MICHIGAN’S COASTAL AND ESTUARINE LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM (CELCP) Alisa Gonzales-Pennington Matt Warner Michigan Coastal Management Program Environmental Sciences and Services Division Department of Environmental Quality Coastal Wetlands Funding Needs March 25, 2008

Presentation Overview  Introduction to CELCP  History/Background – Michigan’s Involvement in CELCP  Michigan’s Model CELCP Plan  Seven Mile Point Acquisition  RFP For FY 2009 Projects

Introduction to CELCP Federal Level  Established 2002; Protect coastal and estuarine lands with significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical or aesthetic values or threatened by conversion.  Purchase Conservation Easements or Fee Simple Lands.  Priority to lands that can be effectively managed.  Must ensure conservation in perpetuity.  1:1 Non-federal match required (cash or in-kind; value of donated lands/services).

State CELCP Plans  Eligible States: Approved CZM Plans or National Estuarine Research Reserves.  Plans - simple and concise.  Make use of work already done.  Eligibility in FY 09 competition requires a draft state plan.  Plan must include:  Geographic extent  Type of land/values to be protected  Existing plans incorporated by reference  Eligible applicants  Project review/prioritization process

Michigan’s Model CELCP Plan

 Eligible applicants:  State of Michigan Departments  County Governments  Township Governments  City, Town, or Village Governments  Conservation Districts  Tribal Governments  State Colleges and Universities

Michigan’s CELCP Program Purpose  Encourage working partnerships: public, nonprofit groups, state and local government.  Provide support for coastal preservation and restoration.  Ensure that high priority coastal protection projects are funded.  Consolidate existing conservation efforts and planning strategies.

Michigan’s CELCP Program Goals  Protect high quality, sensitive coastal areas.  Protect rare and threatened species, and natural communities.  Maintain biodiversity.  Maintain Michigan’s cultural heritage.  Fulfill recreational needs.  Use existing conservation and management plans.  Ensure effective management of CELCP Lands.

Michigan’s CELCP Boundary  Includes townships within coastal counties except those not lakeward of coastal 8-digit USGS hydrologic cataloguing units and Michigan’s coastal non-point source boundary.  Includes entire CZM boundary.  Federally-owned lands excluded.

Michigan’s Model CELCP Plan  “Project areas” representing Michigan’s priorities for conservation:  Designated Environmental Areas  State and globally imperiled natural communities  Coastal portions of Wild and Scenic; Natural Rivers  Designated Critical Dune Areas  Designated High-Risk Erosion Areas  SOLEC Biodiversity Investment Areas  Sites identified by The Nature Conservancy’s Binational Blueprint for the Conservation of Great Lakes Biodiversity.  Lands associated with existing state and federally managed areas.

Michigan’s Model CELCP Plan  Primary Conservation Plans Referenced:  TNC, Towards a New Conservation Vision for the Great Lakes Region.  MDNR, Forest Legacy Program – Assessment of Needs  SOLEC, Biodiversity Investment Areas  NAWMP, Upper Mississippi and Great Lakes Joint Venture  MWAC, Michigan’s Wetland Conservation Strategy  MDA, Eastern Lake Michigan Shoreline Plan and Eastern Lake Michigan Coastal Conservation Plan: Part II.  GLC, Lake St. Clair Coastal Habitat Assessment.  MDNR, State Game Area, Wildlife Area, and Wildlife Research Area Management Plans.

FY07 – Seven Mile Point Acquisition

 ~$929,000 Federal Award for Acquisition of Conservation Easement.  Protect 120 acres; including 2000 feet Lake Superior basaltic bedrock shoreline & 42 acres coastal wetland.  MDNR – Applicant and holder of CE, in partnership with North Woods Conservancy.

Seven Mile Point  Basaltic bedrock shore; cobble beach coves.  Species on-site: Eagle pair/nest tree; Gray wolf; Canada Lynx; Peregrine Falcon; Common Loon; Merlin  Protection of Seven Mile Creek – Coaster Brook Trout

FY 09 Request for Proposals

CELCP GIS