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ReLeaf Michigan Invites You to a FREE Educational Meeting of the
Lower Grand River Watershed Forestry Network
2.5 ISA CEU's Pending
Stormwater Management & Creative Funding Options for Forestry Operations
Learn how investing in trees can reduce expenses for cities
When:
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where:
Gaines Charter Township Community Room, 8555 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Caledonia 49316
Who Should Attend:
- Municipal leaders, committee members, and staff
- DPW Directors and staff
- Urban Planners
- Anyone responsible for tree care and management
Why:
Watershed Forestry is a relatively new practice that draws from multiple disciplines, including forestry, hydrology, engineering, landscape architecture, mapping, planning, and soil science. Stormwater management or mitigation in and of itself can be confusing. But what is undisputed is the important role trees play in the mitigation process and how the collection of storm fees is helping to offset the "green" investment. Our speakers will provide a solid overview of stormwater as well as some creative funding opportunities as the result.
Presenters and Topics:
Kay Sicheneder, Forestry Operations Supervisor, City of Ann Arbor will present:
Creative Funding Options for Forestry Operations:
The City of Ann Arbor's Experience Utilizing
Stormwater Funding
City trees have historically been considered amenities. Like parks, they are recognized as an important component to the livability of a community, but their funding priority is far behind critical services such as police, fire, or water utilities. Therefore, community forestry programs are often coupled with parks, with budgets that are easy targets come budget reduction time.
Recent studies linking urban tree function to real dollar benefits have given credence to the idea of "trees as utilities". Recently, the EPA has recognized the importance of tree planting in helping to manage stormwater and certain components affecting air quality. Is the time right to move trees, as a biogenic utility, into a utility funding structure? Kay Sicheneder will discuss how forestry operations came to be funded through storm water funds in the City of Ann Arbor, the goals, results thus far and the unintended impacts of this innovative approach.
Amanda St.Amour, Senior Environmental Quality Analyst, Dept. of Environmental Quality, Water Resources Division, Grand Rapids District Office will speak on:
Stormwater: Why and How?
Amanda will discuss what stormwater is and why it needs to be regulated. That will be followed with a presentation on "How" the department of DEQ regulates stormwater through the Construction, Industrial and Municipal Stormwater permit programs.
RSVP TODAY, AND SHARE WITH COLLEAGUES
The program is free and open to all. Please RSVP by September 10, 2012 by emailing us here or by calling 1-800-642-7353.
(RSVP not required but we would like to know how many materials to bring so please let us know if you plan on attending. Also, please forward this email to those who may be interested in attending. Thanks!)
The inaugural meeting of the Lower Grand River Watershed (LGRW) Forestry Network is being kicked off with this Stormwater Management meeting. LGRW Forestry Network meetings are open to all those involved with the care of trees or have an interest in trees from communities within and surrounding the Lower Grand River Watershed. The meetings are fee, open to all and informal to encourage discussion and an opportunity to meet those with similar interests and responsibilities. For questions regarding the network please contact us via email or at 1-800-642-7353. Hope to see you there!
This Lower Grand River Watershed Forestry Network meeting is funded in part by a grant provided by the Michigan DNR-Urban and Community Forestry Program and Consumers Energy and is presented in cooperation with the Arboriculture Society of Michigan.
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