OCCD release

ROCKLAND TWP. — The Ontonagon County Conservation District met Monday, July 8 for their regular monthly meeting.

Regular business included completing the State mandated MDARD Operations Review Element, working on the quarterly budget review and planning for the September budget meeting. Plans for the annual meeting and elections on Thursday, Nov. 7 (5 p.m. Rockland Twp Hall) were also addressed. Charle Burger submitted his petition for reelection, and Valerie Talsma accepted the paperwork for her nomination. Talsma also noted that nominations are open to any county resident age 18 and over and interested in the Stewardship of Natural Resources. Interested candidates have until close of business on Friday, Sept. 6, to file a nominating petition for the election that will take place Nov. 7. If you have questions or are interested, please contact the Ontonagon Conservation District at ontonagon@macd.org.

The bulk of the meeting was spent reviewing possible grant opportunities and potential partnerships throughout the county. Burger has taken the lead of the Application for MICHIGAN URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY INFLATION REDUCTION ACT GRANT PROGRAM (Community Forestry). He has approached the elected leaders of Ontonagon County, the Village of Ontonagon and the nine eastern townships of the county. The Community Forestry grant can bring in as much as $225,000 in value to the county through employment contracts and purchases.

The overall focus of the grant is to plant trees and remove damaged and dangerous existing trees from the community spaces, parks, cemeteries and public lands in each township. The intention is to award local contractors, professional staff and gig workers to complete the work covered by the scope of the grant. Additionally, there will be trainings, awareness outreach and community cooperation elements required for the grant award. Burger emphasized that to enhance grant awardability and to enable each township and village a better chance of benefiting from the return of taxpayer dollars to your communities, a partnership agreement with your Conservation District is a valuable first step. Citizens can help by encouraging their local leaders to partner with the OCCD.

The second grant the OCCD is actively pursuing is the “Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in Ontonagon County” grant with the Ottawa Forest. This is a proposed partnership between the Conservation District and USDA Forest Service: Ottawa National Forest. From 2010-2019, the US Forest Service partnered with Bergland Township and the Lake Gogebic Improvement Association to provide “Clean Boats, Clean Waters” education and a boat wash station at the Bergland Launch on Lake Gogebic. The current proposed partnership will leverage the resources of the OCCD to expand the program to the county park on the west side of the lake, the launch site at Bond Flowage and the Lake Superior access in Ontonagon. In addition, the OCCD will seek to partner with the local school districts to expand the Safe Boating Certificate program to include “Clean Boats” activities. The AIS Clean Boat grant will bring approximately $10,000 in goods and services to the county.

The third grant that the OCCD will be pursuing comes under the title “Secure Schools & Self Determination Act (Resources Advisory Committee or RAC). The RAC program seeks to develop projects in and around the Ottawa National Forest that will: (1) Improve maintenance of existing infrastructure, (2) Implement stewardship objectives to enhance forest ecosystems, (3) Restores and improves land health (including noxious weed control) and (4) Restores water quality. The OCCD seeks private and public partners and their site specific project ideas. Interested parties are invited to contact Board Chair Talsma who will be representing the OCCD at various events this summer. Or if you have questions or are interested, contact the Ontonagon Conservation District at email: ontonagon@macd.org, the OCCD website: https://www.ontonagonconservationdistrict.com/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OntonagonCD

Upcoming OCCD meetings are Mondays, Aug. 12 and Sept. 9, 7 p.m. at Rockland Township Hall. Or contact your board members with concerns. 2024 Board members are: Heather David, Mike Jarvi, Sara Baciak, Charle Burger and Valerie Talsma