Grants: Land Use

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University Center Trail

Oct 2007

The project requested initial cash investment in a proposed non-motorized trail between Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University. This trail appeared as a priority in the Saginaw/Bay/Midland Greenways plan that was funded by WIN in 2005. The funding will match additional grants that are required for this $1.5 million non-motorized route.

Metamore Horse Country Project

May 2007

Located in parts of Lapeer and Oakland Counties, the Metamora “Horse Country” region encompasses approximately 60 square miles. This project implemented components of the GLS Greenlink Plan (funded in part by WIN) by protecting critical natural areas, agricultural land, and connection between them primarily by the use of conservation easements. This area is currently under development pressure by the metro Flint and Detroit areas. This project is unique because it focused on a distinct part of the community – horse owners- who also own a majority of the land available for conservation. This project funded forums, planning activities, outreach and education.

Genesee County Land Bank Clean and Green Program

May 2007

The Genesee County Land Bank (GCLB) assembles tax-reverted land for transfer to adjacent homeowners, develops long and short-term green spaces, and assembles land for new housing and commercial development. The objective is to restore the integrity of the community by removing dilapidated structures and redeveloping abandoned properties. The Land Bank encourages re-use of more than 4,000 residential, commercial, and industrial properties that it has acquired through the tax foreclosure process. The Clean and Green Program works with community groups to support the maintenance of these reverted properties and prepare them for productive use. The “adopt a lot” process provides small grants to established neighborhood groups to assist in the maintenance of these properties. WIN funding expanded this effort beyond simple maintenance and into innovative demonstration projects such as phytoremediation, vegetable gardens, rain gardens, tree nursery, and turf alternatives.

Southern Lakes Planning Initiative

Apr 2006

This project, located in Genesee County, was a planning and regional cooperation initiative designed to better coordinate land use planning across local government jurisdictions. This area, known as the “Lakes Region” includes the communities of Linden and Fenton, as well as the Townships of Mundy, Fenton, Argentine and Tyrone. This effort inventoried land use in the region, develop strategies for managing growth, develop a steering committee made up of representatives of the affected communities, and gradually move toward the creation of an area-wide land use plan and strategy.

Bay County Farmland Preservation Program

Nov 2005

This project coordinated and developed a Farmland Preservation Program for Bay County. Led by a steering committee consisting of both rural and urban interests, this project established the mechanism by which Bay County can potentially preserve high quality farmland through a variety of market mechanisms such as the purchase of development rights. Currently, many farmers are facing escalating lad prices and pressure to sell their land to developers, which can result in “urban sprawl”, loss of community character, and adverse environmental consequences. This project help Bay County plan for the protection of high quality areas, while at the same time identify areas where development may make sense.

Bay County Farmland Preservation Program

Oct 2005

This project coordinated and developed a Farmland Preservation Program for Bay County. Led by a steering committee consisting of both rural and urban interests, this project established the mechanism by which Bay County can potentially preserve high quality farmland through a variety of market mechanisms such as the purchase of development rights. Currently, many farmers are facing escalating lad prices and pressure to sell their land to developers, which can result in “urban sprawl”, loss of community character, and adverse environmental consequences. This project help Bay County plan for the protection of high quality areas, while at the same time identify areas where development may make sense.

Urban and Community Forestry/Saginaw Bay Watershed Region

Jun 2005

This project, developed by Global ReLeaf of Michigan, propsed to support and grow a network of communities in the Saginaw Bay Region that are focused on maintaining and establishing urban tree programs. This grant supported quarterly meetings for watershed communites, provision of technical assstance to communites, the utilization for native and local provenance trees for street tree replacement and park plantings, and the engagement of volunteers in tree inventories, tree boards, and tree plantings.

Chippewa Trail

Jun 2005

Proposed by the Chippewa Nature Center, this project provided support for the Chippewa Trail which was constructed adjacent to the Chippewa Nature Center and City of Midland property and connects Downtown Midland with the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail. This project was built on recommendations published in Saginaw Bay Greenways Collaborative’s Vision of Green report. This trail includes interpretive stations that discuss economic, environmental, and community issues related to the area that the trail traverses.

Tittabawassee River Watershed Priority Conservation Land Assessment

Oct 2004

The Little Forks Conservancy developed a green infrastructure based strategy for the identification of priority conservation lands within the Tittabawassee River Watershed. A steering committee made up of members of land conservancies working in this region provided project direction and input based on the working priorities and strategies employed by their respective organizations, while facilitation and strategic visioning was guided by members of the National Park Service RTCA program. The development and need for a green infrastructure based strategy was driven by the diverse needs of these conservancies and the need for a cooperative, systemic approach to resource protection in the Tittabawassee basin. Utilizing the principles of green infrastructure, a strategy was developed that allowed regional conservation organizations to evaluate potential protection projects against an overall planned preservation framework while taking into account relative risk of development. Such a strategy can be used on a broad scale to target the most logical properties to protect, and on a much smaller scale for a detailed site analysis of individual ecoblocks. Geographic Information Systems and other planning information systems, utilized in conjunction with the goals and operating strategies of the collaborating organizations, were the predominant tools used in creation of this strategy.

Green Infrastructure GIS Development

Oct 2001

This project was a subset of three ongoing projects in the Saginaw Bay region: Saginaw Bay Greenways Collaborative, Ducks Unlimited Habitat Evaluation Network (HEN), and associated planning at East Central Michigan Planning & Development Region. The project created three Geographic Information System (GIS)layers for the 22-couty Saginaw Bay Watershed. To aid regional planning, these layers are be identified as Conservation and Recreational Lands, Part 361 Agricultural Easements, and Water Bodies.

Pere Marquette Rail Trail Event (Spring 2002)

Sep 2001

The Little Forks Conservancy is held this event to highlight conservation values associated with land and water resources adjacent to the Pere Marquette Rail Trail in Midland County The event was designed to bring awareness to the land use surrounding the trail . The project discussed the importance and opportunities available for additional land conservation to enhance the rail trail and the community’s quality of life. Six to ten educational stations, discussing a variety of topics, were located along the trail on the day of the event.

Saginaw Bay Greenways Collaborative

May 2001

This project developed a greenways vision plan for Bay, Midland and Saginaw Counties that can be eventually expanded watershed-wide. Similar to efforts conducted in Northwest Michigan and Southeast Michigan, the formation of a greenways vision involved an extensive public involvement process whereby information was gathered and analyzed regarding existing and future non-motorized transportation facilities as well as cultural, recreational, environmental, economic, developmental and agricultural resources. Geographic Information Systems databases were utilized, allowing for the analysis of information gathered, and the establishment of alternative greenways network scenarios, highlighting key properties and corridors. A complete public involvement education plan was developed. Partners included Little Forks Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy, Bay, Midland & Saginaw County Planning and Parks, Bay and Midland Area Community Foundations, MSU, Midland Conservation District, National Park Service, The Conservation Fund and others.