Last updated: November 2024
The stretch of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem from southern Lake Huron through western Lake Erie forms a unique urban refuge where life thrives with beauty and resilience. Known as Metropolitan Detroit, this region is where the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and many partners are working to create The Great Lakes Way by connecting 160 miles of greenways and 156 miles of water trails (1). The vision for the Great Lakes Way project is to ensure that all residents and visitors of southeast Michigan—people of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, abilities, and interests—feel connected to the water resources, welcomed on its trails, and able to enjoy the benefits and opportunities these access points provide (1). To bring this vision to life, the project plans to link 160 miles of greenways and 156 miles of blueways, connecting people to a range of world-class freshwater, wildlife, and recreational opportunities. These include fishing areas, bird migration pathways, parks, working waterways, preserved woodlands, and restored wetlands (2). The Great Lakes Way project connects existing assets, supports accessibility and equity, and promotes the Great Lakes Way to both residents and visitors through marketing and communication efforts (2). There are 26 points of interest that will serve as connection hubs along the Great Lakes Way (2). In Detroit specifically, the focus is on connecting 13 culturally or historically significant destinations, as well as locations known for their environmental and ecological importance or as regional landmarks (2). Rich in world-class fisheries, migratory flyways, parks, urban centers, small towns, preserved old-growth woodlands, and restored wetlands, the Great Lakes Way offers unique experiences that can only be found here. By uniting the natural and cultural assets the Great Lakes Way designation aims to emphasize and expand the essential linkages needed to further connect this remarkable region. (2,3)
The Great Lakes Way
The Community Foundation
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Lakes/ponds
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Coastlines
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
- Other
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Environmental education
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Tourism support
- Real estate development
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Inadequate access to recreational opportunities
- Disconnection from nature
- Social fragmentation and isolation
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of green corridors (including connectivity between urban and rural ecosystems), Creation of any other green urban spaces, Coastal landscape management or protection, Coastal ecosystems restoration and maintenance (mangroves, dunes, saltplains, underwater meadows), Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat conservation, Creating nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, or biodiversity hotspots to conserve unique ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Regional or international exchange of knowledge and experience concerning NBS governance and management, Other
Project objectives
To provide residents and visitors with unique opportunities for local outdoor recreation and education including people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, ethnicities
To engage communities and raise awareness of The Great Lakes Way among residents and visitors through marketing, communications, community engagement, and outreach.
To link residents and visitors to a diverse collection of world-class freshwater, wildlife, and recreational activities, including fisheries, bird migration paths, parks, working waterways, preserved woodlands, and restored wetlands.
To strengthen transboundary collaboration on trails and pursue national and/or state trail designations to elevate its profile and support long-term sustainability.
To connect destinations with cultural, historical, environmental, or ecological significance, as well as other sites recognized as regional icons.
To promote conservation through habitat rehabilitation and enhancement.
To support healthy living (sports activities and recreational opportunities) and improve quality of life.
To catalyze economic development (tourism) and boost adjacent property values. (1)
Implementation activities
Led by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the vision for the Great Lakes Way was developed by a team of regional stakeholders using SEMCOG's data resources.
1. Created a vision plan by obtaining a grant through the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (2).
2. Constructed a strategy that traverses along or through 30 different federal lands, including a national park, 15 state parks or state game/wildlife areas, two metro parks, and 90 county and city parks (1).
3. Selected 13 destinations in Detroit to represent cultural or historical significance, environmental or ecological significance, or recognized as regional icons (2).
4. Created a steering committee of 23 regional stakeholders (2).
5. Completed 156 miles of blueways and 160 miles of greenways in 2022 (1).
6. Utilized GIS to map the process of the Great Lakes Way (2).
7.Communities along the trail route were encouraged to provide additional input and get involved in educational activities
8. Furthering conservation through habitat rehabilitation and enhancement – green infrastructure, pollinator gardens, stopover habitats for birds, and spawning and nursery habitats for fishes – and creating wildlife corridors; (2)
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Communities near industrial areas
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Taskforce groups
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Great Lakes Way project is a collaborative effort involving government agencies and non-profit organizations. The City of Detroit, the National Parks Service, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the National Wildlife Federation are key government partners, with SEMCOG serving as a primary stakeholder, coordinating efforts across groups. Wayne County Parks is also actively involved.
Nonprofit partners include the Community Foundation, which provided initial outreach, facilitated partnerships, and grant funding. Friends of the Rouge, the Detroit Greenways Coalition, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, and Downriver Linked Greenways have all contributed, supporting various aspects from planning and greening to community engagement and funding. This united effort is creating a network of greenways and water trails to connect people with the Great Lakes region. (1, 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project is build off inspiration from the GreenWays Initiative (1). - Detroit
Sustainability Action Agenda (3))
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), City network or regional partnerships focused on climate change, sustainability, GI or NBS in the city
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public national budget
- Public regional budget
- Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Expected increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- Increase in GDP
- Expected increase in GDP
- More sustainable tourism
- Expected more sustainable tourism
- Increased property prices
- Expected increased property prices
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Achieved improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Expected increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Hartig, J. (2022). Discovering Metropolitan Detroit’s Wild Side Through The Great Lakes Way. [Source link];
2.
SEMCOG (n.d.). THE GREAT LAKES WAY. [Source link];
3.
City of Detroit (n.d.). Detroit Sustainability Action Agenda 2019. [Source link];
4.
United States Census Bureau (n.d.). Detroit City Census . [Source link];
5.
The Community Foundation (n.d.). THE GREAT LAKES WAY. [Source link];
The Great Lakes Way
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2e282f8be304e4cb18e21ffdd248704
The Great Lakes Way
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2e282f8be304e4cb18e21ffdd248704
The Great Lakes Way
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2e282f8be304e4cb18e21ffdd248704
The Great Lakes Way
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2e282f8be304e4cb18e21ffdd248704
The Great Lakes Way
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2e282f8be304e4cb18e21ffdd248704
The Great Lakes Way
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2e282f8be304e4cb18e21ffdd248704
The Great Lakes Way
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f2e282f8be304e4cb18e21ffdd248704
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.