The planification and implementation of Tokai Nature Trail owed largely to the efforts of Michio OI, who was at the then National Park Department of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (later National Park Bureau of the Environment Agency).
東海自然歩道の、企画・実現には当時の厚生省国立公園部（後に環境庁国立公園局）に在籍していた大井道夫の尽力によるところが大きい。