What is TREC?

Trail Recreation Effingham County (TREC) is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 2007, a year after the publication of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources funded Effingham County, Illinois Trails and Greenways Comprehensive Plan. TREC is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization.

More specifically, TREC’s purposes include:

  • Education of the public on matters relating to land use planning and conservation practices in the use and improvement of land, particularly with respect to multi-use trails and trail systems.
  • The physical improvement of trail systems through signage, trail construction, and maintenance operations.
  • Facilitating the acquisition and administration of trail easements by public agencies or by TREC’s direct acquisition of trail easements for the use and benefit of the public.
  • Trail advocacy.

A Public Trail System

The trail system as it now exists is primarily a public trail system forged through public / private partnerships between the City of Effingham, Effingham County, and TREC. Beginning in 2023, TREC began the development of a 53-acre parcel of land that TREC owned adjacent to the existing public trail system and the Little Wabash River, as a nature park. Among other things, the nature park will soon feature a two-mile all weather walking trail for public use within the confines of the park, that connects with the larger publicly owned trail system.

Recreational Opportunities

What has come to be known as the TREC trail system is a public trail system designed to create recreational opportunities. These trails provide an exceptional place for users to exercise, whether it is bicycling, rollerblading, running, or walking. The initial phase of the trail system was completed along a picturesque, abandoned roadbed in 2010, just three years after TREC was organized by some dedicated local citizens. Shortly after, the Ryan Wolters memorial bridge was completed to span the Little Wabash River and connect segments of the growing trail system. The John & Fran Schultz trestle bridge was completed in the fall of 2014. The completion of additional phases of planned construction has led to the steady expansion of the trail system. Now the trail system connects with the City of Effingham’s bike path network by way of the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 57 / 70. A large part of the trail system is handicap-accessible.

Maps

Trail maps are available on this website and at the Visit Effingham Office located at 201 E Jefferson Avenue, Effingham, Illinois.

TREC Officers & Directors

  • Maurice J. “Mo” Dust, President & Director
  • William W. Austin, Vice-President & Director
  • Gary J. Welton, Secretary & Director
  • Andrew J. Vogt, Treasurer & Director
  • Bradley L. Beesley, Director
  • Anne Marie Brummer, Director
  • Frank Brummer, Director
  • Karen Luchtefeld, Director
  • Larry Micenheimer, Director
  • Anthony Powers, Director
  • James Schultz, Director
  • Jodi Thoele, Director
  • Eric C. Zeller, Director