LANSING - Senator Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor) today announced that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Scio Township, and Washtenaw County will receive over $4 million from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) for land acquisition and recreational development projects in Washtenaw and Jackson Counties. This money was matched with $529,400 in local funds and $61,000 in private funds.

“These funds will help us update existing recreation areas and acquire new resources to make them more accessible for both enjoyment and educational use,” said Sen. Brater. “By continuously improving our community’s parks and trail systems, we are making the area more attractive for tourism and promoting activities, such as fishing and environmental research, that will contribute to the growth of our local economy.”

The MNRTF projects in Sen. Brater’s district include the following:

• Jackson/Washtenaw Counties: The DNR has received $2,500,000 for the acquisition of approximately 617 acres for lands within the Waterloo Recreation Area.

• Washtenaw County: Scio Township has received $1,405,000, with an additional local match of $468,400, for the acquisition of approximately 67 acres of parkland with 3,740 feet of frontage on Mill Creek, to be used for nature study, environmental education, and active recreation uses.

• Washtenaw County: Washtenaw County has received $96,000, combined with $61,000 from a local match and $61,000 in private donations, to provide enhancements to the Rolling Hills Park area. Development will include universally acceptable amenities such as playground equipment, picnic pavilion, observation treehouse, fishing dock, pier at spring pond, signage, and trail improvements.

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