Michigan

American Bird Conservancy
Providing Technical Assistance to Private Forestland Owners to Conserve At-Risk Bird Species (MI)
Utilize Natural Resource Conservation Service incentive programs to assist landowners in the development of forest management plans to benefit at-risk bird species, and execute conservation practices on non-industrial private forestland in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula. Project will bring 1,000 acres of forestland under improved management to expand the availability of high-quality forest bird habitat across the landscape.
$157,837

Arenac Conservation District
Restoring Wetland Habitat by Removing Invasive Phragmites in the Saginaw Bay Watershed (MI)
Remove invasive phragmites from Saginaw Bay coastal wetlands previously treated and in surrounding wetlands that will receive initial treatment. Project will restore more than 1,500 acres by controlling invasive phragmites through an adaptive management strategy that uses pre- and post-treatment remote sensing and in-field monitoring.
$530,099

Bat Conservation International
Enhancing Foraging Habitat for Bats Affected by White-Nose Syndrome in Michigan and Canada
Improve survival of bats with white-nose syndrome (WNS) by enhancing their foraging efficiency in the fall, when bats accumulate critical fat reserves, and in spring, when bats are recovering from WNS. Project will use light and chemical attractants at seven sites in Michigan and Manitoba to concentrate insects near hibernacula in fall and spring to determine whether more insect prey improves survivability, with the goal of reducing the mortality rate from 71 percent to 30 percent.
$249,995

City of Detroit
Restoring and Improving Habitat Connectivity in Historic Palmer Park (MI)
Restore the aquatic habitat at Lake Frances in Detroit’s Historic Palmer Park and connect it to Witherell Woods natural area. Project will restore more than 60 acres of habitat benefiting over 100 species of flora and fauna, improve public access and increase educational opportunities in unique natural areas rarely found in an urban setting.
$300,000

City of Ecorse
Restoring Riparian Habitat and Improving Public Access at Ecorse Creek (MI)
Engage an underserved community by raising awareness of  natural resource assets and garner support for initiating the restoration of the Ecorse Creek watershed in Wayne County, Michigan. Project will restore 100 linear feet of riparian habitat, bring 3.88 acres of riparian corridor under management for invasive species and promoting native plant biodiversity, create safe public access to 3.7 miles of Ecorse Creek for kayaking or canoing reach more than 3,300 community members and install an interpretive sign.
$102,000

Clinton Conservation District
Increasing Farmer Participation in Conservation through Targeted Technical Assistance (MI)
Increase farmer participation in conservation by implementing Natural Resource Conservation Service Farm Bill programs to do conservation planning and implement novel conservation practices in the Middle Grand River Watershed, Michigan. Project will hire a new technician to work with landowners to create and implement conservation management plans, bring 10,000 acres under improved management to improve soil and water quality and prevent 5,000 pounds of nitrogen runoff.
$182,695

Columbus Township
Restoring and Improving Public Access to Columbus Township Roadside Park (MI)
Build on the ongoing Belle river restoration project in Columbus Township, Michigan by planting native riparian species, controlling invasive species, restoring wetland habitat, and building public trails and fishing access. Project will re-vegetate 1,000 feet of riverbank, provide 0.2 acres of off-channel aquatic habitat, one paddle craft launch, and 1,500 feet of trails.
$289,900

Conservation Resource Alliance
Improving Aquatic Organism Passage on the East Branch Maple River (MI)
Restore fish passage barriers with channel spanning timber bridge structures, in-stream habitat and channel restoration to restore aquatic organism passage for brook trout, lake sturgeon, and other coldwater species, and improve degraded riparian habitat benefiting species such as the federally endangered Hungerford’s crawling water beetle. Project will open 8 miles of stream, reduce sediment loading by 200 tons annually and rectify two passage barriers.
$285,000

Conservation Resource Alliance
Reconnecting Blood Creek (MI)
Fully restore connectivity on Blood Creek by opening the remaining 2.8 miles of stream for native fish passage. Project will replace existing culverts to improve water quality, increase spawning, rearing and refuge habitat, and restore hydrology and natural sediment movement.
$64,000

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
Improving Water Quality and Green Infrastructure through Urban Forestry (MI)
Plant 1,500 diverse native and urban resilient trees in the Back Hills, Roosevelt Park, Burton Heights, Garfield Park and Alger Heights communities in Michigan to mitigate urban tree canopy losses, improve water quality and decrease stormwater runoff. Project will add 430,355 gallons of stormwater capacity annually and engage local low and middle-income communities.
$249,506

Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council
Implementing Nature-Based Solutions to Improve Water Quality (MI)
Build community capacity to enable four coastal communities in Michigan to implement on-the-ground green infrastructure projects that have been identified and supported by city leaders and active community members. Project will add 500,000 gallons of stormwater storage annually and replace 0.4 acres of impervious surfaces with 0.7 acres of green infrastructure.
$301,638

Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council
Opening Coldwater Habitat for Brook Trout in the Pigeon River (MI)
Improve fish passage to coldwater brook trout streams in the upper Pigeon River watershed by replacing four undersized road-stream crossings that are barriers to fish passage. Project will open 13 miles to benefit brook trout and other aquatic species by fully restoring habitat connectivity and a suite of other natural river processes.
$146,763

Huron River Watershed Council
Improving Water Quality with Green Stormwater Infrastructure (MI)
Design and install two green stormwater infrastructure projects in the City of Wixom, Michigan. Project will capture and infiltrate over 1.3 million gallons of runoff and reduce total phosphorus loading by 1.2 pounds annually, while improving base flow and dissolved oxygen in Norton Creek to better support diverse aquatic biota.
$122,257

