Several ongoing projects are encouraging paddlers to rediscover the river and experience the outdoors. The Kalamazoo River Watershed Heritage Water Trails www.kazoowatertrails.org will lead to improved river access and passage, recreational maps and guidebooks, and historical markers. Another effort involves developing a plan for river corridor protection, greener zoning, and desired access development and improvements.  And finally another group is building recreational land trails that will often run very near to surface waters and will further connect Kalamazoo River Valley communities www.kalcounty.com/parks/krvt.