Thanks to a million dollar grant, the future is bright for the proposed Armintrout-Milbocker Nature Preserve just outside of downtown Allegan.
The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC) has been awarded $1 million from Kalamazoo River Natural Resources Damages Assessment (NRDA) settlement funds to purchase a beautiful 140-acre property just outside of downtown Allegan along the west bank of the Kalamazoo River to create the Armintrout-Milbocker Nature Preserve.
The heart of the spectacular piece of land is 100 upland acres of mostly pine and oak forest, fringed with 40 acres of diverse wetlands, over three miles of walking trails and three miles of frontage along the Kalamazoo River. The property is incredibly biodiverse, with at least 150 plant species, and over 60 bird species counted thus far.
The Armintrout and Milbocker families have discussed conserving their family property with SWMLC for the past 20 years. In 2020, the conservancy applied for multiple sources of funding, including two large grants to raise the funds necessary to finally purchase the property to create a nature preserve for Allegan and the surrounding community.
The largest source of funding toward the purchase is the NRDA settlement funds, awarded by the Kalamazoo River Trustees. The source of those funds stems from settlements with companies whose PCB emissions contaminated an 80-mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River. The purchase of Armintrout is one of 14 projects proposed between Kalamazoo and Lake Michigan that would rehabilitate wildlife habitat harmed by the PCB pollution. The Kalamazoo River Trustees finalized their recommendations regarding the allocation of the NRDA funding on Friday, May 14th after a 30-day public comment period.
Hilary Hunt, SWMLC Director of Land Protection, says, “SWMLC is incredibly grateful to the Kalamazoo River Trustees for their leadership and financial support for the acquisition of the Armintrout-Milbocker Nature Preserve property. We believe that protecting and restoring this important property is an excellent use of the settlement funds that will protect critical biodiversity and provide impactful environmental and recreational benefits.”
Separately, in early May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Community Forest Program (CFP) announced a $400,000 grant to SWMLC to aid in the purchase of the Armintrout-Milbocker property. The CFP grant is aimed at protecting the property for use as a Community Forest, defined as a community resource which promotes recreational, environmental, economic and educational benefits.
SWMLC has convened an advisory committee and is working with a diverse cross-section of representatives from the community that will not only provide guidance in creating a natural area alternative to the Allegan State Game Area, but will also support the economic health of the city of Allegan, which is working to promote outdoor recreation and tourism activities. In addition, SWMLC has been strategizing with teachers and administrators from the Allegan Public Schools about how to integrate the Armintrout-Milbocker Nature Preserve into the curriculum for local K-12 students for subjects like environmental science, language arts, media and more.
Kevin Harness, Advisory Committee member and retired Superintendent of Allegan Public Schools, says, “I’m extremely pleased to participate in this effort to create a new natural area along the Kalamazoo River,” and adds, “The preserve, located less than five minutes from downtown Allegan, will be easily accessible and a tremendous opportunity for residents, especially Allegan youth, to discover nature.”
Additional funding that is instrumental to the acquisition is provided by a US Fish & Wildlife Service North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant as well as a significant donation made by the Armintrout and Milbocker families.
Once the purchase is complete, SWMLC will be reaching out to the community to raise money to create public access infrastructure and to care for the natural areas on the preserve.
