LANSING – The Natural Resources Trust Fund has approved $14.47 million to purchase new public lands and $9.07 million for development on existing lands.
Of the funding, 17 local government purchases would share $11.96 million and 49 local units would share $7.82 million for development. The Department of Natural Resources would have $2.51 million for five purchases and $1.25 million for five develop projects.
The largest development grants were $300,000, shared by 12 projects including barrier-free access upgrades in Riverbank Park in Flint, development of River’s Edge Linear Park and Trail in Ypsilanti, construction of a beach shelter and other improvements at Silver Beach County Park in Berrien County, and two separate projects on the Fred Meijer Ionia to Owosso Rail-Trail for the DNR.
The largest land purchase was $3.375 million to Charlevoix County for land including the former Camp Seagull, 20 acres and 1400 feet on Lake Charlevoix. Second was $3.075 million to Eaton County for the Crandell Property, 424 acres including a man-made lake.
The largest DNR purchase was $850,000 for 454 acres in Clare County including frontage on Cranberry Lake and Cranberry Creek, all within the boundaries of a state forest area. All of the DNR purchases were inholdings within previously defined forest or recreation area boundaries.
All of the grants still must be approved by the Legislature through an appropriations bill.
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