Purpose:

• The Industrial Environmental Impact project is a project being done in partnership with The Genesee Conservation District (GCD) on Genesee County Land Bank and City of Flint lots. The project is the result of the GCD being awarded a Planet Award grant by Consumers Energy Foundation and a grant by The Conservation Fund. 

• The purpose of this project is to remove non-structural blight (dead trees, overgrown fence lines, invasive species, etc) from vacant lot and then to densely plant hardy Michigan native trees in its place. This is to demonstrate a land management technique that could be used on vacant lots throughout the city. 

  • The dense tree plantings will shade out grass, eliminate the need for constant mowing throughout the warmer seasons, will prevent other unsightly invasive plant species from growing in its place, and will provide many other benefits. These include: preventing dumping, creating a cooling effect in the summers, and absorbing rainwater. 

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The trees will be planted closely and will grow tall and straight, not shrubby. This will provide a clear viewline from the road across the lots.

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Details:

• The project is occurring on approximately 5.5 acres, or 50 vacant lots in the quadrant of Pierson Road, Industrial Ave, Wager Ave, and North Street. 

• These lots are receiving invasive species treatment, brush removal, dead/dying tree removal, and will be planted with native Michigan trees in the spring of 2025.  The GCD will establish the trees throughout the 2025 growing season and maintain the lots.

• The lots will remain Land Bank or City of Flint lots.

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Native trees to be planted:

• Our plan is to plant 1,600 native Michigan trees in the spring of 2025 on the indicated lots. These trees are largely different from the majority of the trees you see growing in the area already. These trees grow with hardy wood and will be maintained. 

• Michigan native tree varieties to be planted include: 

  • Catalpa

  • Sugar maple

  • Sycamore 

  • Redbud

  • White pine

  • Oaks - red, white, swamp white

  • Black walnut

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Key features of the project: ​

• The trees will be spaced appropriately so that a lawnmower will be able to get between them easily for easy maintenance before they are established. 

• The native Michigan trees will be a hardier, more durable tree than most of the older, scraggly looking trees you see currently growing around the city. 

• The trees will be planted closely and will grow tall and straight, not shrubby. This will provide a clear viewline from the road across the lots. 

 

Tree Planting Benefits:

• Discourages illegal dumping

• A clear view across lot increases safety

• Reduces noise and air pollution

• Restoring vacant lots

• Creates shade and a cooling effect in warmer weather

• Greener spaces

• Reduces storm water runoff and flooding

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This project is being done in thanks to our funders:

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For more information, please email geneseecd@yahoo.com to request updates on the project.