Black Creek, Escatawpa River
In 2002, a private landowner donated an area of freshwater marsh along Black Creek to the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain (LTMCP). The land is home to over 30 osprey nests. The LTMCP plans to provide public access via a paddling trail and osprey viewing sites. For more information, visit the LTMCP’s website at http://ltmcp.org/black-creek-swamp.
Twelve Oaks, Ocean Springs
A 30-acre parcel was purchased by the LTMCP in 2005. The tract is home to three recreational trails, which weave through unique ecological treasures, such as a mature stand of live oaks and the tidal marshes of Old Fort Bayou. For more information, visit http://ltmcp.org/twelve-oaks.
Waterfront Park, Biloxi
The park, completed in 2014 along with the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum, offers a valuable component of water access to large groups and events. These types of venues provide valuable outlets for organizations or events that may wish to use the waterfront as a passive, visual amenity, but don’t envision any intense recreational activity taking place.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Blueways
Blueways are a unique way of fostering eco-tourism in areas where hydrology is the major driver of an area’s character. Blueways are essentially the aquatic equivalency of a walkway. Blueways enable public access by providing public wayfinding, launch points and other features intended to make recreational boating trips as user friendly as possible. For more information, visit the Heritage Trails Partnership of the Mississippi Gulf Coast website at http://www.gulfcoasttrails.org/home/trails/trails-by-type/blueway.