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Wildlife board to install buffer along river

ALPENA –The Alpena Wildlife Sanctuary Board’s primary mission is to protect and preserve wildlife, especially the Thunder Bay watershed. In the spring it will be launching a new tactic to help reduce runoff and erosion.

The city has given the board permission to install a riparian buffer along the Thunder Bay River across from MidMichigan Health Center-Alpena.

City Planning and Development Director Adam Poll said a riparian buffer is a strip of native plants that are allowed to grow near the water, acting as a barrier to water runoff, which can be contaminated with chemicals. It also helps to limit erosion.

Poll said for the most part there is existing plant life along the river on Chisholm Street that will be allowed to grow taller than normal, but it is possible the wildlife board will plant some bushes or shrubs as well.

“When we mow, we won’t mow as close to the water as we typically do and that will create the buffer,” Poll said “I think they are looking at some shrubs, but basically anything native would be acceptable.”

Poll said the wildlife board and city will monitor the buffer to see how effective it is next year. He said there could be other places in the city where buffers could be useful, but not many.

“There is actually quite a bit of vegetation on the riverbeds in most places,” Poll said. “Right now I think we do a pretty good job of of maintaining things while still making sure there is access for people fishing or doing things like that.”

The work to build the riparian buffer was slated to begin this fall, but Poll said it has been pushed out until spring.

Poll also said things are still moving forward with the River Center project and the board is in the process of becoming a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization called River Center Inc. He said design plans are moving forward and fundraising for the construction of the facility is still ongoing.

The Alpena Wildlife Sanctuary Board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 4 p.m.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached via email at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5689. Follow Steve on Twitter ss_alpenanews. Read his blog, Upon Further Review … at www.thealpenanews.com.

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