Watershed Forestry InitiativeEllen Kohler

Attorney & Policy Specialist

Funded in part by

Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment,

Urban and Community Forestry Program

and the USFS State and Private Forestry Program

1. Elk River Chain of Lakes

9. Yuba Creek7. Acme Creek

6. Mitchell Creek

5. Old Mission Peninsula

4. East Bay Shoreline3. West Bay Shoreline

8. Ptobego Creek

2. Boardman River

Pollutant Priorities in Grand Traverse Bay Watershed

Protection Plan

PollutantGT Bay

WatershedGT Bay ONLY

Sediment 1 --

Nutrients 2 1

Changes to Hydrologic Flow

3 --

Loss of Habitat 4 4

Toxins(Pesticides/Herbicides, Oils, Gas, Grease, Salt/Chlorides)

5 3

Invasive Species 6 2

Pathogens (E. Coli and Fecal Coliform indicators)

7 5

Thermal Pollution 8 --

Definition: The use of forests and forestry practices to protect, restore, and sustain water quality, water

flows, and watershed health and condition.

Watershed Forestry

“Forests and forestry practices are critical components of healthy watersheds. Trees

and forests can prevent erosion, filter contaminants before they enter the

waterway, absorb rainfall and snow melt, recharge aquifers, and slow storm water

runoff.”

US Forest Service

Stormwater and Water QualityTop two pollutants in Grand Traverse Bay watershed =

Excessive Nutrients and Sediments.

Carried to lakes, rivers, streams and the bay through stormwater runoff

Stormwater on sites with natural cover results in: 10 percent runoff25 percent shallow infiltration25 percent deep infiltration40 percent evapo-transpiration

Stormwater on sites with 75-100% impervious surfaces results in:

55 percent runoff10 percent shallow infiltration5 percent deep infiltration and 30 percent evapo-transpiration.

Urban and Community Forests of the North Central East Region

by US Forest Service

The following forest attributes are estimated for the urban and community land in Michigan. • 107.8 million trees• 20.6 million metric tons of C stored ($469.7 million value)• 678,000 metric tons/year of C sequestered ($15.5 million value)• 14,820 metric tons/year total pollution removal ($121.7 million value)• 157 metric tons/year of CO removed ($221,500 value)• 2,432 metric tons/year NO2 removed ($24.1 million value)• 6,364 metric tons/year of O3 removed ($63.0 million value)• 1,060 metric tons/year of SO2 removed ($2.6 million value) • 4,806 metric tons/year of PM10 removed ($31.8 million value)

GTR-NRS-54 at 33.

National Tree Benefit Calculator

www.treebenefits.com12 Maple Trees of 4 inch diameter would intercept approximately 1400 gallons of stormwater each year for this site

Traverse City Shoreline

70 inch willow

Treats 8700 gallons of stormwater each year

Traverse City Shoreline

20 inch spruce

Treats 2700 gallons of stormwater each year

American Forests’ Urban Ecosystem Analysis: CITYgreen

- Measures tree canopy and quantifies changes over time

- Quantifies their ecological benefits

- Calculates a dollar value

- Communicates the positive impacts of green infrastructure from reducing built infrastructure costs and increasing environmental quality

- Builds capacity of policy makers to plan and manage their cities with green infrastructure to maximize their natural capital

SE Michigan and the City of Detroit

Planning area of 27,863 acres31% tree canopy cover in 2005

Goal: Trends for open space, trees, and urban landcovers over a 10

year period

Results: Greatest decline in green infrastructure was in counties adjacent to Detroit

Ecosystem services of tree canopy:

190.8 million cu.ft. of stormwater management representing

$382 million in value

2,100,000 lbs. of air pollutants removed representing $5,100,000 in removal value

Grand Traverse Bay Watershed

301,945 acres tree canopy covering 48.7% of land in the watershed(42.9% of land in Michigan – USFS study)

19,917,596 lbs. of air pollutants removed representing $58,185,928/ year

129,931 tons of total carbon sequestered

1,649,883,686 cubic feet of stormwater storage representing $3,299,767,371

Watershed Area: 619,466 acres

Goal: Trend in Tree Canopy Cover from 2001 to 2009

Results: Loss of more than 4000 acres of tree canopy cover

Value of Lost Ecosystem Services:30,103,675 cubic feet of stormwater

representing $60,207,351 in infrastructure value272,165 lbs. of air pollutants removed

representing $795,085 in removal value1776 tons lost carbon storage

CITYgreen Analysis: Grand Traverse Bay Watershed

Stormwater volume measured for a 2-year 24-hour event (2.25 inches for our region)

2001 Tree Canopy (acres)

306,071(49.4%)

2001 Total Gross Stormwater Storage (cubic feet)

1,679,987,361

2009 Tree Canopy (acres)

301,945(48.7%)

2009 Total Gross Stormwater Storage (cubic feet)

1,649,883,686

Change in Tree Canopy Cover (acres)

4126(0.7%)

Loss of Total Gross Stormwater Storage (cubic feet)

30,103,675

CITYgreen Analysis:Change in Tree Canopy Acreage – Seven Smaller Subwatersheds

CITYgreen Analysis:Elk-River-Chain-of-Lakes Subwatershed

161,070

Loss of 1082 acres of tree canopy and 8,927,321 cubic feet of gross stormwater storage

CITYgreen Analysis:Boardman Subwatershed

Loss of 2573 acres of tree canopyand18,470,482 cubic feet of gross stormwater storage

Boardman River

Boardman River

Next Steps

- Continue to share results with stakeholders, planners, local governments, and thegeneral public

- Discuss approaches to protecting tree canopy with landowners, local governments, natural resource managers

- Conduct finer resolution analysis in selected areas, such as shorelines and river corridors

- Plant trees

Thank You!

The Watershed Center

231.935.1514www.gtbay.org