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Parks: Part of Your
Community Infrastructure
February 7, 2018
The PresentersCoy Vaughn, AICP, Director Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission
Coy is responsible for the operations of 15 park facilities and 34 nature preserves covering
nearly 6,000 acres in Washtenaw County.
WCPARC is working with partners to complete key projects along the Huron River Greenway,
including the Border-to-Border Trail, and establishing a new facility at Staebler Farm County
Park. The 98-acre Staebler Farm Park consists of historical buildings, lakes, farm fields,
meadows, mature woodlots, and wetlands.
Coy has been with WCPRC for 11 years. He has a professional certification as a planner, a
degree in Landscape Architecture from Michigan State University, and a graduate degree in
Urban and Regional Planning from Eastern Michigan University.
The Presenters
The Greening of Detroit
Born in Northwest Detroit, Fai developed her passion for sustainable
development while serving in the Peace Corps as a small business
advisor in West Africa. She now leads new green infrastructure
projects and business development, The Greening of Detroit.
Creating and implementing community-based green projects is at
the core of The Greening of Detroit’s mission in the city. From moving
the needle on the city’s tree canopy, to providing Detroiters skills
training to green careers, The Greening has successfully translated
environmental initiatives into action.
Fai Foen, ASLA, LEED GA, Int. Director of Green Infrastructure
Fai received her graduate degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of
Michigan.
The PresentersDouglas Schultz, PLA, Director of Landscape ArchitectureROWE Professional Services Company
Doug is the director of landscape architecture for a multi -discipline consulting firm that has
served municipal and state agencies for more than 50 years. He has more than 23 years’
experience assisting clients with quality of life projects from concept to completion.
Doug has worked with each of the panel members on unique projects, or as a committee/
board member regarding park infrastructure.
How do you define infrastructure?
-the basic physical and organizational structures
and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power
supplies) needed for the operation of a society
or enterprise.
How do we get our residents and elected
officials to recognize parks as part of this
infrastructure list?
What is green infrastructure?
• “Green infrastructure is an approach to water
management that protects, restores, or mimics
the natural water cycle. Green infrastructure is
effective, economical, and enhances
community safety and quality of life. It means
planting trees and restoring wetlands, rather
than building a costly new water treatment
plant.” – American Rivers.org
What does it mean to me?Other than saving our environment….
• Reinforces parks position as a key partner with other
public infrastructure regarding health, safety, and
welfare
• Tool for seeking funding; incorporate into your
maintenance and development planning
• Positive message; use to engage your residents, leaders
and community
Example: The Greening of Detroit• The Greening of Detroit is a community-based
environmental non-profit.
• It was founded in 1989, as a volunteer-led
tree planting organization, in response to
Dutch Elm and Emerald Ash Borer.
• Its mission was to plant trees to replace the
thousands that had been lost to disease and
neglect.
Picture of the front of
our building
Example: The Greening of Detroit• We’ve done that – nearly 100,000 trees planted through The
Greening’s efforts
• More than 500 Detroiters, with barriers to employment, trained in
green jobs – landscape maintenance, tree removal, floral design
• Celebrating 20th Anniversary of Green Corps – youth training and
leadership program
• Volunteer engagement – Over 2,000 annually; Citizen Foresters
• Lafayette Greens – Beautiful public space; health and wellness
programming
Every day, we set the stage to “Grow Tomorrow’s Detroit.
Meeting the Needs of the CommunityFrom those humble beginnings, we expanded to
meet the needs of the community:
• Environmental Education
• Vacant Land Management
• Urban Agriculture
• Community Ambassador Training
• Youth Training and Leadership
• Adult Workforce Development
The Greening’s Core Programs• Green Infrastructure
• Community Forestry
• Volunteers
• Planning and Implementation of
Ecological Landscapes
• Workforce Development
• Youth Training and Leadership
• Adult Workforce Development
Walter Meyer Nursery• Situated within the largest park in
the city – Rouge Park
• ~ 72 acre, within the nearly 1,200-
acre site
• Amenities: 18-hole golf course,
baseball fields, tennis courts, 8
miles of bicycle and mountain bike
trails, camp site for scout groups,
model airplane field, and
swimming pools
Walter Meyer Nursery• City of Detroit’s Tree Nursery,
established in the 1920s, with
Civilian Conservation Corps
• Every tree planted on city property
came from this nursery
• City’s nursery and forestry heyday
peaked in the 50s-60s, with
competition from suburban
nurseries
Walter Meyer Nursery• 2009 – The Greening received a lease
from the city
• For 8 years, infrastructure funding was
extremely limited
• 2010 – Launched our workforce
development program - Landscape
Technician
Meyer Nursery• 2017 – We received funding!
• 3 typologies
• Site preparation and planning
• Species selection
• Ongoing planning
Meyer Nursery2017 – Initial site preparation
Four species: urban tolerant,
Great Lakes natives
2018 – Continued site planning
• Utility assessment
• Community engagement
• Continued workforce
programming
• Implementation
Example: Washtenaw County• Development of the Huron River Greenway
and B2B trail adds transportation
infrastructure while preserving wildlife
habitat and buffering the Huron River.
• The B2B connects protected open space
along the river and is designed to address
new storm water management
requirements based on impervious surface
including paved trail.
Example: Washtenaw County• Conservation; natural area
preservation is also a part of our
social/historical resources and
necessary infrastructure
• Through the Natural Area
Preservation Program (NAPP)
WCPARC has prioritized acquisitions
to create corridors of protected land
to optimize the benefits of water
quality protection and critical habitat
Expanded
boundary
Corridors
PatchPatc
h
Patc
h
Patch
Corridor
Patch
Patch
Patch Expansion New Patch Establishment
Patch
Special Focus: Lake Plain Ecoregion
Image sources:
Michelle Miller, mmillericeland.wordpress.com
Atlas of Michigan, ed. Lawrence M. Sommers, 1977
Stream Protection
PrioritizationNatural Areas Preservation Program
County Priorities:
Natural and Agricultural Land
Example: Washtenaw County• How can facilities such as
Blue Heron Bay Spray Park,
Rolling Hills Water Park, and
County Farm Park improve
storm water management?
Blue Heron Bay Spray Parkat Independence Lake County Park
Blue Heron Bay Spray Parkat Independence Lake County Park
Pervious pavers, underground detention, and
vegetated swales installed at Blue Heron Bay
improve infiltration and water quality
Malletts Creek Restorationat County Farm Park
WCPARC partnered with the Water Resource
Commission and the City of Ann Arbor to restore
Malletts Creek, a heavily impacted urban stream.
The primary goals were to:
• Reduce peak flow rates and in-stream velocities
• Reduce the amount of pollutants, primarily
phosphorous, to the watercourse.
Malletts Creek Restorationat County Farm Park
Malletts Creek Restorationat County Farm Park
Pervious pavers installed at County Farm Park
to improve infiltration and water quality
Recommendations• Think beyond the “green, feel good feeling,” clearly
document how innovative solutions can save time, money and effort within your department
• After you document it, promote it, sell the value
• Use green result as you pursue funding, design, hire, etc.
• Utilize volunteers and other non-profit partners
• Include it in your goals (five-year plans, etc.)
• Other?
Contact Us
If in the future you have questions about these topics, please
contact us. We want to help you succeed!
o Coy Vaughn, AICP, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission,
734.971.6337, [email protected]
o Fai Foen, ASLA, LEED GA, Greening of Detroit, 313.285.2262,
o Doug Schultz, PLA, ROWE Professional Services Company - Landscape
Architecture Department, 810.341.7500, [email protected]