International Wildlife Refuge Alliance
Building Organizational Capacity Prior to the Opening of the Refuge Gateway (MI)
Provide training for the organization’s staff and volunteers, purchase donor management software, and update educational materials for Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Project will increase organizational capacity and knowledge of conservation prior to the opening of the Refuge Gateway.
$22,786

Kalamazoo Nature Center
Restoring Prairie Fen Wetland and Upland Habitat by Managing Invasive Species (MI)
Support land managers in the removal and management of invasive species in Southwest Michigan’s Kalamazoo River watershed to restore prairie fen wetland habitats. Project will remove invasive species, reintroduce historical fire regimes, conduct annual monitoring and perform outreach activities to restore 1,500 acres of wetland.
$137,427

Loyola University Chicago
Enhancing Biodiversity and Habitat Complexity in Cheboygan Marsh (MI)
Restore and enhance biodiversity and habitat complexity in the Cheboygan Marsh-Duncan Bay Great Lakes coastal wetland complex by removing invasive cattail from 92 acres. Project will increase diversity of plants, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, fish, and birds within the coastal wetland complex, and result in the removal of 1,850 pounds of elemental phosphorus and 12,125 pounds of elemental nitrogen from the Great Lakes ecosystem.
$185,215

Macomb County, Michigan
Restoring Riparian Habitat to Increase Biodiversity and Divert Runoff (MI)
Restore 1.35 miles of riparian habitat along the Sterling Relief and Red Run drains in Macomb County, Michigan. Project will increase habitat complexity and biodiversity, connect new and existing habitat corridors, benefit native pollinators, plant 475 trees, 2,500 shrubs and 4,000 native pollinator plugs, develop a mile long waterfront trail, and capture and infiltrate an estimated 200,000 gallons of urban stormwater runoff per year.
$300,000

Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Saginaw Bay Rock Habitat and Sediment Transport Reef (MI)
Develop preliminary designs to restore critical reef spawning habitat, allowing for sediment transport and dispersing excessive wind/wave action in the bay to reduce flooding, erosion, sedimentation. Project will improve habitat for walleye, lake whitefish, lake trout, and other fish populations.
$118,550

Michigan Trout Unlimited
Adding Woody Habitat Structures to Improve Habitat for Brook Trout (MI)
Add varied types of woody habitat in areas of the Upper Manistee River with a documented lack of habitat heterogeneity and quality wood to improve habitat for brook trout and macroinvertebrates. Project will install 50 woody structures and restore 7 miles of stream.
$150,000

National Wildlife Federation
Utilizing Detroit’s Public Spaces to Create Habitat and Build Diverse, Resilient Communities (MI)
Create high quality public green spaces while increasing community resiliency, public engagement, and stewardship in Detroit to install three large-scale GSI projects and six smaller rain gardens. Project will engage hundreds of community members through installation days, workshops, and garden tours and will divert more than 600,000 gallons of storm water annually.
$290,000

Pollinator Partnership
Improving Pollinator Habitat Connectivity in the Midwest and Great Lakes Flyway (AR, IL, MI, MN, WI)
Develop and expand a regional seed collection network program in the Midwest and Great Lakes region to support monarch butterflies, rusty patched bumble bees and other declining pollinator species. Project will improve more than 5,000 acres of pollinator habitat, collect 50 pounds of milkweed seed, collect 50 pounds of nectar plant seed, and propagate 2,000 milkweed and 1,000 nectar species seedlings.
$74,971

St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center
Supporting Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Detroit Faith Communities (MI)
Support a network of churches in northwest Detroit, Michigan to maintain existing bioretention practices and install new green stormwater practices. Project will use Michigan native plants to capture water from a combined 18,600 square feet of surfaces and engage community youths in environmental education.
$50,000

The Nature Conservancy
Design and Permitting for the North Maumee Bay Bottomlands Restoration (MI)
Develop final design of a 75 acres restoration of emergent marsh and shrub-scrub peninsula in North Maumee Bay, Monroe County, Michigan to reduce inundation affecting infrastructure and improving water quality in areas receiving runoff from agricultural activities. Project will refine existing engineering plans, monitor baseline site conditions, and continue communication with permitting officials to complete design and permitting.
$192,936

Trout Unlimited
Brook Trout Monitoring and Evaluation for Sustain our Great Lakes (multiple states)
Conduct an evaluation to understand brook trout response, including abundance, young of year, multiple life stages, and effective breeders, to the improved access to and quality of habitat. Project will track progress towards the Great Lakes Business Plan stream habitat related goals.
$292,650

Trout Unlimited
Conservation Assessment of Brook Trout and Planning and Impact Tool Development in the Great Lakes Region (multiple states)
Conduct a broad-scale assessment of existing brook trout population viability within the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes watershed that will build off of and be compatible with the analysis and associated tools developed for NFWF’s Mid-Atlantic/Northeast region. Project will assist NFWF in identifying conservation needs and priority investment areas throughout the basin and associated tools will enable NFWF to develop and measure population-based recovery goals over time across multiple NFWF landscapes, particularly the Northeast and Great Lakes.
$126,967

Trout Unlimited
Reconnecting Cold-Water Stream Habitat in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan (MI)
Improve aquatic connectivity, restore habitat in cold-water streams and increase watershed resiliency in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Project will rectify three fish passage barriers, open 21 miles of stream and restore 10 miles of instream habitat.
$255,000