Huron-Clinton Metropolicy Authority | Brighton, MI
The Team: Since 1940, the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA) has managed the Metroparks, a special 25,000-acre park district in Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. The Metroparks are located primarily along the Huron and Clinton rivers and see more than 7 million visitors each year taking advantage of the many activities available including boating, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, skiing, and sledding. The HCMA is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners — two selected by Michigan’s governor and the remaining five made up of one person from each of the five member counties. The HCMA is collaborating with Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), a sustainable materials management consulting firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
NextCycle Michigan Project: This collaborative team will work to expand its existing composting of animal manure, animal bedding, leaves, and woodchips at the Kensington Metropark Farm Center. Currently, the piles consist mostly of carbon materials and are not turned frequently, leading to a slower composting process. During the NextCycle program, the team will work with coaches to test and refine composting recipes, determine equipment and site needs, develop operational practices, identify staffing needs, and refine the capital and operational expenditures model. The team hopes to develop a road map for scaling the operation and become a successful model for other farm-based composting across the region with at least one regulated composting facility in each Metropark management district. This project will divert materials from landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Additional Information:
Websites:
Huron-Clinton Metroparks: https://www.metroparks.com/