July's Spotlight Organization is The Treeline Conservancy!
The Treeline Conservancy exists to foster the creation and sustainable maintenance of The Treeline-Allen Creek Urban Trail, an integral connector of people and places in Ann Arbor. The trail will: bring access to Ann Arbor’s river and park system through the heart of downtown along the alignment of historic Allen Creek; provide safe passage and recreation from the Border-to-Border Trail at Argo Dam to the UM Stadium area; invite community gathering and engagement with natural and cultural features; benefit current and future generations by providing positive economic impact, improved aesthetics, enriched community engagement, and improved stormwater quality.
Details
Events to support The Treeline Conservancy
Treeline Family Day
September 10, 2022
Watch the Treeline website and Facebook page for details on this upcoming Family Day event at their Test Trail site, 415 W. Washington Street!
Details about the Trail
The Treeline Conservancy is creating the Treeline–Allen Creek Urban Trail: a biking and walking trail through the heart of Ann Arbor. The Treeline will provide safe, non-motorized recreation and travel and address flooding issues associated with the now-buried Allen Creek. Originally called the Allen Creek Greenway, the idea for an urban trail and stormwater management improvements has been discussed for decades. Today, the Treeline Conservancy is leading the effort, in collaboration with the City of Ann Arbor, to bring the Treeline to life.
The Treeline will serve Ann Arbor’s 120,000 residents, all residents of Washtenaw County (total pop. 345,000), and many of the city’s 3.9 million annual visitors—anyone who walks, runs, skates, rides a bicycle, uses a wheelchair, or gets pushed in a stroller. The Trail will connect some of the city’s most densely populated neighborhoods, which are also home to most of the University of Michigan’s 45,000 students. The Treeline will provide access to the Border-to-Border Trail and Ann Arbor’s outstanding Huron River riverfront, parks, and downtown.
How can people help
Thank your elected representatives for their support of the Treeline and share your own enthusiasm! Financial contributions keep us moving forward, too: www.thetreeline.org/donate or click the donate button above!
Treeline is in need of gardening tools to help their volunteers keep the Test Trail and future segments free of invasive plants and ready to help the pollinators. Email them at [email protected] if you have rakes, trowels, weed-diggers, shovels, spades, mattocks, hoes, pruners, etc. in working order that you'd like to pass along.
They also need volunteers from time to time to help with site cleanup, mailings, and event assistance. Folks can sign up at thetreeline.org/engage.
Why Zingerman's loves Treeline
This fantastic organization is making our city a much more accessible and inviting place for those who opt to explore it on foot or by bicycle! This is an exciting prospect for our environment, for safety, and for making our hometown a little bit more fun to traverse outside of a motor vehicle. It will connect folks to some of the beautiful parks and unique places that make our town so special without adding more traffic. That feels like a win for everyone!