2022 Regional Showcase project merges environmental, fiscal sustainability

Last month at our General Assembly meeting in Dearborn, SEMCOG presented its Regional Showcase Award to Washtenaw County for its Sustainable Investments in Natural Areas Preservation Program.

As our Chairperson Chris Barnett, Orion Township Supervisor said when presenting this award, the goal “is to recognize a project or initiative that has made a significant contribution to SEMCOG’s vision of a connected, thriving region of small towns, dynamic urban centers, active waterfronts, diverse neighborhoods, agricultural land, and parks, trails, and natural areas.” This program, which supports the sustainable preservation of natural areas and a key regional trail, does exactly that.

About the project

The Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission sought the help of the Washtenaw County Treasurer to create a new funding mechanism that would support ongoing maintenance of the County’s extensive natural area preserves and trail system. Michigan law restricts investment options for public entities’ surplus operating funds but allows special revenue funds for parks operations and maintenance to be invested like pension funds.

Washtenaw County’s Natural Areas Preservation Program special revenue fund is the first one in Michigan created under this provision, and this type of innovative problem-solving is exactly what the Regional Showcase Award is trying to promote. “I think you’re looking at an incredible program here,” said Catherine McClary, Washtenaw County Treasurer, “to preserve these areas and to preserve the funding so they can be maintained in perpetuity,” said McClary. By highlighting projects to the whole region, we are working to help foster connections between local officials from neighboring communities and counties so they can share experiences and best practices such as this.

The special revenue fund, adopted by the Board of Commissioners, is designed to work like an endowment, providing a permanent source of funding to maintain these preserved natural areas in perpetuity without future revenue sources. Washtenaw County Parks purchases unique natural areas to ensure their preservation for the benefit of all County residents, plants, animals, and people. The Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission manages the program, identifying and caring for lands with special ecological, recreational, and educational benefits. The Treasurer manages the investment fund, using Vanguard as the custodian and coordinating with a financial advisor for specialized expertise. In keeping with the spirit of the program, investments are made in environmentally-conscious stocks and green bonds for long-term growth in support of stewardship and sustainability.

Regional Showcase award projects tend to drive solutions that are both impactful and holistic, meaning they help to solve problems within a broader context and across multiple emphasis areas. For instance, Washtenaw County has used this new mechanism to support not only nature preserves, but the immensely popular Border to Border Trail. With that addition, this project expands from preserving natural areas to helping connect people to them more easily as well. The benefits don’t stop with people who like to use parks and trails. “Our natural areas are important, not just for recreation but for green infrastructure,” said Coy Vaughn, Director of Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation. “A lot of our preserves are along the Huron River, so it does provide the capacity for our land to work the way it does naturally without man-made solutions. It has an impact on the communities, said Vaughn.

The Regional Showcase Award highlights projects that implement the strategies and recommendations in SEMCOG’s regional plans adopted by its member communities. Does your community have a project or initiative that our region should be learning from? If so, please consider submitting in 2023.