Balancing Preservation and Promotion of Natural Resources: a Case Study of Newaygo County, Michigan

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Balancing Preservation and Promotion of Natural Resources: a Case Study of Newaygo County, Michigan Illinois State University ISU ReD: Research and eData Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development to Stevenson Center for Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Community and Economic Development Development—Student Research 2014 Balancing Preservation and Promotion of Natural Resources: A Case Study of Newaygo County, Michigan Jeffrey Koch Illinois State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/scced Part of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons, Growth and Development Commons, and the Other Political Science Commons Recommended Citation Koch, Jeffrey, "Balancing Preservation and Promotion of Natural Resources: A Case Study of Newaygo County, Michigan" (2014). Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development to Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development—Student Research. 1. https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/scced/1 This Capstone Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development at ISU ReD: Research and eData. It has been accepted for inclusion in Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development to Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development—Student Research by an authorized administrator of ISU ReD: Research and eData. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Balancing Preservaon and Promoon of Natural Resources: A Case‐Study of Newaygo County, Michigan Recommendaons for sustainable natural resource management with implicaons for rural development and philanthropy Wrien by Jeff Koch July 2014 Community Natural Resource Interviews Aaron Benne President Newaygo County Farm Bureau Farmer Benne Farms Jacqueline Bilello Stewardship Coordinator Land Conservancy of West Michigan Kelly Bishop District Conservaonist Natural Resource Conservaon Service Doug Buhler AgBioResearch Director Michigan State University Greg Clark Parks and Recreaon Supervisor Michigan State Parks Ryan Coffey Land Use Coordinator Michigan State University Extension Patrick Conklin Associate Director for Safety, Nestlé Nutrion/Gerber Products Health, and Environment Company Pete DeBoer Land Protecon Coordinator Land Conservancy of West Michigan Kent Folkema Dairy Farmer Folkema Farms John Hruby Environmental Supervisor Nestlé Nutrion/Gerber Products Company Ned Hughes Board Treasurer Newaygo Conservaon District Terry Johnson Factory Manager Nestlé Nutrion/Gerber Products Company Andy Lofgren Execuve Director Newaygo County Economic Development Organizaon Vaughn Maatman Execuve Director Land Conservancy of West Michigan Chris May Stewardship Director Michigan Nature Conservancy Gary Noble Execuve Director Muskegon River Watershed Assembly i Alan Steinman Director Annis Water Resources Instute Grand Valley State University Laurie Supinski Execuve Director Newaygo County Convenon and Visitors Bureau Tom Thompson Board Chair White River Watershed Partnership Joni Tubbergen Organic/All‐Natural Farmer Pheasant Ridge Farms Dale Twing Drain Commissioner County of Newaygo Stanley VanSingel Farmer VanSingel Farms Township Supervisor Grant Township Diane Walker Supervisory Planner U.S. Forest Service Ron Welton Director Newaygo County Parks Dave Wright Township Supervisor Big Prairie Township Rob Zeldenrust Senior Agronomy Manager North Central Co‐op Board Chair Fremont Area Community Foundaon Ma Zudweg Muskegon River Fishing Guide Z Fly Fishing ii This report may be downloaded from: www.stevensoncenter.org (http://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/scced/) The Fremont Area Community Foundaon is a public charity and community foundaon serving the Newaygo County, Michigan area. The mission of the Community Foundaon is to improve the quality of life in Newaygo County. Over the course of 2013 and 2014, a research and development process was iniated to determine the best way to support preservaon and promoon of natural resources while maintaining the community’s rural character and natural beauty. The Community Foundaon believes it is vital to promote Newaygo County’s wealth of unique natural resources to current residents and visitors while also preserving them for future generaons. The Stevenson Center at Illinois State University promotes community and economic development in the U.S. and abroad. The Center sets the pace for public service and scholarship through a unique combinaon of coursework, research, professional pracce, and collaboraon with communies. iii Contents Execuve Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………vi Report Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………………………...……...vii Author’s Note……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..viii 1 Introducon………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1 1.1 Community‐Based Natural Resource Management…………………………………………….