Michigan

Arenac Conservation District
Restoring Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands and Riverine Habitat through Invasive Species Control (MI)
Manage invasive species through new treatment and retreatment for phragmites in Saginaw Bay and surrounding wetlands. Project will improve habitat quality across more than 360 acres that are home to multiple rare species and communities and provide stopover habitat for migratory waterfowl species.
$924,995

Association of State Floodplain Managers
Strengthening Coastal Communities Resilience in the Great Lakes Region (multiple states)
Engage coastal shoreline communities in the Great Lakes region in a formal scenario-based process to identify local flood vulnerabilities and to convene complementary regional capacity building workshops to help participating communities prioritize strategies and projects that address identified vulnerabilities. Project will give coastal communities a better understanding of local coastal resilience issues and how to incorporate nature-based solution into plans, and build regional collaboration.
$260,851

Charter Township of Van Buren
Restoring Prairie Habitat and Public Space in Riggs Heritage Park (MI)
Restore reclaimed prairie wildlife habitat by removing invasive species, promoting growth of prairie plants, and establishing a detailed management plan in Riggs Heritage Park. Project will improve access to public space and restore and manage approximately 16 acres of grassland, 7 acres of woodland, and 1 acre of wet meadow with an emphasis on habitat for bees, migratory birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
$100,000

Chikaming Open Lands
Protecting and Enhancing the Galien River Watershed through Invasive Species Control (MI)
Enhance habitat through targeted invasive species control along the Galien River, which empties into Lake Michigan. Project will enhance 416 acres of natural areas throughout the watershed, benefiting resident and migratory wildlife populations, providing valuable ecosystem services to local communities, and safeguarding the Great Lakes Basin from additional invasive species.
$220,617

City of Kalamazoo
Floodplain and Stormwater Improvements (MI)
Restore floodplain and provide improved stormwater treatment on a brownfield parcel located along Portage Creek. Project will combine stormwater treatment with enhanced floodplain connectivity and flood capacity of Portage Creek. Project would combine stormwater treatment with enhanced floodplain connectivity and flood capacity of Portage Creek while providing an opportunity to link pedestrian pathways with educational signage. 
$34,700

City of Plainwell
Removal of Fish Passage Barriers at Plainwell Diversion Dam and Mill Race Dam and Channel Restoration (MI)
Remove barriers to fish passage at the Plainwell Diversion Dam and Mill Race Dam. Project will implement natural channel restoration, which will improve passage for fish and other aquatic wildlife, add natural in-stream structure for improved habitat for benthic invertebrates, and improve recreational paddling opportunities.
$500,000

Conservation Resource Alliance
Improve Stream Crossings for Brook Trout (MI)
Build on a long-term conservation partnership to improve eleven stream crossings and develop 25 individual road-stream crossing designs to reconnect coldwater habitat in high-quality northern Lake Michigan and Lake Huron watersheds containing brook trout. Project will reconnect 24 miles of upstream habitat to 16 miles of high-quality habitat lower in the watersheds, including downstream reaches, Lake Leelanau, and Lake Michigan.
$750,000

Conservation Resource Alliance
Reducing Runoff to Protect Priority Lake Michigan Watersheds (MI)
Execute a comprehensive tree planting plan to reduce runoff and sediment nutrient loading into Lake Michigan and its tributaries in Michigan. Project will plant 15,000 trees on 450 acres of Tribal, national forest, private, and publicly accessible protected lands and build a network of staff, volunteers, youth, and landowners as stewards to grow and maintain the region’s forests.
$360,000

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
Accelerating Resilience and Neighborhood Stabilization through Nature-based Infrastructure in Detroit (MI)
Transform a six-acre city block into a stormwater park by creating five bioretention cells, planting trees, and integrating community amenities such as trails and recreational space. Project will add 1,650,000 gallons of stormwater storage annually, reduce combined sewer overflows, and promote neighborhood stabilization.
$300,000

Ducks Unlimited
Coordinating Cover Crop Adoption to Conserve Natural Resources (IN, MI)
Coordinate and increase capacity for technical and financial support to help farmers increase the adoption of cover crops in corn, soybean and wheat systems in Indiana and Michigan. Project will support the adoption of cover crops on 75,000 acres to enhance soil health, improve water resources, and provide benefit to wildlife while providing economic benefits to participating farmers.
$386,683

Ducks Unlimited
Improving Wetland Habitat Management at Harsens Island East Marsh (MI)
Install a water control pump and control invasive species to restore the ecologically important 825 acre East Marsh coastal emergent wetland at Harsens Island. Project will result in improved wetland management for breeding marsh birds, waterfowl and black terns.
$310,294

Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
Increasing Urban Tree Canopy in Grand Rapids (MI)
Improve water quality, mitigate urban tree canopy loss and reduce stormwater runoff in targeted areas in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Project will plant over 1,500 trees to increase natural areas and increase ecosystem resilience in low and middle-income communities who experience less benefits from nature-based infrastructure compared to other community residents.
$348,220

Friends of the Rouge
Reducing Stormwater Impacts through Community-Led Rain Garden Implementation in Wayne County (MI)
Engage residents in community-led rain garden design and installation and facilitate maintenance workshops for houses of worship and residential neighborhoods in Wayne County, Michigan. Project will create a network of rain gardens capturing stormwater runoff while increasing habitat connectivity, pollinator habitat, and access to nature in low-income areas.
$208,454

Friends of the Rouge
Reducing Stormwater Runoff through Community Tree Planting (MI)
Engage communities in tree plantings to build resilience in underserved communities in southeast Michigan. Project will plant 3,000 trees that capture an estimated 2,045,000 gallons of stormwater runoff per year in communities that experience pollution from nearby heavy industry and freeways.
$260,000

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative
Facilitating Development of Coastal Resilience Projects for Great Lakes Shoreline Communities
Enable communities to develop implementation of projects that prevent or minimize impacts in coastal areas and facilitating collaboration on coastal resilience needs and opportunities. Project will work with coastal communities to assess critical coastal resilience needs; identify solutions for mitigating risks to community infrastructure; assess project feasibility; outline project development needs and funding; and provide direction on next steps to implement coastal resilience projects.
$380,000

Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council
Connecting Upstream Habitat for Brook Trout in Beavertail Creek (MI)
Replace three undersized road/stream crossings with appropriately sized and aligned crossing structures on Beavertail Creek to provide aquatic organism passage to upstream habitat during all life-cycle movements. Project will connect 17 miles of coldwater habitat to address aquatic habitat fragmentation and sedimentation issues for brook trout and other aquatic species.
$250,143

Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council
Restoring Northern Headwaters through Habitat Management (MI)
Improve the health of the Great Lakes through invasive species control, native plant enhancement, and increasing community awareness by focusing on the nine river systems originating in Northern Michigan’s interior. Project will control invasive species, provide outreach and enhance degraded areas with native plants across all nine river systems in order to support healthier watersheds.
$238,983

Marquette County Conservation District
Riparian Restoration through Invasive Species Control (MI)
Treat and restore riparian habitat in the Lower Dead River Watershed Basin through the management of invasive butterbur, currently found in extremely limited locations in Michigan. Project will remove the invasive butterbur to curb spread in coldwater riparian habitat along the Lower Dead River.
$146,652

Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Technical Assistance for Family Forest Landowners to Improve Woodland Health (MI)
Engage diverse partners to conduct spatial analysis and help local water utilities implement their source water protection plans with family forest landowners in their watersheds. Project will educate landowners about forest management and protection, improve management on approximately 17,000 acres, plant 20,000 trees in riparian zones and outreach to 3,500 landowners.
$315,000

Michigan State University
Farmer Woodland Owner Technical Assistance to Enhance Agroforestry and Woodland Management (MI, OH WI)
Support integrated agricultural and farmer woodland and agroforestry management through collaborative extension programs that connect farmers with resource professionals to support ecosystem service markets, woodland management, agroforestry, and tree-planting practices. Project will help farmers navigate strategies for innovative uses of trees and forests to improve farm viability and increase water quality and social benefits.
$169,273

Michigan Technological University
Developing Strategies to Reduce White-nose Syndrome and Increase Bat Survival (MI)
Test the effects of utilizing two methods to create cooler temperatures in cave hibernacula to slow the growth of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome and improve the over-winter survival of bats. Project will develop, implement and disseminate a guide to management strategies to agencies and landowners that have bat populations affected by white-nose syndrome.
$103,925

Muskegon Conservation District
Enhancing Critical Dune Habitat in Western Michigan
Manage hemlock forests for the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid on public lands in Muskegon and Ottawa counties in Western Michigan. Project will help protect hemlocks for migratory shoreline bird, marsh bird, and waterfowl habitat.
$249,988

Muskegon River Watershed Assembly
Reconnecting Brook Trout Spawning Habitat in the Muskegon River Watershed (MI)
Remove of two high priority derelict dams located in wetland habitat for brook trout in the Muskegon River Watershed. Project will reconnect of 25 miles of brook trout spawning and nursery habitat, provide access for trout to coldwater refugia, reestablish natural channel form and hydrologic flow, and increase public access for recreational water activities.
$220,000

Ottawa Conservation District
Invasive Species Management in the Pere Marquette, Muskegon, and Lower Grand Watersheds (MI)
Manage invasive species in the Pere Marquette, Muskegon, and Lower Grand watersheds through new treatment and retreatment efforts including invasive bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, and Phragmites. Project will facilitate treatment of invasive species as part of a long term plan for continued management to preserve habitat, water quality and biodiversity.
$200,000

