profit, member supported organization that protects, preserves and enhances Iowa's natural resources for future generations. INHF has assisted with more than half of the multi-use trails in the state.

According to Mark Ackelson, INHF President and Rails-to-Trails board chairman, "Trails have always been important to Iowa and the nation from the earliest explorers and pioneers to the present. Today they provide important connections between people, nature and communities. Trails are important to families, youth and seniors, and they are significant to our quality of life in Iowa. We are pleased to play a major role in helping establish trails throughout Iowa."

When announcing the program, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton said, "Through the Millennium Trails project, we are building and maintaining trails that tell the story of our nation's past and will help create a positive vision for our future."

In addition to the 16 National Millennium Trails, the White House Millennium Council also plans to recognize 52 Millennium Legacy Trails-one from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. They will also designate more than 2,000 local trails as "Community Trails 2000." Together, these trails will form part of the American infrastructure in the 21st century.

For more information on the Millennium Trails or other trails in Iowa, contact INHF at 1-800-475-1846. The Millennium Trails homepage also offers information on the Millennium Trails projects.

For more information about Foundation news, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846.