Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation is in negotiations to purchase a 54-acre plot from Domino's Farms, a key parcel of undeveloped land that would connect a patchwork of parkland and nature preserves owned by the the county, the city of Ann Arbor, and the University of Michigan.
If successful, "We'll wind up with over 275 acres of connected property owned by the city, the county, and the U-M, but all connected by trails in the future. Given its really close proximity to the city, it is actually in the urban services district, so to have that kind of a nature preserve with trails in that location is really unique," says Tom Freeman, coordinator of
Washtenaw County's Natural Areas Preservation Program.
The plot is adjacent to Marshall Park, owned by the city of Ann Arbor, another 100 acres to the north that's owned by U-M, and the county's 36-acre Goodrich Preserve.
The county's purchase will be made possible by a grant of about $2.25 million from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. The total purchase price is still to be finalized and is contingent on appraisal valuations, Freeman says. The grant money could be available by early fall.
Freeman describes the land as rolling, with some very steep slopes. "There are streams and little pocket woodlands, and a small button-bush swamp. You can find Michigan holly, which is not an endangered but a somewhat unique plant species here. It's just a really, really neat opportunity for people to get into the woods, and again, you're literally a mile from the city limits of Ann Arbor."
Source: Tom Freeman, coordinator of Washtenaw County's Natural Areas Preservation Program
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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