ALPENA PLEDGE:
Protecting Lake Huron with Purpose
The Alpena community has come together to safeguard their most vital asset—clean, fresh water—and the impact is undeniable.
Leaders in Alpena, Mich. have embraced this challenge with a flurry of activity including a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Visioning Session, a Lake Huron Forever Community Celebration & Volunteer Day, the launch of a dune restoration project and stricter shoreline zoning regulations.
These initiatives are the culmination of months of collaborative planning, driven by a shared commitment to protecting Lake Huron. While water quality and the health of inland waterways have always been a priority for the township, city, and county, the Lake Huron Forever initiative provided a crucial framework for collective action and positive change.
The turning point came in August 2023 when the Township, City, and County of Alpena all officially adopted the Lake Huron Forever Pledge. Their shared pledge challenges each municipality to leverage its zoning boards, staff, and regulations to proactively safeguard the lake and its surrounding ecosystems.
Celebrating the community’s commitment to Lake Huron are (l-r) Huron Pines Community Program Director Abby Ertel, Alpena Township Planning Commission Chair Tom Hilberg, Alpena County Commissioner John Kozlowski, Mayor Cindy Johnson and Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan Executive Director Patrick Heraghty.
Nathan Skibbe, Charter Township of Alpena Supervisor, has a deep appreciation for the water, having grown up by its shores. Attending the Lake Huron Forever One Water Gathering in 2022 served as a catalyst for Skibbe. Witnessing the collective achievements of coastal communities across the US and Canada, he saw a clear path for action.
"As a municipal leader, it was eye-opening. It showed me what entire communities can accomplish when working together on a common goal,” Skibbe said. “It made me think about what we can do have a greater impact on our shared footprint, and how sustainable practices can help improve water quality for all of us."
Nathan Skibbe (r) gives a tour of Misery Bay Nature Preserve, a protected forest and coastal wetland complex owned and managed by Alpena Township.
For Skibbe and the Township, the pledge presented an opportunity to codify regulations with a significant long-term impact on the lake.
“We saw the opportunity as a municipality to unilaterally focus our zoning rules that would continue to promote better water quality for our region in a responsible way," Skibbe explained. “We want to educate residents and help them have a higher acuity of their surroundings, establish greater setbacks with new construction and encourage greenbelts for better runoff standards.”
Skibbe acknowledges the importance of a long-term perspective. With the groundwork laid, the positive effects will gradually unfold.
“The best way to combat an issue like water quality is to include all municipalities that serve the region.”
"We expect to see fewer issues with flooding because of our new zoning requiring increased setbacks for shoreline development," Skibbe said. "We'll see less erosion and water quality will continue to improve. The best way to combat an issue like water quality is to include all municipalities that serve the region.”
This commitment extends beyond the township. Rachel Smolinski, Alpena City Manager, echoes Skibbe's sentiment about the power of the Lake Huron Forever initiative to build collaboration.
“It's an avenue where we can work together with other leaders and Huron Pines to be more collaborative on how we approach protecting Lake Huron and our natural resources,” Smolinski said.
This collaborative spirit is particularly important because Lake Huron and the fresh water that flows into it are vital to the identity of Alpena.
"Our quality of life is tied to Lake Huron,” Smolinski said. “It's the source of drinking water for the city and township. All the activities which surround it are a huge economic driver for the city, county and township. It's the fabric of our community really.”
The proactive measures undertaken by the Alpena community serve as an example of how collaboration and a shared vision can lead to lasting environmental protection. By working together, these communities are ensuring a healthy and vibrant future for generations to come.
Lake Huron Forever in Action: City Dunes Get a Second Life
Temporary sand fencing runs along the beach at Mich-e-ke-wis Park in Alpena where efforts to reestablish dunes for wildlife habitat and water quality protection are in full swing.
An effort to restore sand dunes along the beach of Mich-e-ke-wis Park in Alpena is underway. The project is the outcome of a Lake Huron Forever Green Stormwater Infrastructure Visioning Session through which the community offered their input on potential stormwater projects.
“This site is well suited to demonstrate the benefits of a natural shoreline for erosion control and stormwater management,” said Samantha Nellis, Water Program Director for Huron Pines. “These dune complexes really help protect against storm surges, lake level changes and the impacts of climate-related events.”
Members of Huron Pines AmeriCorps install a temporary sand fence to restore dunes to Mich-e-ke-wis Park in Alpena.
A temporary fence will capture windblown sand to rebuild the dunes. Invasive plants have been removed and replaced by native plants to establish the dune habitat and help filter pollutants from rain and snowmelt before it reaches the lake.
The project will help make the park more resilient to erosion, promote water quality by filtering stormwater runoff and reestablish the natural plant community along this stretch of Lake Huron.
Barren to Blooming: An Unexpected Rooftop Oasis Takes Shape
A must-visit destination in downtown Alpena has become a showpiece for green infrastructure thanks to collaboration and inspiration from the Lake Huron Forever initiative.
The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), is a museum and visitors center with history and interactive displays to celebrate the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary which protects a collection of 100 historic shipwrecks off the coast of Alpena in the waters of Lake Huron.
The Lake Huron Forever grant committee selected the facility as the first recipient of a Lake Huron Forever grant. The funding provided the final dollars needed to establish a rooftop rain garden that is open for the public to explore and can be used for events.
A portion of the green roof at Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena.
In addition to taking a space that was not functional and turning it into a beautiful venue, the green roof—with its plants, updated flooring and drainage—can capture 50% of the runoff that occurs during a rainstorm. The Heritage Center is located on the Thunder Bay River which flows directly into Lake Huron, and its green roof is a working model for how changes to infrastructure can have a positive impact on water quality.
Learning Circles Promote Collaboration, Shared Opportunities
To truly protect and enhance Lake Huron, partners from coast to coast must come together to take action. In addition to restoration and infrastructure projects, collaboration takes the form of mentorship and the exchange of experience and knowledge through facilitated Learning Circle discussions.
Twice a year, Lake Huron Forever Peer Learning Circles bring together community representatives and technical partners to share current work, developing opportunities and lessons learned from designing and installing green-infrastructure applications in communities around Lake Huron. Learning Circles are open to existing Lake Huron Forever partners and all advocates for nature-based solutions in their community.
Another source of great collaborative effort happens in the local schools, with K-12 programming that brings the ideals of Lake Huron Forever into the classroom with hands-on learning.
Students install some of the 1,500 native plants in the NOAA rain garden in Alpena.
With support from LHF partner, the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, Huron Pines collaborated with NOAA and students from Posen Middle School to plant 1,500 native plant plugs in the NOAA garden. This project engaged 41 students and volunteers, not only enhancing the local ecosystem but also providing a valuable educational experience. This project showcases various stormwater capture techniques that local businesses and partners can learn from and apply to their own properties.
Together with our partners, we have created a path forward for collecting and acting on community input for Alpena's green infrastructure vision, ensuring the community’s voice shapes their hometown's future.
Planting the rain garden
The NOAA’s Maritime Heritage Center is poised to become a green infrastructure demonstration site, which will have a ripple effect for the entire Great Lakes region. The example set here will showcase the value of bringing it all together—connecting relevant programs, technical support, funding and vision. This collaborative approach ensures a successful and impactful project for Alpena and beyond.