June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Outline of topics: Outline of topics: Newaygo County vitals Newaygo County vitals Brooks Township natural features Brooks Township natural features Brooks Township Land Use Vision : an example of community-based planning Brooks Township Land Use Vision : an example of community-based planning Coolbough Natural Areas – Community Forest Coolbough Natural Areas – Community Forest

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan N

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Area population growth Area population growth ( ) Source: U.S. Census Bureau U.S. grew 13.2% U.S. grew 13.2% Michigan grew 6.9% Michigan grew 6.9% Newaygo County grew 25.3% Newaygo County grew 25.3% Brooks Township grew 34.6% Brooks Township grew 34.6%

June 2005 Conference

Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Hess Lake

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Muskegon River

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Mission statement Mission statement To serve township citizens while protecting the environment and our way of life Adopted Mar 26, 1997

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Brooks Township Land Use Vision (LUV) Brooks Township Land Use Vision (LUV) Mar 1998: initial public meetings Mar 1998: initial public meetings Mar to Dec 1998: sub-committee activity Mar to Dec 1998: sub-committee activity Dec 1998: draft LUV presented to public Dec 1998: draft LUV presented to public Mar 1999: LUV published Mar 1999: LUV published Nov 1999: obtained FACF grant & formed implementation steering committee Nov 1999: obtained FACF grant & formed implementation steering committee Mar 2000: hired Project Coordinator for implementation Mar 2000: hired Project Coordinator for implementation Apr 2001: obtained second FACF grant Apr 2001: obtained second FACF grant Sep 2002: Project Coordinator’s tenure ended Sep 2002: Project Coordinator’s tenure ended Present: sustainability !!!! Present: sustainability !!!!

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan LUV Participants LUV Participants Brooks Township residents & landowners Brooks Township residents & landowners Hess, Brooks & Emerald/ Sylvan Lake Associations Hess, Brooks & Emerald/ Sylvan Lake Associations Grand Valley State University Grand Valley State University MDEQ Surface Water Division MDEQ Surface Water Division Natural Resources Conservation Service Natural Resources Conservation Service U.S. Forest Service U.S. Forest Service MDNR Forest Management Division MDNR Forest Management Division Timberland R.C. & D. Timberland R.C. & D.

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan LUV Participants (cont’d ) LUV Participants (cont’d ) Michigan Nature Association Michigan Nature Association Newaygo Conservation District Newaygo Conservation District The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy Michigan Natural Features Inventory Michigan Natural Features Inventory Brooks Township Planning Commission Brooks Township Planning Commission Brooks Township Board Brooks Township Board

June 2005 Conference Initial Public Meetings March 28, 1998 Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Rivers, Lakes, Wetlands Forests, Prairies, Barrens Trash & Recreational Impacts Committees (Areas of concern)

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Trash in National Forest

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Process Process Targets Targets Threats Threats Strategies Strategies

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Desired outcomes Desired outcomes Create ecological map Create ecological map Organize cadre of committed residents Organize cadre of committed residents Further relationship between local government and conservation partners Further relationship between local government and conservation partners Document process as template for replication Document process as template for replication

June 2005 Conference Published March 1999

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Summary of recommendations (72) Summary of recommendations (72) Community Education (27) Community Education (27) Voluntary participation of landowners (17) Voluntary participation of landowners (17) Regulatory strategies Regulatory strategies Land management Land management Miscellaneous Miscellaneous

June 2005 Conference

Leverage $60,000 in grants from Fremont Area Community Foundation for implementation $60,000 in grants from Fremont Area Community Foundation for implementation $667,000 grant from Michigan DNR Recreation Trust Fund for Coolbough Natural Areas $667,000 grant from Michigan DNR Recreation Trust Fund for Coolbough Natural Areas Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Keys to success Keys to success Shared vision & shared values Shared vision & shared values Cultivate desire to participate & sense of community Cultivate desire to participate & sense of community Professional & non-threatening communicators Professional & non-threatening communicators Respect: Respect: Differences of opinion Differences of opinion Property rights Property rights Livelihood or investment Livelihood or investment “Market” function of local government “Market” function of local government Celebrate achievements Celebrate achievements

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan 400 acre Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Property Description Property Description White pine-white oak forests White pine-white oak forests Remnants of dry sand prairie Remnants of dry sand prairie Coolbough and Bigelow Creek trout streams Coolbough and Bigelow Creek trout streams 3.5 acre pond 3.5 acre pond 7 acres of wetlands 7 acres of wetlands

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Natural Resources Protection Natural Resources Protection Rare plant communities: white pine-white oak forests & dry sand prairies Rare plant communities: white pine-white oak forests & dry sand prairies Federally endangered Karner blue butterfly Federally endangered Karner blue butterfly State threatened: Great Plains spittlebug, Ottoe skipper & Persius dusky butterflies, red-shouldered hawk & prairie smoke State threatened: Great Plains spittlebug, Ottoe skipper & Persius dusky butterflies, red-shouldered hawk & prairie smoke State special concern: wood turtle and frosted elfin & Henry’s elfin butterflies State special concern: wood turtle and frosted elfin & Henry’s elfin butterflies

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Property Acquisition Property Acquisition Elements of cost totaling $889k Elements of cost totaling $889k 320 acre Koetje tract appraised at $700k 320 acre Koetje tract appraised at $700k 80 acre existing TNC tract appraised at $140k (donated & applied toward minimum 25% local match) 80 acre existing TNC tract appraised at $140k (donated & applied toward minimum 25% local match) $49k in associated purchase costs $49k in associated purchase costs Michigan DNR Recreation Trust Fund Grant of $667k (75% of $889k project costs) Michigan DNR Recreation Trust Fund Grant of $667k (75% of $889k project costs) Cash balance by TNC Cash balance by TNC Result: Brooks Township acquired 400 acres of environmentally significant land with no money paid or owed! Result: Brooks Township acquired 400 acres of environmentally significant land with no money paid or owed!

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Property Management Property Management Binding Management Agreement between Brooks Township and The Nature Conservancy Binding Management Agreement between Brooks Township and The Nature Conservancy Description of permitted & prohibited uses Description of permitted & prohibited uses Master Plan for development/improvements Master Plan for development/improvements Defined role of each partner Defined role of each partner Property management by an Environmental Commission with representation from: Property management by an Environmental Commission with representation from: The Nature Conservancy (2) The Nature Conservancy (2) Brooks Township (2) Brooks Township (2) U.S. Forest Service (1) U.S. Forest Service (1) Land Conservancy of W Michigan (1) Land Conservancy of W Michigan (1) At-large (1) At-large (1)

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Capital Improvements Capital Improvements Initial funding of $17k in 2002 Initial funding of $17k in 2002 Brooks Township Brooks Township The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy Friends of Coolbough Natural Areas & Friends of Coolbough Natural Areas & Matching funds from Fremont Area Community Foundation Matching funds from Fremont Area Community Foundation Brooks Township $5k/yr and TNC with in-kind and management costs Brooks Township $5k/yr and TNC with in-kind and management costs Improvements Improvements Signage Signage Hiking paths Hiking paths Bridle paths Bridle paths Parking lot Parking lot Barriers to motorized vehicles Barriers to motorized vehicles

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Coolbough Natural Areas

June 2005 Conference Coolbough Natural Areas: Community Forest Brooks Township, Michigan Contact information Contact information Dale Black, Supervisor Brooks Township 490 Quarterline Rd POB 625 Newaygo, MI Website: