Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

1/23

GREENSEAMSA REGIONAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM IN

THE GREATER MILWAUKEE AREAPeg Kohring, Midwest Regional Director, The Conservation Fund

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

2/23

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD)

Regional government agency thatprovides water reclamation and flood management

services

National leader in wastewater treatment and regional

leader in watershed protection

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

3/23

Greenseams a Regional Green Infrastructure Plan

Land acquisition program (easement or fee simple) Natural flood management approach Preserving undeveloped lands, connecting corridors Reducing phosphorous

MMSDs unique watershedapproach to flood

management

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

4/23

Program

Boundaries

4 major watersheds

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

5/23

Major events 97 & 98:100 year floods

MMSDs Connection to Watersheds

Watershed Plans

Used 2020 land use for flood

management projects

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

6/23

Water Absorbing (Hydric) Soils

1 acre of hydric soils can hold 65,000

gallons

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

7/23

Loss of HydricSoils

Hydric soils have

limited protection Not covered by

flood plain

ordinances

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

8/23

Greenseams Criteria

Sites 25 acres or more Undeveloped

Privately owned

Floodplains, wetlands,high quality landscapes,

corridors

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

9/23

Typical Greenseams Site

Site Boundary

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

10/23

The Conservation Fund-MMSD

Partnership

National non-profit partnering with a local

governmental agency

Land trust and conservation real estateexpertise

Green Infrastructure implementation

Restoration expertise TCF administrates the program

MMSD has overall approval and directions

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

11/23

Greenseams Transactions and

Practices

Landowner contacts Local municipal relationships

Appraisal Landowner negotiations

Real estate due diligence

Acquisition and restoration grants

Land restoration

Property management

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

12/23

Multiple Benefits

Reduced Future Flooding Risks Cost Effective Flood Management

Help municipal storm water

needs Open space preservation

Quality of life improvements

Wildlife habitat Nutrient reduction

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

13/23

Partnership Role in the Community

Initial program startup Working with planning staff, elected officials, etc.

Constant communications

Supporting open space plans Passive recreation

When to back off

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

14/23

Partnerships with Local Land Trusts

Complementary goals and priorities Project overlaps

Cost sharing opportunities

Landowner contacts and negotiations Site planning

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

15/23

12 Years of a Green Infrastructure Program

2,500 acres of land

86 properties

14 miles of stream buffers

500 acres of restoration

$22.5 million in FMV

$8 million in grants

Significant preservation complexes

1.625 billion gallons

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

16/23

Germantown Swamp

7 properties

550 acres

WI DNR Stewardship funding

Menomonee River Headwaters

Top priority site

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

17/23

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

18/23

Dumke Lake 5 properties

250 acres WI DNR Project Area

WI DNR Stewardship Funding

Headwaters of Ryan Creek

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

19/23

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

20/23

Restoration Partnerships

US Fish & Wildlife Partners for Wildlife Fund of Lake Michigan Grant

Wisconsin Coastal Management Program

North American Wetlands Conservation Act

(NAWCA)

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

21/23

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

22/23

Next Steps-Nutrient Reduction

7/30/2019 Workshop B The Role of Land Trusts in Urban and Rural Water Quality The Conservation Fund Peg Kohring

23/23

David [email protected]

Peg [email protected]