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	The Ypsilanti Courier A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Pittsfield Preserve development to continue through federal partnership

By Thom Verwys, Special Writer

PUBLISHED: March 29, 2007

Following two years of planning, the Pittsfield Township Board last week approved the signing of a new partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in an effort to further develop the Pittsfield Preserve.

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More than 35 acres of wildlife habitat will be turned into a native grasslands development and 10 acres will become wetland basins, all part of a stewardship plan developed by planner Rick McAvinchey. The plan was first adopted in 2004 and will reach fulfillment by 2016.

In a presentation to the board, Deputy Clerk Jan BenDor, spoke about some of the natural enhancements that will be made to the preserve.

"This new partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will enable us to make great strides in developing the Pittsfield Preserve," BenDor said. "We will connect isolated habitat areas, establish uplands to complement the wetlands and create more edge habitat areas by the woods.

"Restoration of five wetland basins, which were drained over the years because of farm usage, will be allowed to return to their original condition. New low berms will be created around the basins so that collected moisture will be contained."

A total of 10 acres will be restored wetlands and 37 adjacent acres will be filled with native warm season grasses and wildflowers. There will be prescribed burns allowed to control invasive plants.

The wetlands will be developed after township officials hire an environmental contractor.

Construction will begin as ground conditions allow. Buffer planting of cool season grasses will follow, and then the warm season buffer plants will be placed sometime in June.

The native grasslands planting areas will be staked out by the end of March after a meeting is held with park staff.

"We also will continue to develop trails which will improve public access to the park," BenDor said. "Installing nesting boxes, bat houses and wildlife viewing facilities will also be develop according to the stewardship plan."

In other business, an application was approved for an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate for Cayman Chemical Company Inc. and for Unimerco Inc.

Cayman Chemical Company officials are hoping to include several former Pfizer employees in their business expansion plans.

Company officials are going to provide immediate temporary space in existing buildings for the additional work teams while the two year building expansion project already planned is under way.

Thom Verwys is a freelance writer for The Courier. He can be reached through editor@ypsilanticourier.com.