MISSION

The resolution that was passed by Wayne County voters in 1969 stated that the mission of the Conservation District is to:

“Control flooding, maintain rivers, preserve wildlife, protect public lands, and protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the people in the County”.  

 

The establishment of the Wayne County Conservation District (WCCD) fits in well with the preamble of the Home Rule Charter for Wayne County which states: “conservation of the rich natural resources in Wayne County is a county concern.”

 

Flooding was a concern back when the Conservation District was established, because so much wetland acreage (which serves as a detention basin for intense storms) had been destroyed or cut down due to intense development in Wayne County, leading to flooding events (e.g., southwest Detroit, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights) in the Lower Rouge River watershed.   History repeats itself when we look at the flood events Wayne County experienced in June and July 2021 and seven years earlier in 2014 in these same communities.  The reason for the continual flooding can be partially attributed to the continual destruction of wetlands, particularly forested wetlands, which retain stormwater flow and release it over time, thereby reducing the impact of 500-year floods.  Pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), approved 98% of all wetland destruction permit applications during the 2000 – 2020 time period.

 

Preserving wetlands helps to reduce the health and safety impacts of flooding.  Flooding can cause danger to life and human health issues (e.g., toxic mold, pollutants in the basements of homes) and economic issues such as loss of appliances, personal possessions, cleanup costs, and other costs.

 

Preserving forested wetlands, especially the rare, imperiled wetlands such as wet-mesic flatwoods, means preserving the habitat for rare species, preserving wildlife, preserving flora, and preserving biodiversity (which is rapidly being lost, due to development).

 

The State of Michigan recognizes Conservation Districts shortly after the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s and passed Conservation District law which established conservation districts as “governmental subdivisions of the State.  WCCD is a governmental subdivision of the State, and not a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.