EAST LANSING, Mich — The Red Cedar River, an iconic waterway running through the heart of Michigan State University's campus, is undergoing improvements to maximize its recreational potential while preserving its natural beauty.
- The Red Cedar River is an iconic waterway running through the heart of MSU's campus.
- MSU has recently allowed catch-and-release fishing along the river.
- University officials are working to prevent erosion and increase accessibility for water activities.
The river has long been a special place for students and community members, but for years, its full potential remained untapped.
WATCH: MSU working to transform iconic Red Cedar River into recreational hub for campus community
"It's so special to so many different people," said Matt Bailey, the landscape services manager at MSU.
Bailey, who sits on the Red Cedar River Stewardship and Recreation Committee, has been working with a team to find ways to preserve the river while expanding recreational opportunities.
"It really is a cool resource and it's something neat that not all universities have," Bailey said.
One of the recent changes includes allowing catch-and-release fishing along the river, which has proven popular.
"I've got a lot of cool pictures of kids catching some pretty big fish on campus, so it's been pretty neat," Bailey said.
The committee has also focused on preventing erosion along the river banks to preserve walking trails and has increased accessibility for kayaking and canoeing through the area.
Looking ahead, Bailey hopes to continue to expand recreation on the river.
"In the past there were tug o' wars, there were homecoming parades on the river, there were all kinds of events. A canoe library on the river and those kinds of things, and I want to bring some of that back and get people onto campus because it is a beautiful place," Bailey said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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