The Michigan
Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Board of Trustees has recommended
the city of Southfield for approval of a $500,000 grant to build a
nature interpretive center at the Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve. The
recommendation is one of 61 recreation projects and land acquisitions
totaling $36,076,075 the board has recommended for funding. The board
considered 162 applications for projects and acquisitions totaling $63
million, which were competitively evaluated based on scoring criteria
developed by the board.
Southfield has
been recommended for the maximum allowable amount for development
grants. Competition to receive approval of development applications was
challenging as only 24% of all development applications were
recommended for funding. The recommendation now goes to the state
legislature where it becomes part of a bill that must be passed by the
State House and Senate and signed into law by the Governor. The bill is
typically signed by early fall when the funds become available.
The trust fund was
established in 1976 to provide a source of funding for public
acquisition of lands for resource protection and public outdoor
recreation. The funding is derived from royalties on the sale and lease
of state-owned mineral rights. In 2006, the trust fund received $57.4
million in royalties.
"The
recommendations of the trust fund board will help us to protect some
incredible areas of the state," said Department of Natural Resources
Director Rebecca Humphries. "The project development grants will help
communities provide outdoor recreation opportunities to citizens and
visitors, boosting our economy and further showcasing the wonder of
Michigan's abundant natural resources."
The Carpenter Lake
Nature Interpretive Center will utilize “green,” sustainable
architectural design and feature hands-on displays to educate the
public about local flora and fauna as well as other educational
nature-based programs for the community. The nature center will be
developed at the 42-acre Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve, located on Ten
Mile Road, just east of Inkster Road. The nature preserve offers a
beautiful natural setting of mature forests overlooking Carpenter Lake,
which is on the Ravines Branch of the Rouge River. The nature preserve
is currently being improved to allow for public use. Park improvements
will include nature trails and boardwalks with interpretive signs as
well as fishing access on Carpenter Lake. The lake restoration was
completed in 2006, which replaced a dam and dredged the lake for fish
and wildlife habitat, creating underwater fish habitat structures, sand
spawning beds, turtle sunning logs and shoreline ledges for new
wetlands. The park and lake improvements are part of a $3.5 million
project supported by additional grant funds through the trust fund and
the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project. Carpenter
Lake Nature Preserve is slated to open later this year, with the Nature
Interpretive Center scheduled to begin construction in 2009 and public
opening in 2010.
For further information, call Merrie Carlock, Southfield landscape architect/park planner at (248) 796-4618.