2003 Current Activity Report
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Following are activity highlights of the Southeast Michigan RC&D Council during 2003: RC&D Application
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319 Grant
Implementation of the Council's "Soft Engineering/Conservation Buffers Project" continued. The project includes workshops and demonstrations to transfer soft engineering technology to the public and private sectors for stream bank stabilization.
A workshop & demonstration was conducted in St. Clair County, at Goodells County Park, April, 2003.
A workshop & demonstration was conducted in Macomb County, at Delia Park, Sterling Heights, in November, 2003.
Demonstration sites are being considered in Washtenaw County for Spring or Fall, 2004.
A Council/conservation buffer initiative web site went on-line in February, 2003 at: www.semircd.org. The site highlights the Council, information and pictures on completed soft engineering demonstration projects, and links to soft engineering technology resources.
Developed and printed a riparian buffer establishment brochure which outlines buffer basics. The brochure was distributed to county drain commissioners, road commissions, departments of public works, private engineering firms, and others. The brochure was also posted on the Council web site for downloading.
Other Activities
Vice-Chairman Gordon Ruttan attended the fall Michigan Association of RC&D Council meeting in the Upper Peninsula.
Chairman Morse Brown and Vice-Chairman Ruttan attended the National RC&D Conference in Washington, D.C. As part of this event, they were able to meet with several key Congressional members and staff concerning support for the Council's application.
Four quarterly Council meetings were conducted.
The Council was approached by the U.S. Forest Service to apply for a grant to help generate some economic benefit from the Emerald Ash Borer quarantine. The Council applied for and was approved as the recipient of a $420,000 grant, "Ash Utilization Options: An Urban Wood Recycling Demonstration Project in Southeast Michigan". The purpose of the grant is three-fold: inventory the volume, quality and estimated value of trees needing removal due to Emerald Ash Borer infestation; provide training to improve local understanding of the local tree resource, recycling and manufacturing into useable products, and marketing these products; and offer small grants to communities, non-profits, businesses and others to be involved in the demonstration of recycling and value-add opportunities of the removed timber resource. The Council will be working with the Forest Service and Michigan DNR to implement this grant through September, 2005.
The Council ended 2003 with a positive fund balance, as detailed on the attached financial report.
