Huron River Watershed Council: Green Infrastructure in Northfield Township

Northfield’sGreen Infrastructure

Northfield’s Landscape

Trends

What is Green Infrastructure?

Visioning

HRWC is

Michigan’s first and

oldest watershed

council ~ a coalition

of local communities

and residents

established under state

law in 1965 to protect

the Huron River and

its tributary streams,

lakes, wetlands and

groundwater.

Stockbridge

The Huron River Watershed Green Infrastructure Services

Funding provided from the Americana Foundation

Northfield’s

Natural Assets

Landscape

Mostly undeveloped

31% intact natural areas (“bioreservesites”)

Only 5 % of natural areas publicly owned)

Low impervious surface (5%)

Woodland

Wetlands

Slopes over 12%

Hydric soils

Floodplains/Riparian area Endangered/threatened:

^ Animal

o Community

# Other

G Plant

Conifers

Central Hardwoods

Lowland Conifer

Lowland Hardwoods

Marsh/Meadow/Prairie

Shrub Wetland

Oak Openings

Upland Grassland/Herb. Shrubland

Water

Landscape of the Huron River Watershed, 1800’s

Ann

Arbor

Detroit

Milford

Chelsea

Brighton

Northfield

Conifers

Central Hardwoods

Lowland Conifer

Lowland Hardwoods

Marsh/Meadow/Prairie

Shrub Wetland

Oak Openings

Upland Grassland/Herb. Shrubland

Water

Landscape of the Huron River Watershed, 1800’s

Oak/hickory forest

Photos: Ann Arbor NAP

Oak savannah/barren/tallgrass praire

Photos: Ann Arbor NAP

Beech/maple forest

Photo: Ann Arbor NAP

Lowland hardwood forest

Tamarack swamp

Ann Arbor NAP

Joshua G. Cohen

Inland wet prairie

Photo: Ann Arbor NAP

Marsh/wetland

Photo: Ann Arbor NAP

Massasauga

White lady slipper

Threatened, Endangered, Special Concern:9 animals16 plants1 ecosystem: Oak barrensHeron rookery

Benefits of Natural Areas

Store and cycle nutrientsConserve and generate soilsPollinate crops and other plantsPest control Forest and food productsWildlife HabitatRecreationScenery Biodiversity/ Genetic libraryClean AirRegulate climate

Photos: Ann Arbor NAP

Filter & Cool RunoffWater supplyGroundwater RechargeStorm and flood damage protectionErosion control

$1.8 billion/year in West Michigan

Little runoff prior to development

Water infiltrates

into humus and

porous soil

Plants take up

much water

Most rain flows THROUGH the

ground.

Few plants,

Hard surfaces

Plants intercept

the rain

Pre-Development Post-Development

Most rain flows OVER the

ground.

Under 10% Impervious

Surface

Low banks

Natural buffer

Good habitat

Cool water

Clear water

Between 10 and 25% Impervious Surface

Higher, undercut banks

sediment

Less diverse habitat

Warmer water

Over 25% Impervious Surface

Steep, eroded banks

Little buffer

Very little habitat

Warm water

flashy

Trends

Conifers

Central Hardwoods

Lowland Conifer

Lowland Hardwoods

Marsh/Meadow/Prairie

Shrub Wetland

Oak Openings

Upland Grassland/Herb. Shrubland

Water

Landscape of the Huron River Watershed, 1800’s

Landscape of the Huron River Watershed, 2000

Public

Grass/shrub

Woodland

Water

Wetlands

Natural area trends in the Huron

Fragmentation

Loss of wetlands (about 50%)

Loss of oak barrens, prairies, wooded wetlands, tamarack swamp

Future Trends

•40% of the remaining open space is projected to be developed in the next 20 years

•Master Plans and Zoning Ordinance build outs show little designated natural area

•Almost all natural areas in private ownership and designated for some kind of use

•Current development patterns are low density = more natural area converted per new person

FutureLandUse

Downtown vision plan

Parks and Rec plan

“continued commitment to community planning goals and policies geared topreserving important natural features, while planning for growth in thoseareas most suitable for development”

Keeping Northfield Healthy

HRWC Key Message

To maintain the Huron River watershed’s health:

I. Encourage higher density where infrastructure already exists.

II. Preserve natural areas so they can continue to provide the ecological services necessary to maintain quality of water, air, land, and life.

The Huron River Watershed Bioreserve Project

To assess & protect the watershed’s last remaining natural areas

Funding provided by the Americana and Carlsfoundations

FLEM IN G R D.

ISLAND LAKE RD.

WY

LIE

RD

.

Bioreserve Map: based on aerials

Ranked Bioreserve Sites15 criteria

Total size Size of core Topographic diversity Geological diversity Waterway Upland/wetland Remnant plant community Groundwater recharge Connectivity Corridors Restorability Amount of change since 1800 Fragmentation MNFI “bio-rarity” index MNFI “special” communities

Field Assessment Assessing ecological integrity

Ground Truth GIS map

Get more information about the natural area

Help Conservancies protect most important lands

Help with stewardship of natural lands

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Northfield’s remaining

natural areas

Field Assessments in Northfield

Doing assessments this summer

What you can do

•Design higher density, livable neighborhoods•Live in a walkable community•Plant trees, native plants in your lawn•Keep water on your land•Control stormwater runoff•Leave natural buffers around creeks, wetlands, and ponds

•Keep natural lands natural

•Permanently preserve larger, intact, natural lands

•Join us in assessing the creek and its landscapes

Green infrastructure is the interconnected network of open spaces, natural areas and waterways

Focusing on conservation values and the services provided by natural systems in concert with, instead of in opposition to, land development

Gives us an opportunity to Identify, Protect & Enhance our Natural Assets

What is Green Infrastructure?

Natural

Built

Green infrastructure networks consist of the following components:

Hubs: Hubs anchor the network and provide an origin or destination for wildlife.

Sites: Smaller ecological landscape features that can serve as a point of origin or destination

Links: The connections that holdthe network together and enable itto function. Links facilitate movementfrom one hub to another.

Hub

Hub

Link

Sites

GI Background

Network Anchor(Hub) LargeNatural Area/Park

Network Anchor(Hub) LargeNatural Area/park

Network Anchor(Hub) LargeNatural Area/park

Small Forested

Area (site)

Small Wetland Area (site)

Small Natural Area (site)

Tree Rows (Link)

Fence &Hedge Rows (Link)

River or Stream (Link)

HRWC

Example

Land TrustConservation Easements

Natural Beauty Road Designation

Interpretive/Educational Signage

Open Space Clustering

Native Landscaping

Land Donation

Parks

Land Acquisition Lake

Buffer

Lake Buffer

Trail Links

Example

In urban environments, green infrastructure includes green roofs, trees, rain gardens, vegetated swales, pocket wetlands, parks, riparian buffers, no-mow zones, floodplains and strategically placed forested areas.

Green Roof

Riparian Buffers

Rain Garden

Vegetated Swales

Pocket Wetlands

Floodplains

Riparian BuffersParks

Wild Corners Program

Open-Space Millage

Park Acquisition Target

Park Acquisition Target

Promote Native/Natural Landscaping

Conservancy Coordination

Grant Support

Grant Support

Master Plan

Wetland MitigationRecreation Plan

Master Plan

Grant Support

Partnership Building -Collaboration

Promoteno-mow zones

Using the Green Infrastructure Vision