Prudhvi Raj Doode was one of two engineering interns who rode every mile of greenway in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County this summer to capture photos of the paved trail surfaces. This data collection was the first step toward creating a standardized system to evaluate and monitor pavement conditions alongside all greenway maintenance partners. The goal: develop a uniform, preventative maintenance plan across the region to identify issues early, reduce repair costs, extend the trail’s lifespan, and ensure greenway users enjoy smoother walks and rides.

“This was not your typical engineering internship. It was great to work outdoors and ride all the greenways—except for a few really hot days! We had a four-month window to gather this data but quickly realized adjustments were needed to finish on time. Our solution? Helmet-mounted 360-degree GoPro cameras snapping 2 sec time lapse images. At day’s end, we aligned each picture to its exact map location. Using the PASER pavement evaluation method, we graded each mile on a 1-10 scale, checking for cracks, potholes, drainage, flaking, chipping, and other surface issues. It was a true team effort, and we completed the project in just two months instead of four!

“I’m proud to have contributed to a project that will support long-term maintenance of these vital regional trails. It also helped me refine my career goals. Once I complete my Master of Science in Civil Engineering, I aim to find a role that combines creativity, environmental stewardship, and community-focused engineering.”

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See our calendar event here!

What is a Bioblitz? A Bioblitz is when teams of scientists, students, and community members work together to identify and record as many living species (plants, trees, lichens, mosses, bugs, bees, lizards etc.) as possible within a specific area over a specific time frame. It’s a fun and engaging way to learn about local biodiversity and contribute to scientific research. This not only helps community members grow their appreciation for nature in their own “backyard,” but can also help drive conservation and land management decisions, understanding of local diversity, and possibly even discover a new species!

Two Ways to Participate:

Participate your way by collecting data on iNaturalist anytime on your own on September 20, or by signing up for expert led sessions guided by experts throughout the day. Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or just curious about nature, your observations will contribute to valuable conservation research.

Expert led sessions (schedule may be adjusted slightly, we may also add concurrent sessions):

• Birds: 7am-9am
• Insects & pollinators: 9am-11am
• Herbaceous & fungi: 11am-1pm
• Trees & shrubs: 1pm-3pm
• Aquatic animals: 3pm-5pm
• Reptiles & amphibians: 5pm-7pm
• Mammals: 7pm-9pm
• Nighttime Insects and Pollinators: 7pm-9pm

This event is free and open to the public. This event has options for all ages and experience levels. Come explore, discover, and make a difference!

Meet at the Mysun Charitable Foundation Trailhead (by Orlando’s) –4379 Hoffmeister Ave, St. Louis, MO 63125

The post Bioblitz on Gravois Greenway: Grant’s Trail appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.

Xiao and his son Caden Liu have visited many different greenways this summer by attending our Sunset and Snowcones events. “I’ve been walking on trails in St. Louis for the past fifteen years and just now learning that many of them are greenways,” said Xiao. “Wow, there’s a lot of greenways! And they’re next to big rivers,” said Caden. “I told him to look at the trees and not the phone,” said Xiao. “He almost forgot about Sunset and Snowcones today, but I reminded him,” said Caden.

The post Meet Xiao and his son Caden Liu appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.

Great Rivers Greenway, (GRG) the public agency behind the St. Louis region’s extensive greenway trail network, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. Created by a public vote on November 7, 2000, GRG has spent the past quarter-century bringing the community’s vision to life by connecting people to nature, to one another, and to places that matter, one mile at a time. 

Great Rivers Greenway is one of the only greenway projects in the United States that spans three counties and 120 municipalities, demonstrating a rare and sustained level of regional cooperation. GRG’s inception began with the passage of Proposition C in November 2000, which came from the community engagement surrounding the St. Louis 2004 civic effort, to both create a dedicated funding stream and establish the agency’s mandate.

That vote sparked a movement to build accessible, vibrant outdoor spaces that improve daily life in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and also created a similar agency and trail network in Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois. Since 2000, the average St. Louisan has invested just less than 50 cents/month (less than $6/year) toward the network of greenways and parks to make the region even more vibrant, connected, resilient, and competitive.

