By Meakalia Previch-liu on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 for the Leelanau Enterprise
New Community Vision (NCV), a Northport-based nonprofit, and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) are much closer to purchasing and restoring the former Timber Shores RV resort campground.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced July 18 its recommendation of an $11.9 million grant to go towards preservation projects in the Leelanau and Grand Traverse areas.
With these funds, NCV says it now needs to only raise an additional $2 million to reach its fundraising goal to acquire and permanently protect the 214-acre lakeshore property. While 187 acres will not be developed and will remain as a nature preserve stewarded by GTB, an upland 24-acre section of the property not included in the nature preserve portion has been identified for critically-needed attainable housing.
“We are deeply grateful for our close partnership with the Grand Traverse Band,” said NCV Board President John Sentell in a recent press release. “Their expertise and leadership in the stewardship of natural habitats throughout our region reinforces the importance of preserving this special lakeshore property. This close partnership is key to not only preserving and restoring the property, but connecting all people in the community to the wonders of this remarkable natural asset again.”
With about $6.5 million of those funds, the GTB will be able to preserve and restore coastal habitat on Mashkiigaki, a parcel of sacred ancestral land along West Grand Traverse Bay. Although many know of the land being where Timber Shores once stood, it is historically, culturally and spiritually significant to the GTB.
Mashkiigaki means “the place of the medicines,” and represents the importance of the wetlands as a traditionally significant location for hunting, fishing, gathering, and collecting medicines. According to the GTB, the U.S. government brought a treaty to the tribe in 1855 asking that the remaining third of what is now Michigan be ceded to the U.S. government.
When this treaty was signed, a reserve was established that included most of Leelanau County, including the land of where the Timber Shores property now is, and a large tract of land in Antrim County. The treaty was broken many times following this by the federal government, with most of the land being illegally taken from the tribe and its people. With the help of the NOAA grant, the tribe would regain area once removed from their ownership and care.
The remaining grant monies will also support an innovative fish passage project called Giigook man-jowang (FishPass), which will fully reconnect the Boardman-Ottaway River Trail to Lake Michigan. The project will receive $8.9 million in the first year and up to $11.9 million total over three years.
The grant is part of the second round of funds provided through NOAA’ s Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience funding opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. NOAA awarded more than $265 million for 38 projects in its first round, while $220 million was recommended for 32 projects in its second round. Projects span a broad range of habitats and restoration techniques, including reconnecting rivers to their historic floodplains, outplanting corals to rebuild reefs, and restoring salt marshes that protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise.
The latest update comes after NCV announced in May its strategic partnerships with the tribe and Peninsula Housing, a community land trust based in Suttons Bay that aims to provide affordable workforce housing in the county. NCVs initial goal was to raise $5 million by the end of 2023, but has since secured an exclusive option agreement and extension with NM Investment Co. and RVTS Investment, giving the group more time to raise funds through the summer.
Development plans for the camp-ground and sewer over the years have been contentious among county residents and local government officials, resulting in application delays and zoning changes along the way. However, since the purchase option was presented last year, NCV has been actively working not only to raise enough money, but to build awareness about the land’s vulnerable ecosystems and history with the tribe that dates back hundreds of years.
NCV thanks the Leelanau Enterprise and Meakalia Previch-liu for allowing us to share this coverage with you.
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