Great Springs Project w/ Garry Merritt (video available)

In this episode, I connect with Garry Merritt, CEO of the Great Springs Project, which is an amazing effort to preserve critical watershed lands through conservation while also creating a 100+ mile trail stretching from Austin to San Antonio and featuring many spurs and community connectivity.From the GSP website:"We still have an opportunity to conserve open space over the Edwards Aquifer and the life-sustaining waters that run through it. As one of the fastest growing regions in the U.S., those opportunities will become fewer and further between as development fills the open spaces between Austin and San Antonio. Establishing this green protected corridor will also allow for a trail network connecting people to nature, offering a vital community resource for community health, active transportation, outdoor recreation, flood protection, and economic development."Watch the video version of this episode to get the full effect.Or watch the shortened versionLanding page for the episodeHelpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel): - The Great Springs ProjectFour Easy Steps to Support My Efforts:1. Become an Active Towns Ambassador by "Buying Me a Coffee" or by pledging as little as $1 per month on Patreon2. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a "thumbs up," leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with a friend.3. Subscribe to the podcast on your preferred listening platform and the Active Towns YouTube Channel4. Pick up some Active Towns #StreetsAreForPeople Merch at my storeCredits:All video and audio production by John SimmermanMusic:Epidemic SoundResources used during the production of this episode:- My awesome recording platform is Ecamm- Adobe Creative Cloud SuiteFor more information about my Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit my links below:- Website- Twitter- Newsletter- Podcast landing pages- Facebook- InstagramBackground:Hi Everyone, my name is John Simmerman.I’m a health promotion professional with over 30 years of experience and my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization of how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.In 2012 I launched the non-profit Advocates for Healthy Communities as an effort to help promote and create healthy, active places.Since that time, I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be, in order to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."My Active Towns suite of channels feature my original video and audio content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.Thanks for tuning in; I hope you have found this content helpful.Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2022Advocates for Healthy Communities, Inc. is a nonprofit 501c3 organization (EIN 45-3802508) dedicated to helping communities create a Culture of Activity. To donate, click here. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★