METHODOLOGY
Public Sector Consultants Inc. (PSC), in partnership with MTGA, developed an extensive
This first phase of data collection was conducted from May 26 to June 16, 2006—
covering a period of approximately three weeks. At the end of this period, PSC had
received only six surveys, and the responses that were received had a great deal of
missing data. Staff at MTGA and PSC conducted follow-up phone calls to prompt greater
response. Trail managers were also asked to provide more detailed budget information
where possible. One limitation that this research encountered is that in many cases,
detailed budget information is not immediately available to trail managers because trail
maintenance is frequently part of a larger municipal, county, or state department budget.
By August 25, 2006, a total of 31 surveys had been collected representing a variety of
trails across the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The 31 trails are divided into three regions
of the state. These trails, by region, are as follows: