The Hoosier Hikers Council, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and local authorities have partnered on an ambitious project to create a 140-mile hiking trail in southern Indiana. State and national forests are being connected to form a continuous path from Martinsville, Indiana to Louisville, Kentucky. GIS and is being used in numerous facets of the trail’s ongoing planning, maintenance, and use.
The Monroe County Surveyor is using GIS to plan the Tecumseh Trail extension through an area with little public land by identifying potential sellers and easements, and communicating with the public.
To expand and maintain existing trails, DNR and the Hoosier Hikers Council coordinate monthly volunteer efforts on targeted areas, and track adopt-a-trail contributors.
Accurate maps are vital tools for support stations and emergency responders during the Tecumseh Trail Marathon, which attracts runners from all over the country.
Results
GIS helps stewards of Indiana’s parks and trails maximize their time, enhancing internationally recognized habitats more effectively, and improving the health and well-being of thousands of Hoosiers every year.
