Check out these opportunities to protect the Huron River and clean water.

Northfield Township Landowners

forests for clean water

Conversations about Land in Northfield Township:

Monday, October 3, 2022 at 6:00 pm
8350 Main Street
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189

Northfield’s Land Preservation Committee is hosting this free educational workshop for landowners in Northfield Township.

Join your neighbors and local conservation experts for conversations about the many benefits of farmland and natural area preservation. Learn about options for preserving or managing your farmland, forests, wetlands, and fields from:

• Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation
• Ann Arbor Greenbelt Program
• Legacy Land Conservancy
• Huron River Watershed Council
• Washtenaw County Conservation District
• Northfield Township Land Preservation Committee

For more information, contact the Washtenaw County Conservation District at 734-302-8715 or bookmark the Facebook Event.

Livingston County Offering Citizen Planner Course

The Livingston County Planning Department and Livingston County Planning Commission are partnering with Michigan State University Extension to host a Livingston County Citizen Planner Program this Fall.

The Citizen Planner instructors include MSU Faculty, MSU Extension educators, planners and attorneys. The core classroom program consists of six sessions on Thursday nights, starting October 27, at the Livingston County Public Safety Complex, 1911 Tooley Road

For further information visit http://citizenplanner.msu.edu, or contact Kara Kelly, Citizen Planner Coordinator at cplanner@msu.edu. Online registration is available at: https://events.anr.msu.edu/CPLivingston 22/. The registration deadline is October 11, 2022.

Vote for Climate Action and Clean Water!

The general election is Tuesday, November 8, 2022. You can vote in person or by mail. Polls are open 7am to 8pm. All registered voters in Michigan can also now vote using what’s called an absentee ballot that you send to your election office by mail. You don’t need an excuse or a reason to request an absentee ballot. Learn more at Michigan’s Voter Information Center and Vote411.org, the League of Women Voters site for nonpartisan information by voter address.

Choose the policies and people that support robust climate action.

  • Funding for Ann Arbor’s ambitious A2Zero plan to cut carbon emissions and set an example for cities everywhere.
  • Land preservation initiatives in Northfield Township, Dexter Township, and Scio Township.
  • Candidates that prioritize public health and environmental protection including climate action at all levels of government—from the MI Healthy Climate Plan to local and county-wide plans to cut carbon emissions.

While HRWC does not endorse political candidates, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters is a non-partisan organization with a robust candidate endorsement process with information about specific candidates.

Land Protections for Clean Water on the Ballot

This November voters in Scio, Northfield, and Dexter townships will have a chance to accelerate watershed protection in their communities. Northfield and Dexter townships have proposals on the ballot for a new property tax millage to fund land protection. Scio Township is proposing a renewal of their current program, originally approved by voters in 2004 and renewed in 2012. Northfield and Dexter townships would join existing programs in Ann Arbor, Webster, and Scio townships, the City of Ann Arbor, and Washtenaw County. Together, with support from HRWC, these programs have protected over 20,000 acres of forests, wetlands, and prairies in the watershed over the last 20 years.

Through its land protection efforts, Ann Arbor’s Greenbelt Program prevents 120,992 pounds of suspended solids (dirt and other particles that wash into waterways with runoff), 4,248 pounds of nitrogen, and 768 pounds of phosphorus from entering the Huron River annually.

What you can do

If you live in Scio, Northfield, or Dexter townships, you can support watershed protection with your supporting vote.

Scio residents: See the campaign’s Facebook page to find out how to support the campaign.

Dexter Township residents: See the campaign’s web page to find out how to support the campaign.

Northfield Township residents: contact Kris Olsson to find out more and how to get involved.

If you would like to initiate a land protection program in your community, check out HRWC’s Land Conservation Millage Toolkit.

Ypsilanti City and Township Change Makers

Check out the resulting map (link and image above) from the May 12 Trees, Native Wildflower Prairies, and Rain Gardens Visioning Workshop. Attendees studied maps of Ypsi’s natural areas, water resources, recreational areas, and master plan and then drew potential areas for natural green infrastructure protection and green stormwater infrastructure improvements.  Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 5th from 2-5pm for a follow-up meeting to discuss next steps.

Thank you!

Kris and Jason

Monthly update imageChange Makers provide a voice for the Huron River and its watershed by becoming involved in their local governments to encourage water protection.