Thanks to the 25 years of turning community input into collective impact, the greenway system today features 140 miles of paved pathways, bringing neighborhoods together and giving more people safe places to walk, bike, run, and roll whether they’re exercising, commuting or making memories. Highlights:

• 22 continuous miles of River des Peres Greenway to Gravois Greenway (Grant’s Trail), plus popular greenways Fee Fee Greenway into Creve Coeur Park and Dardenne Greenway in St. Charles County.
• In 2013, voters reaffirmed their support by passing Proposition P, extending funding for the greenways and supporting the CityArchRiver Project.
• The Great Rivers Greenway Foundation, created in 2016, lets philanthropic support deepen impact. 
• Greenway visits increased by 50% in 2020 and remain high, with over three million trips counted in 2024, showing how deeply these spaces have become part of daily life.

25^th Anniversary Plans
GRG has planned anniversary celebrations big and small throughout the summer and fall, including partnerships with other area organizations, greenway selfie stations, family-friendly activities, and in-person exhibits that celebrate the people and partnerships behind greenways. Highlights include: 

Community Dinner – The Great Gather Round
Great Rivers Greenway will take over the street surrounding the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park (at the St. Vincent Greenway) from 4:30-7pm on Monday, September 15^th to make room for a 1,500-foot community dinner table and chairs. The Great Gather Round will feature local DJs, free mini cupcakes from SweetArt for everyone, and local food trucks. Guests can also bring their own feast. More info at www.GreatRiversGreenway.org/gather.

Bingo Cards 
Greenways fans can pick up special 25^th anniversary bingo cards at GRG’s office, events, programs, or online at www.GreatRiversGreenway.org/bingo. Players will hunt for special sights along the greenways to mark off their cards, turning them in for special limited-edition greenway stickers (each bingo), tote bags (full card) and a few grand prize packs.

Greenway Challenge
A brand new, online interactive game coming in September will challenge St. Louisans to work at Great Rivers Greenway – can you bring a greenway project to life on time, on budget, with as much impact as possible for your community? Players pick their setting (urban, suburban or rural), find partners, and get to work. Make critical decisions at each stage of the process, from community engagement to planning/design to construction, then ongoing operations and maintenance.

Collaborative Art Initiative with Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis 
The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC), the leading catalyst for arts and culture in St. Louis, is also marking an anniversary this year, their 40^th. To celebrate, GRG and RAC’s Community Arts Training Cohort program have developed two events celebrating and supporting the arts in St. Louis. Community members can mark their calendars for an arts and wellness festival along the St. Vincent Greenway in St. Vincent Park on September 13 and an arts and community resources festival along the Mississippi Greenway on September 27. 

Civic Panel with FOCUS St. Louis
Stay tuned for more details on this joint program in early November, where a panel of both national and local experts will discuss “The Civic Power of Greenways: 25 Years of Trust, Trails, & Transformation”.

“When we look back on 25 years, what stands out is how people came together around a shared vision and stuck with it,” said Dr. Bernard J. DuBray, current Board President, serving since 2009. “These greenways are not just trails. They are places where neighbors meet, kids learn to explore, and communities reconnect. What started as an idea has truly become a way of life, and we’re proud of what we’ve built together.” 

Great Rivers Greenway Impact
Great Rivers Greenway plays a much bigger role than recreation alone. The agency has helped lead regional efforts such as the $380 million CityArchRiver Project, which reconnected Gateway Arch National Park to the riverfront, and the creation of Trojan Park in Wellston, Missouri on the St. Vincent Greenway, which earned the 2020 Urban Open Space Award for its impact and design.

Greenways also support property values, attract development, improve air and water quality, and bring more green space to areas that need it most. Great Rivers Greenway actively restores habitats, implements effective stormwater management, and creates places where people can gather and feel deeply connected to their community, such as the new destination park at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.

Looking Ahead
Great Rivers Greenway continues to build the next chapter. Mark Perkins begins August 4^th as the third CEO of the organization, following Susan Trautman’s long-planned retirement. Next year will begin the every-five-year process to update the strategic plan with public engagement.

Seven projects in the next few years will feature bridges to further connect communities. Brickline Greenway, the 10-mile project in the City of St. Louis connecting four anchor parks and 14 neighborhoods, is underway, with the fundraising campaign at 62% to goal, and is on track to finish in 2030. Designed to support inclusive economic development, it reflects the agency’s growing role in shaping a more connected and resilient region and is a key component in Greater St. Louis, Inc.’s 2030 Jobs Plan. With a long-term plan to build 600 miles of greenways, Great Rivers Greenway remains committed to making the St. Louis region a healthier, more vibrant place to live for generations to come. 

“This anniversary is a reminder of how much we can accomplish when we work together across our region and listen to our community,” said Mark Perkins, incoming CEO at Great Rivers Greenway. “The greenways we’ve built are only the beginning. We’re excited for what the next 25 years will bring.” 

To learn more about the anniversary events, explore greenways near you, or get involved, visit www.GreatRiversGreenway.org/2025  or follow @GreatRiversSTL on social media.

The post 25 Years, 140 Miles, 250 Partners Across 3 Counties: Great Rivers Greenway Marks Regional Milestone appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.

More than 550 participants have joined us across the Busch, Dardenne, Fee Fee, Meramec, Mississippi, Missouri, Sunset, and St. Vincent Greenways on an incredible journey of learning, community, and discovering the amazing birdlife along the greenways.

Come celebrate with us!

• Dardenne Greenway Beginner Birdwatching – Sept 13
• Mississippi Greenway Beginner Birdwatching – Sept 20

Curious about all 100 bird species we’ve spotted? Check out the full list below and see who’s been singing along the greenways. How many birds species have you seen on the greenways?

A very special thanks to our teammate Tiffany Clinton for being part of this birdwatching on the greenways video!

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Redstart
4. American Robin
5. Bald Eagle
6. Baltimore Oriole
7. Barn Swallow
8. Barred Owl
9. Bay-Breasted Warbler
10. Belted Kingfisher
11. Blackburnian Warbler
12. Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
13. Blue Jay
14. Blue Winged Teal
15. Brown-Headed Cowbird
16. Brown Thrasher
17. Canada Goose
18. Carolina Chickadee
19. Carolina Wren
20. Cedar Waxwing
21. Chestnut-sided Warbler
22. Chimney Swift
23. Chipping Sparrow
24. Cliff Swallow
25. Common Grackle
26. Common Nighthawk
27. Cooper’s Hawk
28. Dark-Eyed Junco
29. Dickcissel
30. Double-Crested Cormorant
31. Downy Woodpecker
32. Eastern Bluebird
33. Eastern Kingbird
34. Eastern Phoebe
35. Eastern Towhee
36. Eastern Wood-Peewee
37. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
38. European Starling
39. Fish Crow
40. Gray Catbird
41. Great Blue Heron
42. Great Crested Flycatcher
43. Great Egret
44. Great Horned Owl
45. Greater White-Fronted Goose
46. Hairy Woodpecker
47. House Finch
48. House Sparrow
49. Indigo Bunting
50. Killdeer
51. Least Flycatcher
52. Lincoln’s Sparrow
53. Louisiana Waterthrush
54. Magnolia Warbler
55. Mallard
56. Mourning Dove
57. Nashville Warbler
58. Northern Cardinal
59. Northern Flicker
60. Northern Mockingbird
61. Northern Parula
62. Northern Rough-Winged Swallow
63. Northern Waterthrush
64. Orange-Crowned Warbler
65. Orchard Oriole
66. Palm Warbler
67. Peregrine Falcon
68. Pie-Billed Grebe
69. Pileated Woodpecker
70. Prothonotary Warbler
71. Purple Martin
72. Red-Bellied Woodpecker
73. Red-Breasted Nuthatch
74. Red-Eyed Vireo
75. Red-Headed Woodpecker
76. Red-Shouldered Hawk
77. Red-Tailed Hawk
78. Red-Winged Blackbird
79. Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
80. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
81. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
82. Snowy Egret
83. Song Sparrow
84. Summer Tanager
85. Swainson’s Thrush
86. Tennessee Warbler
87. Tree Swallow
88. Tufted Titmouse
89. Turkey Vulture
90. Veery
91. Warbling Vireo
92. White-Breasted Nuthatch
93. White-Crowned Sparrow
94. White-Eyed Vireo
95. White-Throated Sparrow
96. Wood Duck
97. Wood Thrush
98. Yellow-Billed Cuckoo
99. Yellow-Rumped Warbler
100. Yellow-Throated Warbler

The post 100th Bird Species Observed at Greenway Beginner Birdwatching appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.

The Board of Directors at Great Rivers Greenway (GRG) has named lifelong public servant Mark Perkins as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the public agency. Perkins, who has been the city administrator for Creve Coeur, Missouri, since 1999, will join the GRG team on August 4. He will be the third leader of the agency, which was formed by a vote of the people in November 2000 to connect three counties and 120 towns with a network of greenways.

“We are thrilled that Mark Perkins, a strong leader with decades of proven executive experience, will take the helm at Great Rivers Greenway,” said Dr. Bernard J. DuBray, President of the GRG Board of Directors and head of the search committee. “His work demonstrates he’s a regional thinker who gets things done, and that’s what we’re all about.”

Perkins has significant experience in administering public investment, championing civic engagement and infrastructure projects, collaborating both across the region and through public-private partnerships, and leading a strategic vision with a large, dynamic team.

“The vision of building a regional greenway system is both inspiring and deeply meaningful to me; it’s an honor to be part of something with such long-term impact,” said Perkins. “I’ll focus first on listening and learning to identify key challenges and opportunities, including expanding and deepening partnerships.”

The thorough search process began last fall following the announcement of 15-year CEO Susan Trautman’s retirement, and now concludes during the agency’s 25^th anniversary year. GRG has grown significantly since its inception, now with 135 miles of greenways, more than 40 full-time staff members, a 501(c)(3) foundation, a second tax levy passed in 2013, and major public-private partnership success. Perkins joins in time to guide the fifth update to the agency’s overall strategic plan (done with community engagement every five years), complete the Brickline Greenway project in 2030 and the opportunity to renew one tax levy through a public vote in 2033.

“What struck me most about Mark throughout the search process is that he is a listener, a collaborator and an excellent steward of public funds,” said Michelle Bock, GRG Chief Operating Officer and staff representative on the search committee.

Beyond strategic planning and implementation, Perkins’ accomplishments include cooperating across neighboring communities to form both a regional health self-insurance cooperative and a multi-city public safety dispatch agency to reduce costs; securing Creve Coeur’s status as one of only three Missouri cities with an S&P Triple-A bond rating; and collaborating on the creation of the 39 North AgTech Innovation District. He serves on several regional boards, including as a rate commissioner for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and a city liaison for 39 North. A credentialed and award-winning city manager, Perkins holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration, both from the University of Kansas.

“This professional opportunity also comes with a lifelong personal passion for the work,” said Perkins. “I was fortunate to grow up in a Kansas City community with a greenway system—it was where my friends and I rode bikes, explored, and built lasting memories. Later, I lived near a multi-community trail in the Chicago area that followed a rail line, which deepened my appreciation for how greenways enhance quality of life and contribute to economic vitality. I’m excited to champion this regional vision as it continues to make a lasting impact for generations to come.”

The post Mark Perkins Selected to Serve as New CEO for Great Rivers Greenway appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.

With 135 miles (and counting) of greenways interconnecting our St. Louis region, keeping those spaces clean, functional, and accessible for our community is a significant undertaking which involves non-stop collaboration between municipalities, counties, private stakeholders, and hundreds of individuals. While our main charge is to build the network of greenways, hundreds of partners take on the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the greenways once they’re built. As Vice President of Greenway Operations at Great Rivers Greenway, it’s the job of my team to direct this incredible orchestra and ensure greenway users can have the same high-quality experience each time they visit the network. We work collaboratively with our partners day in and day out to make good on our promise to the community; to provide a space everyone can feel comfortable enjoying.

Planning For Success

Because the greenways cross back and forth over neighborhood, ward, city and county jurisdictions from the Chain of Rocks Park to Meramec Greenway to the Main Streets of St. Charles and beyond, a major element of our role is working with different partners during the greenway planning process to understand what parts of the long-term care they have the capacity to undertake and where GRG may need to step in to support. Two of the most significant tools we’ve developed to support our partners are the cost and care guidelines, detailing the forecasted capital and physical upkeep commitments greenways will require over time to maintain the quality our community has come to expect.

