Committee backs community habitat improvement projects; roadside phragmites treatment cited as countywide priority

The Legislative and County Affairs Committee on Feb. 25 recommended the Board of Commissioners approve a series of community habitat restoration projects and a countywide program to control invasive phragmites along road rights-of-way.

Sarah Cook Malan, chief of natural resources and sustainability for Oakland County Parks, said the Community Habitat Improvement Program is now in its fifth year. She described the program as county-managed implementation: communities apply and staff or contractors perform the work on their behalf rather than issuing direct grants.

Cook Malan said the county advertises the program through the Parks "Oak Notes" newsletter, social media, and the county's Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA). She acknowledged gaps in community participation and said the county recently surveyed local units of government to identify barriers and will try to broaden outreach.

Committee members asked questions about scope and costs. Commissioner Nelson asked whether the listed roadside phragmites and noxious weed treatments covered all road commission–owned roadways; staff replied those treatments involve contributions from the Road Commission for Oakland County and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and that parks' contribution typically totals about $75,000 for the countywide program. Cook Malan said community-level awards typically have a $10,000 cap but countywide efforts such as roadside phragmites receive higher total budgets because of multiple funding partners. "We usually tell them that there's no more than $10,000 available," she said, "but for those countywide projects like the roadside phragmites, those have higher amounts."

She said the next application window opens in August with a three- to four-month application period and that staff encourage early submissions to allow site visits before closing. The committee discussed geographic diversity of applicants and staff said projects not approved in past years were typically rejected for logistical reasons (for example, staff turnover), not program merit.

After discussion, the committee chair moved to recommend the community habitat improvement funding list to the full Board of Commissioners for approval. Staff will proceed with outreach and implementation planning for selected projects.