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From the Director, Parks, Recreation and Culture, requesting authorization to submit a proposal for, and accept, if granted, funding through the U.S. Forest Service State & Private Forestry Redesign Competitive Allocation RFP FY 2011 for the naturalization of selected DPRC parkland.
Body
Policy
The Milwaukee County Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture (DPRC) is requesting authorization to submit a proposal for, and accept if granted, a U.S. Forest Service grant which would enable DPRC to expand its reforestation efforts at various parks throughout the County.
Background
In the Milwaukee County 2011 Capital Budget, DPRC has been allocated $61,000 to convert approximately 20 acres of parkland from mowed grass to native trees and shrubs (#WP 186 - Parks Naturalization). The primary goal of this budget item is to restore portions of DPRC property to native habitat in order to reduce the costs associated with maintaining 15,000 acres of parkland.
DPRC Staff has been informed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) that the project may be implemented in such a way that it can be used to take advantage of a 1:1 matching U.S. Forest Service grant. Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service State & Private Forestry Redesign Competitive Allocation RFP FY 2011, WDNR is eligible to submit or authorize others to submit proposals for projects that address high-priority issues or landscapes as identified in Wisconsin’s “2010 Statewide Forest Assessment and Strategy”. Two of those issues or landscapes, Forest Fragmentation and Forest Composition and Structure, will be addressed as part of the implementation of the Parks Naturalization Project. Therefore, DPRC is proposing to use $60,000 of the amount allocated in WP 186 - Parks Naturalization to capture an additional $60,000 from a U.S. Forest Service grant, enabling the department to double the amount of land initially proposed for naturalization.
In addition to reducing the amount of parkland requiring mowing, the planting of native woodland tree and shrub species at selected DPRC sites around the County would:
• Reverse the fragmentation of forests on DPRC land
• Expand the canopy cover and increase the species diversification of plant species within that canopy
• Enhance wildlife dispersion corridors between existing Milwaukee County Park System forests
• Expand habitat for interior nesting birds, threatened amphibians, and other woodland wildlife species
• Increase low impact recreational opportunities such as walking and nature observation
• Attenuate flood waters
• Improve water quality
Recommendation
DPRC respectfully requests authorization to submit a proposal for, and accept if granted, funding through the U.S. Forest Service State & Private Forestry Redesign Competitive Allocation RFP FY 2011 for the naturalization of selected DPRC parkland. DPRC would be authorized to use $60,000 from the WP186 - Parks Naturalization account as the local match for the grant to capture an additional $60,000 in U.S. Forest Service funds.
Prepared by: Bill Waldron, Natural Resources Specialist, DPRC
Recommended by: Approved by:
_______________________________ ______________________________
James Keegan, Chief of Administration Sue Black, Parks Director
and External Affairs
cc: County Executive Lee Holloway
E. Marie Broussard, Deputy Chief of Staff, County Executive’s Office
Terrence Cooley, Chief of Staff, County Board
Renee Booker, Director, DAS
John Ruggini, Assistant Fiscal & Budget Administrator, Admin & Fiscal Affairs/DAS
Supv. Joe Sanfelippo, Vice-Chairman, Parks, Energy & Environment Committee
Sarah Jankowski, Fiscal Mgt. Analyst, Admin & Fiscal Affairs/DAS
Julie Esch, Research Analyst, County Board
Linda Durham, Parks, Energy & Environment Committee Clerk