Friends of Folsom Parkways is an organization that does what its name implies — works to keep the historic city’s parkways user friendly.

The nonprofit organization was founded in the late 1980s and works to raise awareness about Folsom’s parkways and enjoy the scenery while doing it.

“I travel quite a bit around the country and I have yet to see a city that has as marvelous trail system as we do here in Folsom — it is an absolute jewel,” said Jim Kirstein, 68, Friends of Folsom Parkways president.

Currently there are 30 miles of bike and walking trails throughout Folsom, and a lot more miles to go to reach the group’s overall goal.

“Our vision is to promote the usage, preservation and development of parkways within the city of Folsom,” Kirstein said.

Founding member Dick Merz, 79, explained that the group first began without trails in mind, only to preserve Folsom’s historic land.

While new development was occurring in Folsom in the late 1980s, Merz became the first president of the organization to bring up the concern of land preservation to the city council.

“We wanted to tell them our concern that nothing was being done to preserve the land. … I organized a group to stand on the side of a few specific new projects, and we won,” Merz said.

Merz said after their victory, members began discussing how nice it would be to have a few walking trails within the city to enjoy the scenery.

Between 1988 and 1991, the group worked to improve the land and save Folsom’s trees during the city’s rapid development.

“There were once many rows of trees, oak trees in particular, but when the development went in they would take every tree out,” Merz said. “Through our efforts the city adopted a tree ordinance … so we were able to save a lot of trees in Folsom.”

Next, Merz said, the organization focused on trails.

The group’s first trail to go into Folsom was the “Humbug Creek Trail” where the Lexington Hills Development was planned. Merz said that the organization did not want to stop the development, but wanted to include a trail into the required plans. The trail starts at the corner of Blue Ravine and Oak Avenue Parkway, follows Humbug Creek east and ends near Oak Chan Elementary School.

“Well, we got the trail and that got the ball rolling,” said Merz.

And the ball kept rolling for the Friends of the Folsom Parkways.

Soon after, developer Bill Parks came to the organization with trail questions for a new development he was planning called The Parkway Area.

“He was very interested in that area. They had done a lot of research on that land and found that it was one of the richest dredging areas in Folsom,” Merz said. “So we asked that they preserve the area and put in a trail through their property. And, thanks to Bill, they went along with almost everything that we asked from them.”

The Parkway Area trail became the first significant trail on the organization’s map.

With the successes, the city has gotten more on board with their efforts. The city has even hired a trail manager to write grants to build and preserve trails.

“Now that the trails are established, we are active in providing both programs and maintenance in the trail system,” Kirstein said.

To learn more about the Friends of Folsom Parkways, or join the nonprofit group, send questions or donations to Friends of Folsom Parkways, P.O. Box 1501, Folsom, CA 95763-1501.

“We are not just saving the community, we are enhancing the community,” Kirstein said.