These guidelines were developed with input from the entire agency and select partners to establish standards of what the community deserves. You expect the grass to be mowed, the plants to be in good health, and litter to be in the trash can. By setting that standard, we can develop a baseline of what the cost is to consistently meet this standard of care and the hours a week, a month, a year required to achieve it. As a maintenance plan, it provides a timetable to know when elements are reaching the expected end of their lifespan, a roadmap to the regular maintenance schedule, and more for groups less versed in the long-term operational needs of a greenway.

Additionally, we have developed proprietary computer software that allows us to leverage and share data over time to produce more accurate forecasts on the capital and labor costs to come. In turn, it helps us better inform new and existing partners about future needs and maintenance trends.

Communal Knowledge

Another way we work to support our partner groups is through training sessions hosted throughout the year. We can share our expertise or bring in other experts on subjects such as stormwater management, native plant care, rain garden design, and more depending on the season and needs of our partners. These workshops, which rarely have open seats, help empower our partners to operate their portions of greenways more independently as well as apply their learnings to other areas in their jurisdictions. Just like the greenway network is a resource for the community, my team and I are a resource for our partners. Hundreds of people have participated in our training sessions since we began offering them more than six years ago and we are excited to keep them going.

Network Building

For most in the community, the total mileage of greenways constructed or longest consecutive stretches aren’t top of mind. They are a testament to this agency’s progress since its founding in 2000, but from a holistic stance, they are a measuring stick as we work to establish the network as active transportation choices. We hope that as more greenways are opened with a broader reach, residents and visitors will begin to see the greenways as an alternative to cars in short-distance travel situations.

To be relied upon as a part of community members’ daily lives, GRG needs to affirm confidence that greenways will be consistently accessible. To support this, we have developed a first-of-its-kind inspection program to evaluate the structural integrity of pedestrian bridges on a regular and ongoing basis. The process was developed in partnership with a local engineering firm and several partner agencies. The ongoing inspections have in large part been conducted annually by professional volunteers who have donated their time and expertise to ensure that the nearly 90 pedestrian bridges in the GRG network are fit for their daily visitors. This is another way we’ve taken some of the load from our partners who do day-to-day operations and maintenance.

Be a Part of Something Great

The care and maintenance of our beautiful greenways is something the entire regional community can take pride in and be a part of. There are so many ways to get involved and help care for our greenways including trash/graffiti clean ups, invasive species removal, tree planting, mulching, and so much more. Financial giving through the Great Rivers Greenway Foundation is another great way for individuals and organizations alike to get involved but the most important thing you as a resident can do is to get out and enjoy a greenway. Experience the network for yourself and take advantage of the programming available in your area. The greenways are for everyone, and we hope you find the ones you like best. You can find a map of all the existing greenways and those still to come on our website linked here.

The post Making the Greenways What Greenways Should Be, Together appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.

What does Blomstre mean?  It is a Norwegian word that means “bloom.”

Where did the artist, Andrew Andrasko, get the bicycle parts? St. Louis Bicycle Works generously donated all of the bicycle parts for the sculpture!

Who commissioned the sculpture? The City of St. Charles Parks & Recreation Department.

The post The 30 Foot Flower in the Boschert Greenway appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.

The OLC is a paid, green education workforce development initiative in partnership with Great Rivers Greenway and the Missouri Botanical Garden’s EarthWays Center. There are two cohorts each year that gain hands-on skills as they help maintain the greenways.

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s Outdoor Leadership Corps made a big impact around the greenways this spring despite all the rainy days! The hardworking crew hacked honeysuckle, pruned trees, seeded woodlands, and planted trees along nine different greenways. We appreciate all their hard work and dedication to make the greenways greener! Here’s a quick snapshot of their impact:

• Managed 1.6 acres of invasives in woodlands
• Removed 2.37 cubic yards of trash from public lands and waterways
• Seeded one acre of woodlands with a native grass and wildflower mix
• Planted 30 trees along the Dardenne Greenway and 62 native plants.
• Helped clear honeysuckle along Deer Creek Greenway to prep the site for the new Oxford Bend Park installation.
• Supported Great Rivers Greenway spring cutbacks and honeysuckle removals days by teaching volunteers about safety and plant identification

The post Thank You Spring 2025 Cohort of Outdoor Leadership Corps! appeared first on Great Rivers Greenway.