……2 1.2 What Defines Success……………………………………………………………………………………………….2 2 Sustaining Newaygo County’s Natural Resources…………………..…………………………………………...3 2.1 Newaygo County Advantages…………………………………………………………………………………..4 2.2 Natural Resource Challenges…………………………………………………………………………………….4 3 Governance…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5 3.1 Special Interest Groups…………………………………………………………………………………………….6 3.2 Accountability and Trust……………………………………………….………………………………………….7 3.3 Cooperaon……………………………………………………………….…………………………………………….8 3.4 History, Values, and Beliefs………………………………………………..………………………………..…..9 4 Community Engagement ……………………………………………………..…………………………………………..10 4.1 Trust and Shared Interests……………………………………………..….………………………………..…10 4.2 Communicaon and Relaonal Networks…………………………………….…………………………11 4.4 Educaon…………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………..12 5 Flexibility…………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………...13 5.1 Decentralizaon…………………………………………………………….……………………………………….13 5.2 External Forces………………………………..……………………………………………………………………..14 iv 5.3 Scienfic Uncertainty……………………..………………………………………………………………….…..15 5.4 Community Preparedness……………………….……………………………………………………………..15 5.5 Procedure vs. Creavity………………………………………………………………………………………….17 6 Development Implicaons………………………..…………………………………………………………………...…18 6.1 Rural Economic Transion…………………………………………………..………………………………….18 6.2 Development and Newaygo County………………………….………………………………………...…19 6.3 Amenies………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………..21 6.4 Social Equity……………………………………………………..……………………………………………………22 6.5 Tourism…………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………..…23 6.6 Tourism and Newaygo County…………………………………..………………………………………...…25 6.7 Desnaon and Place…………………………………………………………………………………………....29 6.8 Newaygo County Assets……………………………………………….…………………………………….....30 6.9 Maintaining a Balance…………………………………………………..………………………………...…….33 7 Triple Boom Line Impact: A Brief Look at the Field…………………….……………………………..…….37 7.1 Environment and Economy………………………………………………….…………………………….…..38 7.2 Environment and Equity…………………………………………………………………………………….…..41 8 Recommendaons………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….43 8.1 Strategies for Stewardship………………………………………………………………………..…………...43 8.2 Potenal for Philanthropy…………………………………………………………………….……………..…46 8.3 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….46 References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….49 Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………56 v Execuve Summary How can Newaygo County meet the challenge of balancing preservaon and promoon of natural resources? This is the central queson addressed in this report. Based on in‐depth interviews of key stakeholders in Newaygo County and West Michigan, recommendaons are provided for both promoon and preservaon of natural resources. Many of the quesons posed to interviewees were based on peer‐reviewed journal arcles in the natural resource management (NRM) literature. NRM oen presents a dilemma between conservaonists and developers. Aaining a balance between exploitaon and protecon of resources, however, is a must if the county is to achieve sustainable development objecves. NRM involves a multude of levels and interests. Opons for sustainable management must involve all stakeholders and balance levels of decision‐makers, whether local, regional, or naonal. No one‐size‐fits‐all approach applies to NRM; instead, co‐management of resources and mul‐stakeholder collaboraons assist in achieving sustainable soluons, given the mulple interest groups involved in the commons. Through good governance, flexibility to change, and community engagement efforts, NRM has a beer chance for success and sustainability. Clearly, natural resources cross governmental boundaries and jurisdicons, and NRM strategies must compensate for this dynamic. The region of West Michigan contains a wealth of natural resources, from rivers and lakes to farmland and forests. Taking advantage of these resources through agriculture and tourism value chains may spur economic development while also providing for sustainable management. Key stakeholders provided specific recommendaons for preservaon and promoon of natural resources which could fit into philanthropic strategies. They also pointed out Newaygo County’s major natural resource assets. Gaining insights about where protecon is needed most and where promoon has the greatest potenal can help target philanthropic investments. Newaygo County’s natural resources have the potenal for improving local livelihoods and raising people out of poverty. Many other foundaons and organizaons are focused on these crossovers, between environment and economy, and environment and equity. Lessons can be taken for Newaygo County’s context in order to achieve triple boom line
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