Pheasants Forever
Accelerating Regenerative Agriculture Technical Assistance for Water and Wildlife (MI)
Increase technical assistance capacity in southeast Michigan to train and work as a Regenerative Ag and Conservation Specialist. Project will directly engage at least 30 farmers to identify opportunities to simultaneously provide environmental benefits and positive economic return through implementation of regenerative agriculture practices.
$274,140

Rescue MI Nature Now
Transforming Blight through Urban Forestry and Community Greenspace in Detroit (MI)
Transform neighborhood blight into a 2.25 acre, accessible therapeutic forest through a participatory planning design and construction process and providing hands-on learning component for grade-school students. Project will manage 195,000 gallons of storm water annually through bioretention, facilitate multigenerational environmental awareness, and improve the quality of life for residents in the Nolan neighborhood of Detroit.
$189,304

Road Commission of Kalamazoo County
Davis-Olmsted Drain Improvements (MI)
Replace two unsuitable sets of culverts, encourage a more harmonious relationship between the creek and residents, and enhance riparian habitat along the last 1 mile of the Davis-Olmstead Drain that empties to the Kalamazoo River. Project will improve stream flow and reduce erosion and sedimentation, thus reducing phosphorus loading to the Kalamazoo River, and will open the last mile of the creek to fish and wildlife movement to and from the Kalamazoo River.
$40,000

Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy
Saginaw Regional Tree Planning Initiative (MI)
Implement the Better Branches Regional Tree Initiative on vacant lots in Saginaw to increase the tree community and canopy. Product will engage volunteers to plant 3,000 trees and enhance nature-based infrastructure for the community.
$203,391

Saugatuck Township
River Bluff Park Shoreline Restoration (MI)
Design and install bioengineered shoreline and related habitat improvements to stabilize riverbank, enhance the riparian corridor, and reduce sediment loading to the Kalamazoo River. Project will benefit fish, aquatic invertebrates, and sediment and water quality by reducing erosion and increasing vegetation and large woody structures that provide areas for fish to hide and feed.
$57,000

Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Planning for St. Marys River Coastal Wetland Resiliency (MI)
Develop a comprehensive inter-agency resilience plan that prioritizes coastal wetlands for protection and restoration in the St. Marys River, Michigan. Project will complete a St. Marys River Resilience Plan and foster relationship building and collaboration among natural resources managers, stakeholders, and community members through participation at planning workshops.
$123,714

The Greening of Detroit
Expanding Green Stormwater Infrastructure through Urban Forestry in Southwest Detroit (MI)
Implement an urban forest restoration project to slow and retain stormwater runoff in the Rouge River watershed to reduce impairments and stressors of nearshore waters along the Lake Erie corridor. Project will strategically plant 500 diverse tree species in public parks and along neighborhood streets in Southwest Detroit, where many residents in the underserved majority-Latino community are affected by higher rates of poverty and greater environmental risks than in other areas of the city.
$365,236

The Greening of Detroit
Planting Trees to Build Community Climate Resilience in Southwest Detroit (MI)
Engage hundreds of community volunteers to plant 318 new trees in several parks in Southwest Detroit. Project will intercept stormwater runoff to reduce flooding in under-resourced neighborhoods and support watershed restoration, contribute to existing park improvement efforts, and enhance public green space for community residents.
$245,788

Trout Unlimited
Improving Fish Passage and Coldwater Connectivity in Michigan
Replace culverts with improved structures using concepts of stream simulation design to span bankfull width, maintain channel morphology, and allow for aquatic organism passage. Project will improve aquatic organism passage at three road-stream crossings within the Sturgeon, Tahquamenon and Whitefish Watersheds, and improve connectivity to over 20 miles of high-quality coldwater habitat.
$250,000

Washtenaw County
Increasing Nature-based Infrastructure and Pollinator Habitat in Ypsilanti Township (MI)
Increase nature-based infrastructure in Ypsilanti Township by building rain gardens and wild prairie pollinator gardens and planting trees in community spaces. Project will add 2 million gallons of stormwater storage annually and add 154,000 square feet of nature-based infrastructure.
$300,000

Wildlife Habitat Council
Revitalizing Public Space through Nature-based Infrastructure in Detroit’s 94 Industrial Corridor (MI)
Install nature-based infrastructure in recreational areas and two alleys and create pollinator habitat within the Mount Elliott and Alkebu-Lan neighborhoods adjacent to the I-94 Industrial Corridor in Detroit. Project will add more than 25,000 gallons of stormwater storage per rain event and build on existing collaborative efforts between community initiatives and corporate partners to connect communities to natural spaces and facilitate stormwater management.
$242,703